Password Tips

Pretty much, no one loves passwords. They are, however, a necessity of our current life. The passwords that we use need to be “good” passwords. Below are a few tips:

  • Never tell your password to anyone (this includes the HelpDesk and techs)
  • Create a password using a phrase instead of a word. Much more secure and easy to remember.
  • Never write your password and post it on your monitor (or under your keyboard, that isn’t fooling anyone).

One of the safest ways to create good strong passwords is to use a Password Manager. Most of these have a cost associated with them. ( I use one, it’s worth my sanity).

Here is an article on passwords that you may find interesting and informative.

Privately shared Google files and Anonymous User

 Interesting “bug”

Did you know that if you share a file privately with a known collaborator and they open the file twice, it may appear as if an external anonymous user is accessing the file?  When we found this strange behaviour, we reported it to Google and got this response…
‘In some cases, when a collaborator opens the same file in two different instances, one of the open sessions may show u as an anonymous user. For example, if a user opens a file on their desktop computer, as well as in a mobile device, the oldest session may be shown as an anonymous user’
So now you know … no need to panic.

Free online Courses

Coaching Digital Learning

        Coaching educators to create digital learning environments is a challenging, important, and highly collaborative role. Individuals who play this role are instrumental in cultivating a digital learning culture within their school, district and/or state. This course allows you to learn along with your colleagues from other schools and districts to enhance your digital learning content knowledge and further develop coaching strategies. During this self-directed, peer-supported, MOOC-Ed you will:

  • Deepen your understanding of what it takes to coach others to integrate technology effectively with relevant and rigorous opportunities to build upon your professional needs and understanding — whether beginning in your role as an instructional coach or seeking advanced strategies;
  • Explore relevant frameworks (e.g. TPACK, SAMR, Four C’s), strategies, tools, and resources to advance your digital learning coaching efforts;
  • Experience multiple opportunities for personalized application of your new learning and job-embedded practice; and
  • Develop and share a coaching plan to support your school/district’s digital learning culture.

Who should take this course? This MOOC-Ed is designed specifically for instructional technology coaches, instructional technology facilitators, technology integration specialists, media specialist, mentor teachers, and others who guide teachers’ integration of digital learning to directly enhance and support student learning.                         

Disciplinary Literacy for Deeper Learning

This course will explore what it means to read, write, speak, and listen for learning and creating knowledge within a discipline. During the Disciplinary Literacy for Deeper Learning MOOC-Ed you will:

  • Strengthen your understanding of what it takes to engage students in deeper learning through disciplinary literacy practices;
  • Explore the model for inquiry-based disciplinary literacy and how it can promote deeper learning for your students;
  • Engage in disciplinary literacy practices (e.g., close reading, digital learning, constructing and supporting claims);
  • Experience multiple opportunities for personalized application of disciplinary literacy to your teaching context;
  • Design, critically evaluate, and share inquiry-based disciplinary literacy lessons;
  • Take action to become a leader by engaging others in disciplinary literacy practices.

Who should take this course? This MOOC-Ed is designed specifically for teachers in grades 4-12 in English & Language Arts, History/Social Studies, Mathematics, and Science, though it is open to all educators in K-12 and postsecondary levels interested in learning more about disciplinary literacy for deeper learning.

Fraction Foundations

This course will help you teach fractions concepts and skills more effectively through understanding students’ thinking and implementing research-based approaches in your classroom. It will help you address rigorous curriculum standards for fractions, whether from the Common Core State Standards or from other up-to-date standards.

The overall goals are that participants will:

  • Develop a deeper understanding of the fractions content standards, and relevant practice standards, that apply in their own schools.
  • Investigate common student misconceptions about fractions and why fractions are hard for children (and adults) to understand.
  • Analyze students’ thinking about fractions to inform instruction.
  • Address students’ learning differences when teaching fraction concepts and skills.
  • Learn to effectively use:
    • Fair-sharing activities to help students understand key concepts of fractions, such as fractions representing the relationship between parts and wholes, equivalent fractions and comparing fractions. (Focus of Unit 2)
    • Measurement and number line activities to help children understand fractions as part of the number system and key concepts such as equivalent fractions, comparing fractions, and the relationship of fraction and integer operations. (Focus of Unit 3)
    • Activities to help students understand why procedures for computations with fractions make sense. (Focus of Unit 4)

Who should take this course? Though this MOOC-Ed focuses on teaching fractions in grades 3-5, the concepts are applicable for other K-8 teachers and will help you address the needs of students who have learning differences that impact their mastery of mathematics.

Teaching Statistics Though Data Investigations

Our world is rich with data sources, and technology makes data more accessible than ever before! To help ensure students are future ready to use data for making informed decisions, many countries around the world have increased the emphasis on statistics and data analysis in school curriculum–from elementary/primary grades through college. This course allows you to learn, along with colleagues from other schools, to use an investigation cycle to teach statistics and to help students explore data to make evidence-based claims. During the Data Investigations MOOC-Ed you will:

  • Strengthen your understanding of how to engage students in a statistical investigation process;
  • Explore a framework for guiding your teaching of statistical investigations to promote deeper data explorations for your students;
  • Use rich data sources, dynamic graphing tools and key statistical concepts to support investigations of questions that are of interest to you and your students;
  • Examine the ways students reason with data to make evidence-based claims;
  • Personalize applications of statistical investigations to your students;
  • Collaborate with colleagues near and far to gain different perspectives on data investigations and to build a library of teaching resources.

Who should take this course? The Teaching Statistics Through Data Investigations MOOC-Ed is applicable to anyone interested in strengthening their approaches to teaching statistics through data investigations. The statistical content and strategies are appropriate for implementation with middle school through early college learners. Thus, teachers of statistics in grades 6-12 and in post-secondary contexts are the primary audience. This course may also be of interest to elementary teachers, teacher educators, and teachers of other disciplines that use data-based explorations extensively to make claims and inferences (e.g., science, social science).

https://www.mooc-ed.org/ 

Fractions Foundations-Free Online Course

Fractions Foundations – FREE Online Course for K-8 Math Educators

Fractions Foundations is an eight-week online course* that will help you teach fractions concepts and skills more effectively through understanding student thinking and by supporting you to implement research-based instructional strategies in your classroom. It will help you address both the content andpractice standards as written in the Michigan K-12 Mathematics Standards (CCSS-M). Though this MOOC focuses on fraction instruction in grades 3-5, the concepts are applicable for other K-8 teachers and will help you address the needs of students whose learning differences impact mastery in mathematics. 

*The Fractions Foundations MOOC-Ed is offered through North Carolina State College of Education.

 If you are interested in receiving 30 SCECHs, please read the information below. Because we are offering thiscourse in conjunction with NCSCE, in order to receive SCECHs, participants will need to do the following:

1.    Email Becki Harding hardinr@resa.net by Jan. 29, 2016 expressing your interest in the SCECHs. Becki will email the interested participants all of the required paperwork in February. Note: You only need to do this if you want SCECHs. Participants that are not interested in SCECHs can go directly to the site and register.

2.    Submit thefollowing at the end of the course: Copy of the Certificate of Completion (issued by MOOC-Ed facilitators), completed work log, copy of the lesson developed for the online course, and completed SCECH form. All work must besubmitted to RESA by April 22, 2016 for SCECHs.

 Watch this short video to learn more about the course – https://youtu.be/6RZCczH-TOo

 Course starts Feb. 1, 2016 (Course orientation will open up Jan. 25, 2016)

Register here – https://place.fi.ncsu.edu/login/index.php. Click on “Create New Account” and complete the required fields. Then, navigate to the MOOC-Ed category of courses to locate Fraction Foundations course.

Free PD Opportunities

Each course is 4 weeks long, with rolling enrollment the first week.
All courses have two live webinars.
For a complete list of Virtual Course FAQ’s click here.

All courses below will be eligible for 6 SCECH credits pending course completion.

*$10 SCECH Registration Fee

Jan. 5 – Jan. 31, 2016: Advanced Social Media

Social Media tools offer unlimited opportunities for in-depth authentic learning experiences with powerful real-world connections of curriculum to practical applications. Participants will explore the use of Social Media based on the highest level for the SAMR model and how best to do such work so that students have authentic experiences with real-world connected learning. Digital Citizenship will be a critical part of how Social Media tools will be appropriately used during the learning journey for course participants and their students.
Click Here to Register

Jan. 5 – Jan. 31, 2016: Authentic Student Learning & Gamification

Participants will discover mind-bending applications for Game Theory in the classrooms through both the case study approach as well as the development of a lesson, unit or assessment that they may apply within and beyond their classrooms.
Click Here to Register

Jan. 5 – Jan. 31, 2016: Advanced Practices in Literacy Instruction & Technology

Participants will enhance their existing knowledge & instructional skill with emerging theory on literacy instruction & powerful technology applications toward the development of long-term literacy support structures for their students.
Click Here to Register

Jan. 5 – Jan. 31, 2016: Advanced Google for Learning

Educators across the globe are capitalizing on Google’s multimedia tools to make their lessons more dynamic, engaging and supportive. Using the top levels of the SAMR model, participants will explore the use of mixing media for creating effective blended lessons. Designing lessons that encourage students to use multimedia Google tools to create authentic products that promote creativity and voice will be will be a critical part of the learning journey for course participants.
Click Here to Register

Jan. 5 – Jan. 31, 2016: Intermediate Google for Learning

Educators across the globe are using powerful Google tools like Blogger and Sites to connect, collaborate and enhance their classroom instructional practices. Creating a web presence allows teachers to virtually expand their classroom walls. Participants will explore how to use a variety of tools to create a face for their classroom.
Click Here to Register

Jan. 5 – Jan. 31, 2016: Introductory Practices in Literacy Instruction & Technology

Participants will explore how Literacy Instruction and Technology foster critical thinking experiences for students. This course will lay the groundwork for effective instructional strategies that support the foundations of literacy and technology integration.
Click Here to Register

Jan. 5 – Jan. 31, 2016: Introduction to Next Generation Assessments

Educators will understand and facilitate Michigan’s vision for Next Generation assessments by learning and applying appropriate strategies, structures, and support practices through this six-hour virtual course. Participating educators will explore and apply aspects of technology integration, blended learning and data collection toward the creation of a classroom-ready assessment that is conducive to the K-12 environment.
Click Here to Register

Jan. 5 – Jan. 31, 2016: Design Thinking Made Practical

There is a strong push for developing critical thinking in students through deep inquiry, as well as other College & Career Readiness skills. Design Thinking is an effective methodology that supports innovative approaches to learning as STEM, STEAM, Inquiry-Based Learning, Project-Based Learning, and other structures that emphasize standards-based authenticity and student voice.
Click Here to Register

Jan. 5 – Jan. 31, 2016: Introduction to Applying Google Apps for Education

This is an online program that participants will install, explore and apply up to fifteen new Google Apps and/or Chrome extensions that enable them to leverage the integration of Chromebooks in their classrooms.
Click Here to Register

Jan. 5 – Jan. 31, 2016: Intermediate Social Media

Social Media tools are a powerful way to support educators to improve instructional practices. Teaching tends to be a “lonely” profession because there tends to be limited time for professional collaboration during the school day. Social Media tools are opportunities to connect educators to the resources they need, including collaborating with their colleagues. These same practices are critical Global Competencies that students need to develop for College and Career Readiness.
Click Here to Register

Jan. 5 – Jan. 31, 2016: Professional Development through Social Media

In this online course participants will discover and explore a range of common and up-to-date social media platforms as well as establish channels that allow for powerful professional development and innovative leadership.
Click Here to Register

Jan. 5 – Jan. 31, 2016: Refining Curriculum with Deeper Learning in Mind (XBL)

Participants will learn and apply best practices in project, problem and inquiry-based learning toward the development of a lesson, unit and/or assessment that they will deliver within and beyond their classrooms.
Click Here to Register

YouTube

Video is a valuable teaching resource. In the past, showing video was very much teacher controlled. The teacher would select a video, preview it, and decide if it was worth showing to students. The teacher would place the VCR in the VCR Player, gather the students around and view the video.

Boy how times have changed. Video is now readily available. YouTube has more than 300 hours of video added every minute. However, not all of that video is appropriate for students. YouTube can be a great resource, but, by Federal law (and common sense), students need to be protected from seeing inappropriate material.

We have been working hard on providing a way for teachers to provide YouTube videos to students. We have now made restricted videos available for students. This means that videos that are labeled as restricted (or those that are specifically approved by the district) are available for students to view. Thus, YouTube videos can now be embedded into an iLearn course, or linked on a blog for students to view. That’s right, students now have access to YouTube (at least a portion of it).

Teachers retain full rights to YouTube videos. However, teachers must be signed into Google in order to have full rights (otherwise, teachers have a restricted view as well). If you are a teacher, please make sure to sign into Gmail before going to YouTube. As always, make sure that you don’t leave a computer signed in as a teacher.

We will be working with the TAC to identify a process of approving videos. (There was a period of time where all teachers could approve videos, but that has been corrected.) As always, we will continue to work to empower teachers and students for the best possible learning conditions.

FREE PD for Teachers.

Inbox — DPS-Mail (39 messages) 2015-11-30 11-43-45

 

Upcoming No Cost* Professional Development

As a result of the TRIG Device Purchasing Activity, all education professionals in Michigan are able to take advantage of these cutting-edge professional development courses. Delivered virtually, this PD allows participants to work at their own pace, after classroom hours. 

Each course is 4 weeks long, with rolling enrollment the first week.  All courses have two live webinars. For a complete list of Virtual Course FAQ’s click hereAll courses below will be eligible for 6 SCECH credits pending course completion.*$10 SCECH Registration Fee

Dec. 1 – Dec. 20 2015:  Advanced Social Media

Social Media tools offer unlimited opportunities for in-depth authentic learning experiences with powerful real-world connections of curriculum to practical applications. These same tools present a critical responsibility that educators have in developing responsible digital citizens of the students. Participants will explore the use of Social Media based on the highest level for the SAMR model and how best to do such work so that students have authentic experiences with real-world connected learning. Digital Citizenship will be a critical part of how Social Media tools will be appropriately used during the learning journey for course participants and their students. 

 Click Here to Register

Dec. 1 – Dec. 20 2015:  Advanced Application of Next Generation Assessments 

Michigan educators with a strong existing background in technology integration and Next Generation assessments will participate in a ‘masters class’ through this six-hour virtual course. Participating educators will synthesize high-quality exemplars with their own portfolio of formative and summative assessments to create, implement and reflect on a Next Generation assessment that is grade level and subject area appropriate.

 Click Here to Register

Dec. 1 – Dec. 20 2015:  Advanced Google for Learning

Educators across the globe are capitalizing on Google’s multimedia tools to make their lessons more dynamic, engaging and supportive. Using the top levels of the SAMR model, participants will explore the use of mixing media for creating effective blended lessons. Designing lessons that encourage students to use multimedia Google tools to create authentic products that promote creativity and voice will be will be a critical part of the learning journey for course participants. 

Click Here to Register

Dec. 1 – Dec. 20 2015:  Intermediate Application of Personalized & Blended Learning

Participants will apply their existing experience with personalized and blended toward the creation of an extended lesson, unit and / or assessment on a functional personalized learning platform.

Click Here to Register

Dec. 1 – Dec. 20 2015:  Introductory Practices in Literacy Instruction & Technology

Participants will explore how Literacy Instruction and Technology foster critical thinking experiences for students. This course will lay the groundwork for effective instructional strategies that support the foundations of literacy and technology integration.

Click Here to Register

Dec. 1 – Dec. 20 2015:  Introduction to Next Generation Assessments

Educators will understand and facilitate Michigan’s vision for Next Generation assessments by learning and applying appropriate strategies, structures, and support practices through this six-hour virtual course. Participating educators will explore and apply aspects of technology integration, blended learning and data collection toward the creation of a classroom-ready assessment that is conducive to the K-12 environment.

Click Here to Register

Dec. 1 – Dec. 20 2015:  Design Thinking Made Practical

There is a strong push for developing critical thinking in students through deep inquiry, as well as other College & Career Readiness skills. Design Thinking is an effective methodology that supports innovative approaches to learning as STEM, STEAM, Inquiry-Based Learning, Project-Based Learning, and other structures that emphasize standards-based authenticity and student voice. 

Click Here to Register

Dec. 1 – Dec. 20 2015:  Introduction to Applying Google Apps for Education

This is an online program that participants will install, explore and apply up to fifteen new Google Apps and/or Chrome extensions that enable them to leverage the integration of Chromebooks in their classrooms.

Click Here to Register

Dec. 1 – Dec. 20 2015:  Intermediate Social Media

Social Media tools are a powerful way to support educators to improve instructional practices. Teaching tends to be a “lonely” profession because there tends to be limited time for professional collaboration during the school day. Social Media tools are opportunities to connect educators to the resources they need, including collaborating with their colleagues. These same practices are critical Global Competencies that students need to develop for College and Career Readiness.   

Click Here to Register

Dec. 1 – Dec. 20 2015:   Professional Development through Social Media

In this online course participants will discover and explore a range of common and up-to-date social media platforms as well as establish channels that allow for powerful professional development and innovative leadership.

Click Here to Register

Dec. 1 – Dec. 20 2015:  Refining Curriculum with Deeper Learning in Mind (XBL)

Participants will learn and apply best practices in project, problem and inquiry-based learning toward the development of a lesson, unit and/or assessment that they will deliver within and beyond their classrooms.

Click Here to Register

YouTube for students

We are working hard to implement a solution to allow students to view some YouTube videos. YouTube offers many wonderful resources. Many of our teachers currently take advantage of the videos and visual learning opportunities that YouTube has. However, we also need to do our due diligence to filter inappropriate material. Thus, we will be working on providing students the ability to view restricted YouTube videos.

This change will allow teachers to embed or link YouTube videos in iLearn or on a blog.

The TAC will be reviewing the best possible scenario to approve videos specifically for Dearborn Public Schools.

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