PPS Instructional Technology

As educators, it is extremely important for us to maintain a safe environment for our students. That importance applies equally to their physical AND mental needs. For those reasons, I was ecstatic when Google Meet developed its Host Controls and Meeting Security features. Today, we will learn how to use the controls to allow participants to join a call as well as how the host can remove users for any reason necessary. Ok, how do you get to the Host and Safety controls? From within Google Meet, navigate to the bottom to the Meeting Controls and Menu toolbar. Locate the Blue Security Shield. Click on the Shield to open the Host and Safety controls. Limiting Access to Your Meeting The topmost option is Quick access . The default is to allow anyone to join your Meet. (Note that Nicknamed Meet sessions will only allow participants from inside your organization to enter automatically. Anyone calling* in or with an email address outside of Portage Public Schools must be admitted manually.) T...

Let's be honest, we have all been guilty of poor password practices at some point in time or another.  Maybe you have kept a notebook on your desk with all your passwords, used the same password for "everything", used a simple password (ex: Winter2017) or kept your password on a sticky note next to your monitor.  Unfortunately, all these practices set us up for having our passwords compromised or stolen, and in return put our data at risk. There are many things we can do to increase our security when online, including avoiding phishing scams .  In this post, we are going to focus on what makes a strong password. What do I need to make a strong password? When creating a strong password, it's recommended that we... Have at least 8 characters Include upper and lower case letters Include numbers Include characters, like ~!@#$%^&*_-+=`|\(){}[]:;"'<>,.?/ Avoid using words found in the dictionary Avoid using your username as part of your passw...

What is Phishing? Phishing is the practice of sending emails, that look like they are from a reputable company or person, in order to get the recipient to reveal personal information like usernames, passwords, or credit card informations.  This is why you always here people caution against clicking on a link in an email if it "doesn't look right". How does the New Gmail Phishing Scheme Work? Recently, we learned about a new phishing scheme making the rounds.  This new one is very tricky because, unless you know what to look for, everything seems normal.  The way the new attack works, is the hackers will send you an email to your Gmail account.  That email will look like it is coming from someone you know (this person has probably had their account hacked using this same technique).  It may also include something that looks like an image of an attachment you recognize from the sender - for example, a google doc they would share with you.  When you click ...