Introducing 2-Step Verification

Starting today, ITD has activated the ability to turn on 2-step verification to your AAPS gmail account.  2-Step verification will protect your email account from someone else signing in as you from a different location. All you need to do is associate a cell phone number with your account and when you sign in, it will send you a code.  You probably already have this set up with other internet accounts such as banking or credit card sites. Google only runs the verification once a month when you are using the same device. If you log into Google from a new computer or device it will activate the 2-step verification. Once you set it up, you will forget you even have it activated.   This is not required but is highly encouraged.  If you are interested, here are instructions on how to set it up.  It only takes a minute or two to set up:

1. Open your Google Account here or with your Gmail open, click on your profile in the upper right head corner and select Google Account. You may need to sign in.

2. Click Security on the left hand side

3. Under Signing into Google select 2-Step Verification and click the > arrow.

4. Click Get Started

5. It will most likely ask you to sign into Google again.

6. If you have never associated a cell phone number with your Google account enter your cell phone number and select Next. If you already have a phone associated with your account click the Try It Now button. This will either send you a verification code or link on your phone.

7. After completing that step you should see this screen. It gives you the option to enter an addition phone number as a backup. Click Send. This will send you another verification code. Enter the code on the next screen and hit Next.

8. Click Turn On

Spring Cleaning Time

With spring upon us, it's a good idea to do some spring cleaning and spruce up your computer.  Here are some helpful tips:

Clear Cache:

Browsers are constantly downloading content onto your computer.  They do a pretty good job at managing this content but need a little help now and again to keep things running well. Here is a blog post about clearing your browser cache:

http://aapsinstructionaltech.blogspot.com/2018/12/web-based-applications-need-distinct.html

Clean out Download Folder:

One folder on your computer that tends to accumulate a lot of junk is the download folder.  This is the default location for your computer to save downloaded things from the internet. From your desktop, click “Go” from the top menu bar and select download.  I would recommend moving anything you would like to keep to the documents folder and move the rest to the trash. Don’t forget to empty your trash when you are done.

Restart More:

When was the last time you restarted your computer?  If you can’t answer that question, you definitely don’t restart enough.  A good rule of thumb is to at least shut your computer down once a week. When you leave school on Friday, shut your computer and don’t turn it back on until you need it again.  You need a break over the weekend and so does your computer.

One of the biggest reasons we hear from users for not restarting is they don’t want to lose their chrome tabs.  There is way to work around this. Go to three dots in the upper right hand corner of chrome and select settings.  From there, scroll down to “On startup” and change the setting to “Continue where you left off.”  When you quit chrome now, it will reopen all your tabs the next time you open it.

Change your Google password:

It’s always a good idea to change your password if you have not done it in a while.  Check out this blog post:

http://aapsinstructionaltech.blogspot.com/2018/10/changing-your-google-password.html

What updates to run?

ITD is still not ready for the Mojave update.  When we are ready, we will send out instructions.  Until then, here is what we recommend updating:

http://aapsinstructionaltech.blogspot.com/2018/10/when-to-update-your-computer.html