Connect with Educators through #michED

At its heart, MichED is a community with a point of connection being weekly “chats” on Twitter. The website is a work in progress: http://miched.net/. In addition to archived chat captures, you will also find podcasts and stories from Michigan classrooms.

The Chat

The chats occurs every Wednesday evening, on Twitter, between 8 and 9 p.m. using the hashtag #MichED. During the summer there are “campfire” meetings, where people casually connect with no predetermined questions or agenda

General #MichED format

For those of you new to Twitter chats or #miched, the following guidelines will help your participation:

1. Introduce yourself (name, where you teach, what you teach)

2. Watch for questions to be tweeted out by moderator

3. Questions will be tweeted as “Q1: …………….”

4. Respond with “A1: ………”

5. Don’t forget to include the #miched hashtag!

6. Don’t worry about keeping up. Better to engage with one or two people. Chat will be “storified” (a method for archiving Tweets), tweeted out using #miched and posted to miched.net on Thursday.

7. At the end of the chat, please complete the participation form. We are working toward building a powerful PLN of engaged teachers!

Resources:

Never participated in a Twitter chat? Here are some resources to get you started.

• Link to Erin Klein “Twitter for Teachers”
• Link to “Weekly Twitter Chat Times”
• Link to “How to Participate in a Twitter Chat”
• Link to “Must Follows” Twitter list

October is Connected Educator Month

Visit this site to see all the events: http://connectededucators.org/calendar/

Google drive and New Privacy options

Tip #1 How to access your files when Google drive is just spinning (loading....)

or by opening a second tab and entering:

• docs.google.com
• sheets.google.com
• slides.google.com

Tip #2  Learn how to prevent others from sharing, printing, and copying your Google Docs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gtnrI28qCI&feature=youtu.be

Tips for the week

TIP #1 : Teachers are inquiring as to what tools and devices are a good fit for teaching skills and activities. The following link was developed to provide more information on TEchnology versus Blooms, SAMR and STEAM foundational Skills:  Which technology should I use? 

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TIP #2: Are you having trouble with students accessing Files01 server?

If students experience trouble logging into the files server ( smb://files01 ), please enter the student number in the Name field.

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TIP #3:  How can I request apps?

To request an app, please complete the following form: http://goo.gl/forms/cBuxSqwAHF

 

AAPS participates in the Apple Volume Purchase Program (AVPP)

a)     AVPP allows for volume purchases of Apple iOS software applications (apps). There is a 50% discount on purchases of 20 or more licenses on individual iOS apps. Discount does not apply to all apps, it is determined by the app developer.    

b)    AVPP honors the district tax exempt status. Regular App Store does not.

d)    AVPP requires the Purchase of Vouchers. Each building/department will have a VPP account set up to track these purchases.

**Please note that gift cards will not work for purchasing apps on district devices. Apple requires schools to use the Volume Purchase

e)     To view apps and VPP program pricing, please visit the site at: https://volume.itunes.apple.com/us/store/

Below are sites to help you review apps for your classroom:

• Best Kids Apps
• Apps in Education
• APPitic: App Lists for Education
• Graphite

Deployment of Apps

a)     Student iPads will only obtain iOS apps from the district and the AVPP Program, regardless if they are free or paid iOS apps. 

• Requests for student iOS apps will be communicated by filling out the online request form. 
• Apps will be purchased on a schedule determined by the district and will be loaded onto student iPads by the ITD staff at the end of each month.

Ann Arbor Public Schools Accessible Wireless Networks

You may have noticed different wireless networks popping up in your devices. AAPS has updated our wireless networks to better manage bandwidth and prioritize educational use. Below are the descriptions and targets for each of the new wireless networks.

AAPS – Will be used by district-owned devices and will replace the AAPSWF network over time.

AAPS-Guest - Replaces AAPS-GUEST

• Accessing the Guest network requires use of an AAPS Active Directory account. Every staff member and student has an account.

• Staff or students using “Bring Your Own Technology” (BYOT) in class need to enter their Active Directory Login/Password and accept the Use Agreement to access this network
• This is the same ID used to access the server space

AAPS-Public - Replaces AAPS-Vendor and is for visitors, parents and community members.

• Users must provide their email address and accept the Use Agreement to access this network. The set up is similar to the screens you see when visiting a network at a hotel or coffee shop.
• The email does not have to be an aaps.k12.mi.us email address

These networks will require students to re-authenticate to the network after a period of two hours, similar to a hotel or coffee shop.

WIFI Access Directions for Students and Staff

Accessing the Guest Network as a Student:

Use the portion of your AAPS email address before the '@' as your username.

Student Login to the AAPS-Guest Network with Active Directory Credentials.

For example: Username - 2016doejohn

Staff Login to the AAPS-Guest Network with Active Directory Credentials:

Login to the Guest Network on a personal device with Active Directory Credentials.

Use the login to your computer. For example -Username: smitha

If your password doesn't work please put in a help desk ticket and ask to have your active directory password reset.

How Can a Teacher Look Up a Student’s Email Address?

• Print a report in PowerTeacher (not gradebook) for a class list of student email addresses.

1. Click on Reports in the left hand navigation
2. Use the Pull Down Menu and select the report: “DST Class List w GooglePermission”

*Note that students’ Google email passwords are different than Active Directory passwords.

Welcome back to the 2015-16 School Year!

New Technology Resource Pages

Over the summer, ITD has been working hard to prepare variety of tools to meet the differing needs across curricular areas and levels:

• iPads
• Chromebooks
• Macbook Air Laptops
• an allocation of devices for supplementing instructional services (BYOD, Rotational Model, project base learning, innovative practices, special areas, magnets)
• two iPads for use in the music class
• Kiosk Display
• Needed upgrades to printers in offices and common areas
• Network Storage and Back-up systems for staff and student files.
• Windows computers for Project Lead the Way Labs for all Secondary Schools
• Project Lead the Way Launch iPad carts for pilot Elementary Schools

As we infuse our schools with new technologies, we would like to share resources for use in the classroom as well. Please visit the following pages on the AAPS Instructional Technology Blog to learn more.

Inspiring Innovative Integration Resource - Handouts and presentations from the Summer Technology Professional Development Opportunities

Accessing data on the Servers - How to connect to the new Storage servers.

iPad Resources

Chromebook Resources

Ladibug Document Camera

Reflector 2 - How to display an iPad on the projector

Access Server Space

To access your data on the server from a Mac:​

1. In Finder, click on Go and select Connect to Server from the drop
   ​-​
   down menu.
2. Enter the server address smb://files01
3. Click Connect.
4. Enter your active directory name and password
   ​ 
   - the same one you use to log into your computer​
5. Select the volume you wish to mount (Staff, Student or Shared).

Tip!  When presented with a list of directory names, simply start typing to jump down the list.

T

o access your data on the server from a PC

​:​

1. Log into your pc with your active directory id and password.  
2. Open a new window in Explorer
3. Enter \\files01\ in the Navigation bar (URL)
4. In the central window you should see a number of options, including Shared.  Open the folder you wish to access (Staff, Student or Shared).

Reflector Teacher

Reflector Teacher

When you connection your laptop to your classroom projector, you can display teacher or student iPads on the projector through the Reflector Teacher application. 

Launch Reflector Teacher On your Teacher Laptop:

Open Reflector Teacher from the Applications folder on your computer. 

You may not see any windows appear, but an icon should appear in the menu bar near your clock.

Set your "Broadcast Name"

From the Reflector Teacher menu, choose Preferences. 

General Tab:

1. Uncheck the checkbox next to "Use System Name"
2. Enter your name or room number

To mirror an iPad to your computer:

 1. On your iOS 11 iPads, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to bring up Control Center.
     NEW! On your iOS 12 iPads, swipe DOWN from the upper right corner of the screen to bring up
      the Control Center.

2. Tap on the Screen Mirroring button, and you should see a list of available computers to share with. 

3. Tap on your computer's name, then swipe the mirroring toggle switch found underneath the name of your computer. 

4. Your iPad should now be mirroring successfully to your computer.

FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE: http://www.airsquirrels.com/reflector/resources/

Technology Professional Learning Opportunities

This summer Ann Arbor Public Schools will offer three weeks of half day learning opportunities to Inspire Innovate and Integrate with technology. Featured national speakers will be John Sowash and Leslie Fisher. These will take place the weeks of July 20-27, August 10-14, and August 17-20. Registration will open on July 1st in Kalpa.  

                                                                                                             

Inspiring     July 27 - 30

Innovative  August 10 - 14

Integration  August 17 - 20

Interested in Learning what is in the AAPS Digital Pack pack? Curious about the new Technology Equipment? Find out how you can integrate these tools in your classroom! Join us for professional learning opportunities with District and National Presenters!

FREE to all AAPS staff!

Session Schedule and descriptions

Registration for sessions will be open in  Kalpa beginning July 1, 2015

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Backup Your Computer

Everyone should backup their computer on a regular basis.  

Click here for a short video on how to manually back up your computer to an external hard drive.

In addition to the directions on the video you may also want to back up the following items.

• Backup your Bookmarks for your Browsers

◦ To save Bookmarks in Firefox:

▪ Select Show all Bookmarks from the Bookmarks menu

▪ Click on the Star menu and select backup...

▪ Save the exported file to your backup source

◦ To save Bookmarks from Safari:

▪ Select Export Bookmarks from the file menu

▪ Save the exported bookmarks to  your backup source

◦ To Save Bookmarks from Chrome:

▪ Select Bookmark Manager from the Bookmarks menu

▪ Click on Organize and select Export html…

▪ Save the exported bookmarks to  your backup source

• Export iCal Calendars 

Open iCal. Go to file, export, calendar archive,save to Google drive or your backup source

• Backup Address Book 

Open Address Book. Go to file, export, address book archive, save to Google drive or your backup source

• ExamView

Backup the Test and Banks folder inside the ExamView folder located in the Macintosh HD or the Applications Folder.

• Applications

Your computer will come preloaded with the standard district applications. Check your applications folder, if you have any question about a specific application please contact the AAPS help desk, 994-5040 You are responsible for any applications that you have personally installed on your computer.

• Time Machine Backup

Another method to backup your computer is to use Time Machine, the utility that is included in the operating system of your computer. This is best for an entire restore of you computer if needed. To use time machine you can find directions from Apple's website here. These directions are for Yosemite Apple's newest operating system but it works the same for Mavericks the system on your computer.

M-STEP Testing Manual and Online Tools Video

Are you looking for the M-STEP Test Administration manual:

Click the following link to view:

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/EMI577_G3HS_MANU_TA_SP15_03.17.15_484350_7.pdf

​Is there a video to show my students how to use the M-STEP Online Tools​?

http://mediacast.aaps.k12.mi.us/tight_url.cfm/URLID/101152

Digital Tools for Formative assessment

Are you looking for tools for formative assessments? 

Below are a two tools that you may find useful:

Plickers : A tool that turns your iPad or iPhone into an assessment reader for Paper clickers. https://www.plickers.com/help

Kahoot: Create, Launch, and Play! A survey/ quiz system. https://getkahoot.com/

MSTEP: DRC INSIGHT browser

The Technology Department has begun to install the MSTEP: DRC INSIGHT browser to on to every iMac lab computer, laptop cart and teacher computers. The icons below will show up on the desktop.

The DRC INSIGHT can be used to access the Spring Preview, sample, and calculator practice tools. This will allow students to practice in the same environment as the test.

Please note: The DRC INSIGHT shortcut will not work when you are off campus as it is tied to the local TMS servers in the schools.

The MI Online Tutorials shortcut will allow you to get to the training documents and videos available through eDirect and MDE.  The online tools training video has been posted on the eDirect site. 

March 13th is Digital Learning Day!

For ideas about Activities & Lesson Plans visit: http://www.digitallearningday.org/domain/27

Do you have plans for Digital Learning Day? Let us know and add your event to share across the globe at http://www.digitallearningday.org/join

And don't forget to share your ideas and events on twitter with @a2schools.  

PowerTeacher Gradebook Update

PowerTeacher Gradebook Update 

Users impacted: All Powerschool Users during the update and Teachers​ utilizing Power Teacher Gradebook​. Teachers will need to install the grade book as an app on their laptop.

Minor Version Update to PowerSchool v 7.11 and PowerTeacher v 2.8

The great news is that the new Gradebook version includes a new way to launch the Gradebook that protects against Java updates.

​Directions: ​When you log into PowerTeacher next week, you will see a new option for the Gradebook launch. You will want to use the Installer link and follow the steps provided. Here is a link to a short YouTube video showing you the installation process:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mgiIxucBNo&feature=player_embedded

NOTE: If you have a shortcut on the Dock or Desktop for the previous version of the 'alternate' Gradebook, be sure to trash that shortcut and make a new one to match the updated app.