Pushing Chrome Apps to Students + RealTimeBoard Application

Pushing Chome Apps to Students with Google Play

Chrome Apps are web-based applications that run in the Chrome browser. Teachers can push these applications to students' Chromebooks by following these simple steps:

1. Go to Google Play for Education (play.google.com/edu). If you haven't logged into your isd624 Google account already, log in when prompted.

2. Click on "Chrome Apps" on the left side of the screen. The apps are broken down by subject area.

3. Click on the desired app and click "install."

4. Type the email of the student or group of students that you want to push the app out to. Click here to see a short video on finding pre-made groups for your classes. Your student groups should populate upon typing the name of your class(es).

There are many great content applications, but there are also general tools that you can explore! For example, you could push students the Google Keep application covered in last week's tips! Students find the applications that have been pushed to them by clicking the circle in the lower left corner of their Chromebook screen.

NOTE: Not all applications available in the Chrome Webstore are available to be pushed out to students through Google Play for Education. If there is an application you available in the Webstore that you wish to push to students, please submit a Bear Tech Ticket with this request. Google Extensions that are available in the Chrome Webstore add features to the Chrome Browser. They cannot be pushed from Google Play for Education. If you would like your students to have a specific Google Extension, please submit a Bear Tech Ticket. 

RealTimeBoard: A Chrome App for Collaboration

RealTimeBoard is a Chrome application currently available in the Chrome Webstore or at https://realtimeboard.com/app that serves as a collaboration space. You can add pictures, drawings, videos, sticky notes, Google Drive files and more on an endless whiteboard canvas. Watch the following video for a quick preview of this application:

Protect Yourself From Dangerous Emails + Chromebook Sign In Update

Protect Yourself Against Dangerous Email Messages with these Simple Tips:

Recently a phishing email circulated amongst some White Bear Lake staff. Phishing emails will typically direct the user to visit a website where they are asked to update personal information, such as a password, credit card, social security, or bank account numbers, that the legitimate organization already has. Clicking links in phishing emails may also cause viruses to download onto your computer.

You can protect yourself against these dangerous emails with these tips.

Tip 1: Don’t trust a display name

Phishing emails often use spoof display names. Check the email address in the header. If looks suspicious, don’t open the email. 

Example: A display name might be Cassandra Knutson, but the associated email might be getyourinfo@stealing.com

Tip 2: Hover over links before clicking

You can hover your mouse over a link to view the full web address. If the web address looks suspicious, don’t click on it.

Example: CLICK HERE!

Tip 3: Check for spelling mistakes

Legitimate messages usually do not have major spelling and grammar mistakes

Tip 4: Analyze the greeting and the signature line

Be suspicious of vague greetings and signature lines.

Tip 5: Don’t give personal information

Legitimate companies will never ask for personal credentials via email.

Tip 6: Beware of urgent or threatening language in the subject line

Beware of urgent subject lines that ask you to respond to or click on something immediately.

Tip 8: Don’t click on attachments

Beware of suspicious attachments and don’t open any email attachments you weren’t expecting.

Tip 9: Watch this video

If you do click on a dangerous or worrisome attachement or link, immediately contact the technology department so that we can work with you to contain the issue so that it does not spread.

Chromebook Sign In Update - Effective March 16th, 2016

A recent update to the Chrome Operating System allows us to set up Chromebooks for sign in without "@isd624.org". This new feature has been successfully tested and approved by teachers and students. As of Wednesday, March 16th students will only need to enter their ID # (“@isd624.org” will already be entered at the login screen) and password to log into Chromebooks. Staff logins to Chromebooks will not change, for now.

Turn your tablet or Chromebook into an interactive whiteboard

Turn your tablet or Chromebook into an interactive whiteboard

Many teachers create lessons for their students with their SMART Boards. Some even record these lessons so that students can review them at their own pace. Here are some alternative tools that you can use with a tablet or Chromebook to pull together sketches, pictures, video and audio to create a stellar lesson. Both of these have similar features to the SMART Notebook software, but with the added benefit of being more portable on tablets.

Lensoo Create
Chromebook, Android, iOS

"Lensoo Create turns your iPad or Android tablet into a virtual whiteboard with voice recording and smooth digital writing. Using Lensoo Create you can quickly share your ideas through email, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn from virtually anywhere. Whether you are a teacher looking to instill knowledge, a student wishing to present your ideas or simply a person with an impressive skill to share, Lensoo Create is for you."

They also have a collection of recordings made by other people that is sorted by subject and is available on their website or within the apps. A big benefit to this tool is that it is available for Chromebooks in the Chrome Web Store so students and teachers can use it on the approximately 3400 Chromebooks in circulation within our district.

Explain Everything
Android, iOS

Explain Everything is a unique interactive whiteboard and screencasting tool used by over a million students and educators. Teachers can use this tool to create engaging presentations with many elements. Students can also use this tool to creatively demonstrate understanding. This app is a paid app and will cost you $2.99 on either platform.

"Create slides, draw in any color, add shapes, add text, and use a laser pointer. Rotate, move, scale, copy, paste, clone, and lock any object added to the stage.

Add photos, videos, shapes, import PDF documents from local storage, Google Drive, Dropbox or insert a fully functioning web browser window. Export MP4 movies, YouTube videos or save Explain Everything projects locally, to Google Drive and to Dropbox.

No account is necessary to use Explain Everything and share creations."

Google Educator Certification + Chromebook Tips

Google Educator Certification

Join Cassie and Matt in becoming Google Educators! This certification includes completing 6 modules (4 required and 2 elective) that explore Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Sites, Chrome, and Chromebooks. After each module you need to take an exam to demonstrate your understanding. The exams are $15.00 each. Upon passing all 6 exams you will be reimbursed $90.00 for the cost of the exams by the technology department.

This week we are working on the Basic lessons and taking the exam. Click here to find the lessons. This module is not required for certification but will provide a good starting point before we start working on the more complex courses. Cassie and Matt will be available from 4:00pm - 5:30pm at South Campus on Monday, November 24th and Monday, December 1st to offer help on the basics course. You are not required to attend these help sessions and you can move through the modules at your own pace!

If you are interested in this opportunity but have not yet signed up, please complete your registration here.

Chromebook Tips

This ThingLink has a great overview of Google Chrome features, Chromebook shortcuts and a few Chrome web apps for education. For those unfamiliar with ThinkLink, it is a great tool that teachers or students could use to link information about a topic in a visually appealing way. Think of it like an interactive poster. Create your own at thinglink.com.

Google Play for Edu + Simple Chromebook Shortcuts

Introducing Google Play for Education

White Bear Lake Schools now have access to the Google Play for Education Store. This means that teachers can send out specific Chrome and Android apps to groups of students.

Google Play for Education is an extension of Google Play designed for schools. Here educators can discover Android and Chrome apps approved by teachers for teachers, as well as educational videos and a collection of classic books for their classroom.

Teachers can search for approved apps by grade, subject and standard, including Common Core State Standards. Instant distribution lets educators bring apps directly to classrooms and schools.

See this presentation made by our own Nicky Lavalley for instructions on how to send apps to students.

Please contact Steve Asper (steve.asper@isd624.org) with any specific questions related to Google Play for Edu.

Useful Chromebook Shortcuts

Here is a handful of Chromebook shortcuts that Sunrise 8th graders think will save you time! To see a full menu of keyboard shortcuts open a Chromebook and press Ctrl + Alt + ?

The screencast was made by 8th grade students in the Tech Depot. Tech Depot is an advisory group at both Sunrise and Central middle school that assists with Chromebook repairs, troubleshooting, and shares their tech wisdom with students and staff.

As always, please contact Cassie Knutson (cassie.knutson@isd624.org) or myself (matt.skogen@isd624.org) with questions. We are available to meet with you one on one or in small groups to help make your innovative ideas a reality.

Digital Citizenship, Chromebook Tutorial, and the Technology and Leadership Cohort

Digital Citizenship Resources

Teaching the norms of responsible technology use is becoming increasingly important as we continue to embed technology in our students' learning experiences. There are many online resources for teaching digital citizenship so that students have safe experiences as the communicate and collaborate online. 

Elementary School Resources:

• PBS Webonauts Internet Academy, Through the Wild Web Woods, and AT&T's Safety Land are great online resources for elementary students. 
• Professor Garfield Online Safety, Cyberbullying, and Fact or Opinion are free iPad applications that teach students how to be safe online, how to recognize and respond to cyberbullying, and how to decide if something is a fact or an opinion.

Middle School/High School Resources:

• Seven Digital Sins and Flocabulary's "Think Before You Post - Oversharing are great online resource for middle and high school students. 

Take some time to review these great resources and consider using them in your classroom!

Chromebook Tutorial

Our 8th graders at Sunrise each have a Chromebook in their hands and hundreds of additional Chromebooks are now available at our elementary, middle, and high schools. This Chromebook Tutorial is a self paced opportunity to learn basic to advanced Chromebook skills.

2014-2015 Technology & Leadership Cohort

Starting October 27, 2014, 30 teachers will begin White Bear’s second Technology & Leadership Cohort focused on improving leadership and technology skills through four blended courses. Members will also earn 15 graduate credits and a Technology & Leadership Certificate through Hamline. The Cohort will be taught in a blended format with all face to face meetings being held Monday afternoon/evenings once month. Applications are due October 9th!