1-28-2025 Tuesday Tech Tips

     

In today's edition, read about:  a troubleshooting tip for our movie streaming service Swank a new "grade all" feature in Google Classroom an easy way to dip your toe into the MagicSchool pool with their Choice Board Generator easily generating QR codes in Chrome and more! ➡️ ➡️➡️

💡 Quick Tip 💡 To create a QR code to link to a webpage in Chrome, right-click anywhere on the page, and choose "create QR code for this page."  You can then copy it, and include it in something like the "Quick Tip" in your Tuesday Tech Tips. Scan the QR code, or click HERE to access our help site. Always keep in mind that QR codes aren't for everybody.  If you're reading this on your phone, for example, that QR code may not help you.  So remember to always provide a direct link in addition to sharing a QR code, like we have in the caption above.

Do you have a tip or idea for the Tuesday Tech Tips? Or a request for a topic or question you'd like to know more about? Please let us know! You can email us at joseph.lombardo@greececsd.org with your submission. ___________________________

If you're having any technical issues with Swank, you will need to clear your cache in Chrome, and it should work fine from there. Directions on how to do that can be found HERE.

Swank is a movie streaming service for GCSD staff, which includes the ability to share links to movies with your students. Read more about it in a previous Tech Tip HERE.

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Click the image for a brief video showing how to use this new feature

Introducing the ability to ‘grade all’ in Google Classroom

You may remember that last year, Google added a "missing" grade state to Gradebook (details HERE). To further improve upon grading options for teachers and give them the ability to perform bulk grading, they just introduced "grade all".

With this new feature, teachers can quickly and efficiently grade all students' work on the Gradebook page by selecting "grade all". They can also choose to override existing grades and automatically return them to students after grading.

Not only does this update save time by eliminating the need to enter each student’s grade one-by-one, but it also provides a solution to grading assignments based on completion rather than accuracy (such as exit tickets, due nows, classwork, etc.) where the grade is binary (‘0’ or ‘100’).

Read all the details HERE.

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For a "light lift" intro to MagicSchool, we recommend trying out the Choice Board Generator. Check out the image above, also linked HERE, for directions and specifics.

With minimal input from you, MagicSchool can help you generate a Choice Board for your students!

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For assistance with these topics, or anything else related to instructional technology, please click HERE to book an appointment with your building's ITT.

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1-14-2025 Tuesday Tech Tips

     

In today's edition, read our first installment of our digital wellness Tips, learn how to get the new 2025 GCSD mileage form, how to provide others with a direct link to make a copy of a Drive file, news on our AI tool MagicSchool, how to schedule technology integration PL, and more! ➡️ ➡️➡️

💡 Quick Tip 💡 To duplicate a tab in Chrome, just right-click on it, and choose "Duplicate."  Just like that, you've got a duplicated tab.

Do you have a tip or idea for the Tuesday Tech Tips? Or a request for a topic or question you'd like to know more about? Please let us know! You can email us at joseph.lombardo@greececsd.org with your submission.

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What is Digital Wellness? Digital wellness, also referred to as digital wellbeing or digital health, can be defined as the pursuit of a positive, intentional, and healthy relationship with technology, both in school or the workplace, and in personal life. We will periodically share Digital Wellness Tips to encourage and promote a positive, intentional, and healthy relationship with technology for all!

This month’s Digital Wellness Tip is…

Take Control of Your Notifications: Our smartphones are designed to capture and keep our attention. Taking control of your notifications will bring more calm and peace to your life! One way to do this is to turn off all non-human notifications. Do you really need to know from Facebook when someone has liked your photo? 

By intentionally choosing what and how you are notified on your phone you can:

• limit distractions

• decrease constant interruptions

• reclaim control over when and how you receive information

• increase your focus on your priorities

• engage with your smartphone and apps with intention and purpose

Check out this video for more info (watch up to 2:50 or more for bonus info!) and see how to adjust your notifications on Apple phones and on Android phones! The video is from a #WinAtSocial lesson. Want more information or PL opportunities about Digital Wellness…Contact Lynn Girolamo: lynn.girolamo@greececsd.org Let us know how this worked out for you!

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Willie says, "don't forget to use the 2025 mileage form, pardner."

Are you a staff member that travels between buildings and fills out a Mileage reimbursement form? Don't forget that with a new calendar year comes a new form, updated with the new IRS mileage rates. Click HERE to get the new form. The link will prompt you to make your own copy of the template.

Happy Trails!

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Did you see in that tip above how there was a link that forced you to make a copy of a Google Sheet? If you didn't, you can try it HERE. You don't even really have to do it, you can just click the link but not proceed from there. But you'll see that it only gives you the option to make a copy of the Sheet.

There's a neat URL hack that you can use so that you can share a link to a Google Drive file (Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.) that prompts the user to make a copy of the file. We found instructions from the nice people at the University of Utah that explains how to do it HERE. ___________________________

Have you found the benefits from using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to enhance your teaching and work related tasks? Want to guide your students to learn the benefits of using AI? Join the MagicStudent Pilot for grade 3-12 teachers! Learn about the pilot HERE and contact your ITT to get started today!


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Are you looking for high-quality professional learning related to Instructional Technology? Contact your ITT if you’d like to customize PL for your building, team, or department. Also, be sure to check out the ITT page for Recommended Professional Learning opportunities HERE, where you’ll find webinars, certifications, and especially some new AI learning material…all for PL credit!

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For assistance with these topics, or anything else related to instructional technology, please click HERE to book an appointment with your building's ITT.

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