PPS Instructional Technology

Frequently we get questions from teacher that go something like this..."My office needs me to print a report card for Jane, but she has already been dropped from my class because she is moving to another class/schoool.  How do I do that?"  Never fear, it is not much different than running your regular report card, you just have to check one extra box. The steps below will show you how to run a report card for a student that has left or dropped your class. Please review the Skyward Tech Tip for Running Elementary Report Cards if you are trying to run a report card for your current students. NOTE: To find the printable version, click here . 1.  From your Gradebook, click on Reports > Custom Report Card 2.  Click Add a New Template 3.  Give your new Template a name (example = Report Card - Dropped Students), click Save 4.  Select the Current Term or Term that you need to run the report card for 5.  Select the Custom Report card that m...

As stated in my post on "Starring" Google Drive files, finding files in Google Drive can be really tricky sometimes.  Thankfully you have several tools in your toolbox to make it easier.  One of those tools is the Power of Google Search embedded in Google Drive. At the top of the Google Drive window, you will see a box that says "Search Drive".  From here you can search for the file you are looking for, but in order to get the best search results possible, it helps to narrow down your choices. You can select PDFs, Text Docs, Spreadsheets, Photos & Images, Presentation, Videos, and more.  If you need to get even more specific, you can click More search tools and a whole new option of tools will pop up.  You can search for file type, Date Modified, Item Name, Has the Words, Owner, Shared with, and Located in.  This will really help you narrow your search. Animated Gif from: http://googleappsupdates.blogspot.com/2015/12/better-search-exper...

Google Drive can be an overwhelming soup pot of files, folders and mystic unicorns.  It can be frustrating to find what you are looking for in a timely way.  Thankfully, there are some quick and easy ways to make finding your files easier.  The first of these ways is "Starring" your files. You can “star” folders and files in Google Drive in order to make them easier to find.  I would relate this to bookmarking websites for quick reference.  Once a file is “starred” it can be found quickly by clicking on the Starred section on the left side of your google drive window. Adding a “star” to a file/folder from Google Drive. Right click on the file/folder in Google Drive. Select Add Star Adding a “star” to a file from within the Document You can also add a star from within a document.  Simple click on the star that is next to the Name of the Document. Removing a Star To remove the star, simple right click on the document name in Google Driv...

For anyone who regularly uses Gmail, you probably get numerous attachments a week.  Some of these attachments are fine staying where they are in your Gmail, but others you want to save to your Google Drive so you can access them or manipulate them at a later time.  Thankfully, saving Gmail attachments to Google Drive is simple and can be accomplished in 3 quick steps. 1. Hover your mouse over the attachment in the email. You will see the download arrow and the Google Drive triangle appear. 2. Click the Save to Google Drive triangle. 3. Now you can move it to a folder you already have, or create a new folder.

On January 20 Malena Schrauben and Collin Nuismer , Middle School teachers from the Portage School District will provide an overview on Using Google Classroom for Online Blended Learning . Topics will include: Blended learning and how Google Classroom supports it Google Classroom from the Student and Teacher Perspectives Tools that work well with Google Classroom Time : 4:00 – 4:45 PM To register: Go to http://tinyurl.com/LearnMLO2015-16   Under “Webinar Date and topic” select: January 20, 2016 at 4PM Using Google Classroom for Online Blended Learning. How to participate: This Webinar is a live facilitated web based learning opportunity that is easy to participate in requiring that the learner have a computer with an Internet connection. Connecting information will be sent to you when you register. For more information email mksouden@gmail.com

You have the ability in Chrome to choose if you would like to see notifications.  It is always a good idea to have notifications turned off when you are going to be presenting your screen, as we do with our TECs.  Follow these simple steps to disable notifications. Step 1: Open Chrome and click on the three lines in the upper right corner. Step 2: Select Settings from the menu. Step 3: Scroll down to the bottom and select "Show Advanced Settings." Step 4: In the Privacy section, Select "Content Settings..." Step 5: Scroll down until you see "Notifications". Step 6: By default, it is set to Ask when a site wants to show notifications (recommended).  To turn off notifications all together, select "Do not allow any site to show notifications"

Sometimes websites, like Facebook, will ask you to turn on notifications in Chrome.  This is not an issue if you are on your home computer, but if you are on your teaching computer at school, this can be a problem.  Thankfully turning off notifications in Facebook is really easy. Go to your Facebook account. Click the lock in the top right corner. Select "See More Settings" Select "Notifications" on the left side of your screen. Under the Desktop and Mobile section go to Desktop.  There will be a section for Chrome.  If you have it enabled, you will be able to choose Turn Off.

Chrome extensions can be an amazing tool.  They can save you time and expand the function of your web browser.  Sometimes, however, we need to turn off extensions that you may have intentionally or unintentionally added.  For example, there are several extensions out there that will allow you to receive Facebook notifications.  These can be very helpful if you are on your personal computer and want to receive up to the minute notices.  It is a different story if you are on a school computer (and your school chrome account), like your TEC, that you are using as a presentation system with your students.  I am sure you do not want them seeing all your Facebook notifications.  Thankfully, turning off extensions is really easy. Step 1: Open Chrome and click on the three lines in the upper right corner. Step 2: Select Settings from the menu. Step 3: Choose Extensions on the left side of your screen. Step 4: Uncheck the box next to word Enabled to tur...