• NEW Schoology User Interface
• Update your Test/Quiz in Schoology before July 1st
• ParentSquare Updates
• Edpuzzle Live and Originals
• Kami Curriculum Mode
  
• SchooLinks Senior To-Dos
• How Did They Do That Live
• Esports Student Testimonials
• AI Prompt Engineering and Best Practices
• Ed Tech Tool Updates: Microsoft Editor, Padlet, LucidChart to FigJam
• Skooli Online Tutoring for All Students
• EdTech PD Opportunities in PD Catalog - April 2024
• CAASPP Assessment & Evaluation Reminders

July 1st Schoology is updating its image and with that comes some new icons and graphics. The top toolbar will get a modern update and icons in the course will have a new refreshed look. You will now be able to easily “Import from Resources” or “Find Resources” directly using your “Add Materials” button.

👇Updated Toolbar

👇Updated Icons

👇Preview of Schoology Course with the New Schoology User Interface

As it is shared above, this summer, Schoology is getting a makeover! One change we want to be ready for is the sunsetting of the Test/Quiz feature. Schoology has been hinting for years that this feature will be removed in favor of the Assessments tool. And, that time is finally upon us.

But, fear not! All of your existing content will stay, and you keep using it. You just won't be able to make new content. Check out the video below for some tips on how to manage this change.

Too long, didn't watch? Here's the key highlights

• Over the summer, the Test/Quiz feature will be removed
• You will be able to keep using Test/Quizzes you already made
• You can convert your Test/Quizzes to Assessments
• You cannot make new Test/Quizzes after the update
• Test/Quiz and Assessment will have the same new icon, so labelling will be key

Users can now record and include a voice clip attachment when sending a direct message. This is great for quick updates to a parent regarding the progress of their student in a 1:1 conversation or for sending the same personalized voice clip to everyone in a group Direct Message.

Here are some examples where voice clips are useful:

• Pronouncing vocabulary words that are being sent home.
• Sharing a short poem, verse, or song students need to learn.
• Recording the written message you are sending for people who might prefer hearing, instead of just reading, your words.
• Foreign language teachers can record a passage that students then need to translate.
• Recording students reading aloud in class to share with parents.

Here are some important notes to remember about using voice clips:

• Families will receive your message with a link they can click to hear the voice clip.
  
• User needs to sign in to ParentSquare to listen.
• You can only attach one voice clip per announcement.
• Your voice clip can be up to two minutes long.
• Voice clips record your voice and are not automatically translated.
• Voice clips are not automatically transcribed.

The Group Manager role can manage groups, however, with less access than a Group Owner.

• Now, assign group posting and management permissions without adding full Group Owner permissions.
• Group Managers can post to the group, remove group members and may have access to the group directory only.
• Ideal for coaches, guests, and parents who intend to post to groups.

Admin and group owners can assign other group members as a "Group Manager". Unlike a Group Owner, Group Managers cannot view the entire school directory or add people to the group but they can post to the group and otherwise manage all posts within the group. They can also remove existing members if needed.

Watch the video below to learn more about this new group role:

Edpuzzle Originals are standards-aligned, customizable lessons created by experts that engage students, empower teachers, and make differentiation a breeze.

Links to standards-aligned lessons:

• ELA

• Math

• NGSS

• California Social Studies

• Study Skills

• Test-taking

• Digital Citizenship

• Financial Literacy

Are you tired of students deleting your Kami annotations and claiming "they didn't see the directions"? Want to ensure your assignments in Kami are a little more fool-proof? Kami has a new mode called Curriculum Mode designed to help with just that! Check out the video below to learn more.

As we gear up for the final stretch of the school year, let's ensure our seniors are set for success by guiding them through their SchooLinks tasks. MCS staff, please remind our seniors to tackle their end-of-year requirements diligently. Be sure to take a moment to watch the video provided below for an overview of the process. Student Takeout Webpage includes turning in student device and keeping their digital files.

How Did They Do That Live is going strong since we last sent out Bits and Bytes. We had a presentation in February all about Schoology. Topics included:

• 👩🏻‍💻Using Tables to Organize Courses
• 💬Schoology Discussions
• 🤯Using Canva in Schoology
• 🖐🏻5 Quick Tips on Schoology

You can check out some of the great content below!

Did you know that we have a fantastic EdTech in this area every February! SCOE offers ETC! and each year, some staff and teachers attend. For How Did They Do That Live, some of the attendees shared what they saw and what they hope to bring back. Topics included:

• 👩🏻‍🏫AI Tools for Teachers
• 🏫Magic School AI
• 💻Awesome Shortcuts for your Computer

Check it out below!

We have two more How Did They Do That Live sessions coming up!

• April 2nd 3:45
• May 7th 3:45

You can visit the course link to sign up. Best of all - each unique session of HDTDT is one hour of credit! So, if you attend our final two for this year, you get two more hours of PD credit. What could beat awesome learning and getting credit for it?

It goes without saying that student engagement goes hand-in-hand with student success. And it seems now, more than ever, students are feeling disconnected and disengaged from schools. That's why at MCS we are investing in programs to boost student engagement, which leads to better attendance and grades. One of the programs that has been key to reaching disconnected students is esports! Who knew combining video games and school could be so potent. But, as you can see in the graphic, esports is capturing a huge swath of students who are otherwise not engaged. Want to hear more? Check out this interview with the Downey esports team!

MagicSchool AI application in our MCS App Portal helps staff easily use AI. If you venture into other tools we have open including ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, or Microsoft Copilot you will want to take advantage of these prompt tips to get the results you are wanting from the tools. These prompt tips are called Prompt Engineering. Prompt library for educators resource from AI for Education.

In the MCS App Portal staff can find the following free versions of AI tools

Best Practices for Using AI Responsibly

Check for Bias and Accuracy

AI might occasionally produce biased or incorrect content. Always double-check before sharing with students or families.

The 80-20 Approach

Use AI for the initial 80% of the work, but make sure to add your final touch, review for bias and accuracy, and contextualize appropriately for the last 20%.

Your Judgement Matters

Treat AI-generated content as a starting point, not a final solution. Always adhere to your school's guidelines and your professional judgement.

Know the Limits

The AI's knowledge (depending on the tool) may only cover events up to April 2023, so be aware of limits when dealing with more recent topics.

Protect Privacy

Users need to have caution what they share in AI tool prompts

or data they give the tools:

• Do not put in student or staff data as these tools do store, share, and use the information.
• There is the potential for someone to search for student and staff information with their prompts with these tools

If a specific tool does not use it, they can and do share that information elsewhere with other vendors

As with any emerging technology, AI-generated writing comes with its own set of concerns and ethical considerations.

• Some of the key concerns with AI-generated writing include:
• Plagiarism and attribution: AI-generated writing blurs the lines of original authorship and challenges the proper attribution of content.
• Lack of human creativity and empathy: AI-generated writing lacks the emotional depth and empathy that human authors bring to their work, potentially resulting in a lack of genuine connection with readers.
• False positives in AI writing detectors: fears students could be falsely accused of cheating, mistaking authentic student work for AI-generated writing.

• Some of the key concerns with AI-generated art include:

• Originality and ownership challenges: Determining authorship and copyright ownership of AI-generated art raises ethical concerns.

Hidden Biases and Misinformation

AI can inherit biases and misinformation from the data it's trained on. This can lead to the spread of inaccurate or unfair information, reinforcing stereotypes and harming marginalized groups. Similarly, AI-generated art can produce problematic images that reflect societal biases. If the training data reflects stereotypes, the AI art will too, and this can multiply problems exponentially by perpetuating harmful ideas. In short: AI-generated content is a powerful tool, but we need to be aware of its potential pitfalls.

• Microsoft Editor: Spelling & Grammar Checker Chrome Extension - free alternative to Grammarly - Add to Chrome here | 🥚
• Padlet Update: During the Spring Break Padlet was updated to the Padlet for Schools. With this update you still login to Padlet the same and have access to all your Padlet boards. More information about Padlet for Schools.
• LucidChart Ending: LucidChart licensing will end this school year due to extremely low usage. We will now use FigJam as the replacement. You can access FigJam from MCS App Portal. FigJam is free for schools for both staff, educators, and students to use.

In English

In Spanish

Join our dynamic workshop, where you'll dive into the world of AI in the classroom. We'll kick things off by delving into the best practices for using AI to enhance your teaching strategies. From there, you'll get hands-on experience with MagicSchool - an exciting platform designed to make AI accessible to educators. Discover a variety of Magic Tools that can significantly streamline tasks such as lesson planning, differentiation, assessment creation, IEP support, clear communication, and more. Learn how to seamlessly incorporate these tools into your classroom, while also gaining valuable insights into additional AI resources offered by MCS. Prepare to unleash the full potential of AI in education!

Mon April 15th 3:45pm-4:45pm in Microsoft Teams

In this course, you will learn about AI in the workplace. We'll share the best ways to use AI effectively. You'll start by getting to know ChatGPT. As we progress, you'll discover how to make your work easier and more efficient using ChatGPT and other AI tools. Join us for this educational journey and see how AI can save you time on your job.

Wed April 3rd LATE START 4:30pm-5:30pm in Microsoft Teams

Wed April 24th LATE START 4:30pm-5:30pm in Microsoft Teams

Welcome to the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education! Learn about AI features already in our approved ed tech tools at MCS. This course is designed to provide educators and education technology enthusiasts with a better understanding of how AI is revolutionizing the education landscape. You'll be gaining insights into the functioning of AI systems, discover practical applications of AI in K-12 classrooms, and delve into the current status of AI implementation at Modesto City Schools. Topics will include: Our Ed Tech Tools with AI Features Learning How AI Works AI in K-12 Classroom AI Current Status at MCS

Wed April 17th 3:45pm-4:45pm in Microsoft Teams

Kami is the leading PDF & document annotation app for schools. In this course, attendees will learn how to create Kami Assignments in Schoology. They will also learn how to update exisiting assignments and grade student work.

Wed April 3rd 3:45pm-4:45pm in Microsoft Teams

Bits and Bytes published six times a year: August 1st (Back to School Edition), October 17th (Fall Edition), Special Edition December Semester Change 7-12, January 17th (Winter Edition), March 26th (Spring Edition), and May 21st (Summer Edition), Archived Issues