Technology Update - Week of April 5th

Chrome Browser TUNE UP

• Starting Monday this week, staff have reported a new Google Meet issue where their video freezes (audio and presentation continue to be fine). Please note we are aware of the problem and are working to find a quick solution. (The manual fix is to turn your camera off for ~5 sec and turn it back on).
• To prepare yourself and your computer for the BEST Google Meet experience, please follow these easy and quick steps in THIS TTSD knowledgbase Article 

Google Meet Troubleshooting

Staff with frozen Google Meet video or the camera and/or microphone doesn't work can

use these best practices & troubleshooting steps to hopefully solve the issues.

CANVAS: Qtr 3 to Qtr 4 Transition

• A new term begins Monday, April 19th - Quarter 4.  For our middle and high school teachers, as in past term changes, your Canvas course cards/sections will be available to you next week.  Students will see these new course cards for QT4 on Monday, April 19th at 5am.
• Canvas: Transition to a New Quarter
• Canvas Grades → Synergy Report Card (Secondary)
• Canvas: Viewing Dropped Students in Your Grade Book
• Canvas Grade Book: Assignment Groups for the Elementary Report Card

Synchronous Instruction Tips

• High School Reopening 2021: Synchronous with At-Home and In-Person Instruction

Technology Update - Week of March 21

 Elementary Teachers & Canvas Gradebook:

• The last day for students who are moving to a new class after Spring Break was March 19th.  However, you can still enter and view grades in Canvas Grade by following these directions: 
• Here is the Knowledge Base to see your students in Canvas.
• https://kb.ttsd.k12.or.us/articles/view/834
• Here is the Knowledge Base to grade your students in Canvas.
• https://kb.ttsd.k12.or.us/articles/view/907
• NEW students to your class will be added on March 22nd.  
• These students will also be added to your other apps on March 22nd/23rd:  Seesaw, Remind, TeacherVUE, iReady, etc.

• Are you teaching students from more than one school? 
• Here is the Knowledge Base to merge your classes into ONE Canvas course card.
• Canvas: Combining Canvas Course Cards
https://kb.ttsd.k12.or.us/articles/view/834#

New District Internet Filter Being Evaluated:

• TTSD IT staff, along with staff at Metzger and Deer Creek, have been testing a new internet filter for our student devices.  Features we are looking at are: technician/principal reports & management, YouTube additional filtering, parent reports upon request, user interface for staff to view student activity, "flagged" activity and more.  Anticipated rollout of new internet filter is Sprig-Summer 2021.

Technology Update - Week of March 14th

 Canvas Google Cloud Assignment Issues

- Student submissions are not showing within Canvas after submitting through the Google Drive Cloud Assignment external tool. Ticket as been submitted with high priority to Instructure/ Canvas. Hope for a solution ASAP. 

- Temporary workarounds may include: 

1. Have students email/share their completed assignments with you.
2. Create a complimentary assignment that is set to an Online assignment where students can submit their Google doc directly from Google Drive. 
3. Use Google Assignments LTI 1.3 for new assignments

- How to communicate to students who you have not received an assignment:

1. Open Canvas > Grades
2. Click the "Three Dots" next to the assignment name.
3. Select "Message Students Who"
   
4. Full Directions: HERE

Classroom Communication Options:

The following Communication tools are available for teachers and are automatically synced with your Synegy classes, daily:

- Remind

- Canvas InBox

- TeacherVUE Communication

Return to School Tips

PHASE 1: CDL setup at school

1. Take a picture of your home technology setup (including the cable connections)
2. Use this as a guide for your initial CDL setup in the classroom to ease transition
3. Call Help Desk for remote support on connections (503-431-4051)

PHASE 2: Returning to “New” Normal

1. With Hybrid instruction in mind, consider the set up you need to make the most of in-person instruction (projector use, document camera, etc.)
2. Place a Tech Request for any assistance you may need for this setup. ES Technicians will work through submitted tech requests and associated classrooms over spring break to set up equipment left out.

Technology Update (March 5, 2021)

 

THIS Weekend = Maintenance: We reserve the first weekend of each month to perform system and network maintenance to ensure the heath and security of our computer systems.

• Please anticipate possible interruptions in service on Sunday, March 7th (school network maintenance, email, Synergy access, Google Drive login, etc.)
• Communication will be sent to families/students as well.

Secondary school Hybrid/100% Online sign up:

• Secondary school families will have the opportunity to join school presentations in these coming weeks to learn how to use ParentVUE to sign up for Hybrid or 100% online instruction.  
• Please reference this video for additional instructions for families or support staff:

Return to School

• Our IT Department has been planning for "Return to School" since last March when we began Distance Learning.  We are continuing to work and test the following in preparation:
• Dark Fiber at 100% of our schools (increased bandwidth)
• APs in each classroom
• Maintenance of network switches and access points (APs)
• Testing and troubleshooting of any wireless or network issues as staff have been working in schools during this time of CDL
• If you run into wifi issues as you return.  Here are some TIPS:
1. Turn Wifi On/Off 
1. This "drops" your computer connection to whatever it believes it's connected to - last AP (home, another classroom, etc.)
2. Reboot. 😀
3. Access Point Light "decoding"
1. BLUE = working with min 1 device attached,
2. GREEN = Working but no devices attached 
3. FLASHING OF ANY COLOR = not working correctly
4. Call 503-431-4051 (Help Desk) or submit a tech request with the following:
1. Location / can we get the label off access point?
2. Did you move locations recently?
3. Full description of issue

Technology Update (February 23, 2021)

Google Meet - NEW: End Meet for All

NEW FEATURE in GOOGLE MEET : "When a host is done with a meeting and wants to leave, they now have two options: Leave meeting: The host will leave the meeting, but the meeting will continue. End meeting for all: Everyone, including people in breakout rooms, will be ejected from the meeting. Participants will be informed that the host has ended the meeting. Once the meeting has been ended, people will not be able to rejoin, unless the host rejoins first. We recommend that, after ending a meeting, if a host wants to meet with a new group of people, that they create a new meeting. This can help prevent previous participants from joining."

Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) 

End a Google Meet video call for everyone at once

 (https://support.google.com/meet/answer/9303164)

macOS Big Sur - To Update? or Not To Update?

• For those of you on Mac computers, TTSD has released the ability to update to macOS "Big Sur" (aka Version 11.x).  Should you?
• There is NO NEED to immediately update to Big Sur before Spring Break.
• HOWEVER: Everyone should ensure their computer is being backed up - TODAY.
• Computer Backup Instructions
• If you want to have the newest operating system on your Mac (always best practice), you'll need to ensure you have enough disk space on your computer and you are backed up.  In many cases of the update, it has failed and the computer must be restored (meaning all is lost on your computer and files will need to be pulled from your last successful backup).  
• Updating to Big Sur 11
• USE "SELF-SERVICE" to update (NOT System Preferences)

Middle School Student iPads using Canvas WebClip

• TTSD began the 2020-21 school year evaluating the Canvas student APP vs a "WebClip" [a Webclip is a shortcut on the iPad home screen that takes the user to a URL using Safari browser, and not an App]
  
• Beginning March 1st, all Middle School Student will have the option to use either the Canvas Student App or the Canvas Student WebClip.  Students may choose to use either or BOTH.
• The benefits of introducing the WebClip to students are the following:
•  Full web browser experience and format, suggested improvements:
• Dashboard - single location to view To Do, Recent Feedback, link to grades
• Calendar - full screen, details of assignments on the calendar date
• Pages/Modules - menu driven and browser-feel
• Ease of turning in Assignments - ie Google Docs, multiple files

Technology Update (February 5, 2021)

 

Publish Your New Quarter 3 Course Cards! Please publish your new courses (MS and HS teachers) Sunday Feb 7th or first thing Feb 8th so students can see their Quarter 3 classes before school begins on Monday.

• Grading Weekend Tips
• Elementary Report Card Tips
• Elementary Quarter 2 Grading/Reporting Guidance
• Canvas Grades → Synergy Report Card (Secondary)

Update Your iPads, Chromebooks & your Chrome Browser. Keeping your device up to date will help your device perform at its best.  Please encourage students to update their iPads and Chromebooks this next week. And, please update YOUR Chrome browser this weekend. 

• Download the new installer from https://www.google.com/chrome/update/
• The latest version is Version 88.x

Technology Update (Jan 24, 2021)

Staff Technical Support?

The IT Department and TTSD technicians want to provide both students/families with accurate and efficient technical support.  Please help communicate the following options to others (staff/students) for the best way to receive efficient, consistent and reliable support:

1. Tech Request 
2. Call x4051 (Family & School Help Desk Line)
1. Help Desk techs can answer quick questions (passwords, system status update, etc.)
2. If Help Desk cannot answer your question, they can try to connect you directly with your school technician or can enter a tech request for you.
3. If families call the main school office for technical support, please forward their calls to x4051.
1. MS/HS [only] can forward to school techs, if previously arranged.  
2. ES offices, please forward the calls to x4051 IT Help Desk and not your school media assistant.
4. Emails are not the most efficient way to receive technical support - as they are often lost amongst other emails and may not receive the necessary follow up.  Technicians will create a tech request if emailed. 

👏 ❤😀

** Thank you to all of our 2020-21 “adopted” Help Desk Specialists who have volunteered a few hours a week to help answer IT Help Desk calls. We could NOT provide this support without you! 

Quarter 3 Canvas Course Cards

Timeline for new Quarter 3 course cards (middle and high school teachers):

• Feb 1, 2021 - New Course cards for QT3 will load for TEACHERS
• Twality teachers will receive new QT3 cards on Feb 3, 2021 (additional time needed for scheduling)
• When preparing your Quarter 3 course cards, please reference the following Knowledgebase (KB) articles to help you copy content from other courses
• Canvas: Transition to a New Quarter
• Importing Individual FLVS Content from The Commons
• Combining Canvas Course Cards
• Feb 7, 2021 - New Quarter 3 courses are available to STUDENTS if you publish your class before Feb 8th.
• Feb 8, 2021 - 
• 1st day of Quarter 3
• (Teachers) Last day to post Quarter 2 grades for report card

CANVAS TRAINING - Beyond the Basics

January 13, 2021 provided a variety of professional development opportunities for teachers.  One of the resources made available by the high school instructional coaches and T&L Dept was a “Beyond the Basics” Canvas training by our vendor (Instructure).  The session was recorded and all the notes and guides made available during this training can all be found HERE:

👉👉🏾 CANVAS TRAINING - Beyond the Basics 👈🏼👈🏿