Teacher Tablet Guide
Everything you need to know. Newcomers Edition.
Tablet Materials
- Students will receive a tablet, case, and stylus.
- Teachers received a tablet, case, charger, earbuds, stylus, and keyboard.
- Class sets of keyboards, extra chargers, and earbuds will be checked out to you in one tote. They will be turned back in to the media center at the end of the year.
- These items do not leave campus.
- Earbuds and tablets will be collected and plugged in to charge every afternoon.
Replacements
Case $45
Charger $30
Earbuds $10
Stylus $10
If students want to use their own earbuds and stylus that is fine. Case and Chargers must be replaced with GCS accessories. See Mrs. Huskins for replacements. Replacements Form.
Amplify Market
Request an App & Unblock Websites
Anything you need to know about Apps can be found in the Apps page on the PLERC. This includes what apps are available now, how students download apps, how teachers request apps, and much more.
Speaking of the PLERC, don't forget about the many resources available to you in the Tablet Portal.
Do you know of an app that would be useful in your curriculum? Read the app request process, complete the rubric, and turn it in to Mrs. Huskins.
The tablet has some pretty heavy internet filters. While this is a blessing in most cases, it's quite annoying if it keeps blocking a common useful site that you need. While tablets are on campus the filter will mimick the GCS filters. While tablets are off campus they mimic the Amplify filters that are a bit more restricted. If you find a website you want unblocked, submit your request here.
Tablet Etiquette - Are you modeling?
Guide students to appropriate tablet care at all times. Things to keep an eye on:
- Are students carrying the tablet with both hands?
- Are students avoiding stacking their tablets?
- Are students placing the tablet in appropriate places?
Troubleshooting Steps
Help reinforce the proper troubleshooting steps. Students should be troubleshooting themselves using the poster before asking for help.
- Toggle Wifi
- Restart the tablet
- Ask permission to scan the Trouble Ticket QR using the QR Driod App, and submit a ticket. Someone will be by to get the tablet as soon as possible. Trouble tickets can be submitted from any tablet.
- Amplify Support on the tablet can be used when students are at home. Top right of tablet screen.
Here are a few tips and tricks to help you quickly troubleshoot tablet issues we have seen this year:
- Sign-in error. Students and teachers typically have these errors when something on the tablet isn't working correctly. The only thing users need to do is input their tablet password. Student pw: birthdate (mmddyyyy)/Teacher pw: first 3 of last name+last 4 of SSN.
- Power button not working? Squeeze the tablet front and back just below the switch. The screen and the plastic base will pull apart if you try to remove from the very snug case, thus making it seem like the power button isn't functioning.
- Visit and bookmark THIS document for a quick list of common issues and how to solve them. Please contact me or our CTCs should you have additional questions.
Permission Forms
- We will collect all PACE Tablet Pledge forms from your homeroom students when you arrive for pick-up. New forms need to make it to Mrs. Huskins before a new tablet can be assigned.
- It generally takes 4 days for a new student to have verified credentials which creates a tablet account.
WiFi
Tired of keeping up with passwords to reconnect with Wifi? Any tablet that shows no Wifi will use the WiFi Reconnect App and scan the QR code.
Amplify Playlist Builder
Playlist is your Learning Management System located directly on your tablet. It connects you to your students and allows easy sharing of files, links, and quizzes with one simple button. Here are some Playlist Organization tidbits from Amplify. Log in to playlist builder and start organizing all the documents and assignments you want to send to students. Lots of slick updates have been made since last you saw it. Say good bye to making hundreds of copies a week!
- playlist.amplify.com
- Username: GCSUsername@amplify.gcsnc.com
- Password: First three letters of your last name + last four digits of your social
Tablet Refreshers
Need an update on tablet basics? Click here for videos and tutorials, or go to the Tablet Portal in the PLERC.
Tablet Community
Amplify has created a community for all tablet teachers to have a place to share ideas, solve problems, and encourage other teachers. Be sure to check it out.
OI File Manager
Keep yourself and your students organized by creating folders in the File Manager app for each class. Teach students how to create folders, rename documents, and move documents to the correct class folder. This is VERY important and will save you and your students lots of time.
One Drive
OneDrive is GCS' cloud storage system. Store all your school documents there, and you can access them from any WiFi enabled device. Students also have access to OneDrive to store school documents. We even created a handy app so that it can be accessed easily right from the tablet. Use your GCS credentials to gain entry. Nifty OneDrive fact fro teachers- once you upload all your school documents, like handouts, OneDrive will automatically create a QR code for that handout. Project it or print out the code and voila- students have your digital handout on their tablet.
Students will log in using:
Username= LunchNumber@stu.gcsnc.com
Password= MMDDYYYY birthday
Students will need to enter UN first, then it redirects to GCS' OneDrive at which point they are prompted for UN and PW. Students should periodically back up their work to OneDrive. This goes for any device... back it up if you want to keep it. Before students submit trouble tickets they should back up documents incase a new tablet needs to be assigned.
Gaggle
Every student has a school email address in Gaggle.
Login at: http://www1.gcsnc.com/gagglelogin.html
Username: lunch number
Password: birthdate
If students need to use their account to sign up for other Web 2.0 websites the formula is below.
Student Login
Username: First letter of first name First five letters of last name Last three digits of student number. Example: Sue Anders, sander234@gaggle.gcsnc.com
Password: Student’s birthday (mmddyyyy format)
Edmodo
Have you created your Edmodo account? You may not be to that point yet, and that's OK! It's a great resource that you have when you're ready. Use this teacher code to create an account 6lr6cy.
Once you create your class, you will give your students a code which will assign them in your class as soon as they register. Students will need to register ONCE for an Edmodo account using the credentials:
- Username- Lunch Number
- Password- Birthday (ex- 01032003)
Once students create an account using one teachers' code, they will join other classes by "adding a group" within their account.
Edmodo Tips:
- Need help leading students in creating an account? View the video below.
- Use the Chrome app and go to gcsnc.edmodo.com to access Edmodo.
- On the tablet be sure to select the "full website" version.
- Toggle to the desktop version by selecting the stacks (three buttons) on the top right and select "Request Desktop Site".
- Remember classes lock after 14 days. It's easy to click the lock and reset if students need to join after that time.
Gcsnc.edmodo.com has excellent support tools should you get stuck. If you cannot find what you're looking for contact your PLEF or media specialist.
Contact Me
Available by Email: Always.
Email: BradyL2@gcsnc.com
Website: ple.gcsnc.com
Location: Doris Henderson Newcomers School, Friendway Road, Greensboro, NC, United States
Phone: 336-0000000
Twitter: @geoPLEF