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Tech. TidByte

April 7, 2020

Tech. TidByteApril 7, 2020
DISD Homepage
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From Dr. Melissa Williams-Scott, CTO

Welcome to the COVID-19 edition of the TechTidByte. One thing we have been reminded of is how adaptable educators are to change. We knew it, but the rest of the world is now learning how incredible you all are. We have seen so many amazing adaptations to your daily instruction and it is incredible. We are so very impressed with the ability to quickly change to meet these challenging times. We also know that our Gator Students appreciate the communication and support. As your Technology Team we want to thank the many DISD team members who came out to help distribute Chromebooks over a two day span. Your help was invaluable. Now…remember to take time to breathe and disconnect a little too, for yourselves and your families. Oh and don’t forget sunscreen during those outdoor virtual meetings and lessons.

Safe Zooming
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Keeping Your Zoom & Google Meet Sessions Safe & Secure

As you utilize Zoom for conferences and lessons, please be mindful of the information below to ensure student safety. We also want to remind everyone that you must have permission to post photos of students on social media; therefore, we recommend some blurring of faces unless you know that every student in the photo has provided permission to be published.


Dickinson ISD Zoom Guidelines for Safe & Secure Distance Learning

When using Zoom, to avoid meetings being hacked, do the following…

1. Don't advertise the Zoom address using social media.

2. Turn off sharing rights for your participant's screen and document sharing.

3. Make sure to know how to turn off participant's videos.

4. Disable annotations.

5. Turn off private messaging.

6. Use the waiting room feature.


Please review our website on Safe Zoom Guidelines at http://www.dickinsonisd.org/page/tech.Zoom.

link to webmail cleanup instructions
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Webmail Tips & Tricks

Elementary Technology Integration Specialist Jennifer Rushing has put together some instructions to help you out if your Mailbox is Full. We are emailing more than ever now, so we hope this helps!


Cleaning Up Webmail shows the best ways to filter your email to delete your largest files.


Creating a Contact List in Webmail helps you create groups to email your teams, parents, and students.

Link to Classroom Cheat Sheet
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Google Classroom Cheat Sheet

Many of your Google Classroom Questions can be answered through the Classroom Cheat Sheet, and if not, please reach out to your Educational Technology Team. Find Video Tutorial and Step-by-Step instructions on everything from Posting to Multiple Classes at Once to How Students Turn In Work to Editing PDFs to using Google Forms for Quizzes.


If you would like to view a Google Classroom Crash Course that DHS teachers participated in, it can be seen here.

Link to Google Templates
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Google Slides Templates

Google Slides activities are the Ed Tech Team's favorite type of lessons to assign in Google Classroom, especially using the Make a Copy for Each Student Feature. Explore some of these templates that can be adapted to meet your needs.


Some of our favorites are from


Susan Haynes, DISD Social Studies Curriculum Specialist

Ditch That Textbook

Shake Up Learning

friEdTechnology

Website Cheat Sheet
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Teacher Website Editor Cheat Sheet

Claudia Valastro and Caroline Lightfoot created many video tutorials for the most common website editing tasks. Many teachers simply forgot or did not know to publish their page, thus resulting in an error when parents and students try to open it. Others are not quite sure what the district expectation to link Google Classroom to your webpage means. Find out here!

https://bit.ly/DISDTeacherWebsiteCheatSheet


Claudia Valastro's website has great resources, too.

links to form & Chromebook resources
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Technical Help for Students & Families

We cannot leave our students and families behind as they navigate online learning. For Technical Help, please refer those in need to the Student/Family Technology Help Request on the Technology Department's Homepage. Please note this request if for students and families. Staff may still reach out to the Help Desk.


Here, you will also find Chromebook Usage and Care Resources and How To's to share with our Gator Families.

How To Get to the Symbaloo Page
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The Symbaloo Page at Home

The Symbaloo page houses many unique URLs to Dickinson ISD. Sometimes, searching for a program will result in frustration because you or your students cannot login. However, if you use the links on the Symbaloo page, you should have greater success. The page is linked in the Quicklinks section of www.dickinsonisd.org, and if you would like a graphic to share with students and families, we have one here.


http://bit.ly/DISDSymbaloo

Symbaloo Page
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Discovery Education

Using the link from the Symbaloo Page, which you can share with your students through your Teacher Website or Google Classroom, students can view Discovery Education rich video and online content. Students Login with Google using their @apps.dickinsonisd.org account and their computer/email password.
Symbaloo Page
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BrainPOP

Also using the link from the Symbaloo Page, students will be auto-logged into BrainPOP's engaging videos featuring Tim and Mobi. BrainPOP has more than videos; there are also games, quizzes, and interactive learning activities!
Textbook Instructions
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Online Textbooks

Again on the Symbaloo Page, all DISD Online Textbook resources are posted. Instructions can be found at http://bit.ly/DISDTextbookLogins. There are both teacher and student instructions here, along with some videos for Elementary Resources created by Jennifer Rushing.
Britannica School on Symbaloo
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Britannica School

Linked on the Symbaloo Page, Britannica School provides safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resources for Elementary, Middle, Junior High, and High School Students. Encyclopedia articles, multimedia, primary sources, games, and other learning resources support DISD's Teaching & Learning.


Standards-aligned resources are also available.


The following credentials may be required.


Username: j084901

Password: learn

https://dickinsonisd.symbaloo.com/
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Gale Online Resources

The Gale Cengae Online Learning Database offers a plethora of resources for inquiry and research projects. Secondary Grade Level academic resources are available, but also included are Middle School and Elementary Level Resources like the Junior Student Resource Center, Kids InfoBits, and National Geographic Kids. This resource is also linked on the Symbaloo Page.


The following credentials may be required.


Username: j084901

Password: learn

ARMS for P Drive
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P Drive

If you need to access files from your P Drive, it can be done. This would also be a great time to transition some of your files from your P Drive, locally on your computer, or on USB drives that often become corrupt, to Google Drive.


How to Access Your P Drive files can be found at http://bit.ly/DISDPDrive.


How to Move Files to Your Google Drive can be found at https://bit.ly/MoveToGoogle. This gif also demonstrates how to download a file from ARMS, where you access your P Drive.

DISD Eduphoria
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The Help Desk is Answering Your Calls

If you are experiencing Technical Difficulties, the Dickinson ISD Technology Help Desk can be reached at 281-229-6028 between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm or by emailing helpdesk@dickinsonisd.org. Technology Work Orders may also be entered through Eduphoria Help Desk. We know these are stressful times, and we are still here for you.
Calm App Resources
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We Are So Proud of You!

We get to tell teachers every day that You Are Doing a Great Job! We are so impressed that you learned to distance teach and learn overnight, and you continue to learn new things on a daily basis. You are creating valuable learning opportunities for your students outside the four walls of your classroom while also caring for your students and finding ways to connect with and maintain academic relationships.


Another thing to consider during these uncertain times is that

Grace > Grades. Kasey Bell of ShakeUpLearning introduced this concept a few weeks ago in her blog post. Our students may be sharing devices with parents and siblings while their parents are away at work or also working from home. Have some grace with yourself, too.


The Calm App has also put together some free resources you and your students may find helpful and encourages us all to Take a Deep Breath.

Ed. Tech. Websites
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Educational Technology Team Websites

We are updating our sites daily with new, just-in-time tools to help in your distance learning adventure.


Explore our sites at http://www.dickinsonisd.org/page/tech.Instructionaltech.

DISD Technology Facebook Page
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Facebook Groups to Follow

We cannot close this edition of the Tech. TidByte without asking you to follow Dickinson ISD Technology and DickinsonGatorsTeaching During Covid-19. Both groups offer tips, tricks, and a means to connect with your peers as we stay healthy and at home, away from the students we care about so much.