Parent Pointer: Grouping Tabs

 

Flippity.net

Are you interested in creating a virtual escape room but perhaps daunted with setting up response validation in Google Forms? Start small with Flippity’s Scavenger Hunt! Enter the questions and answers (‘locks’ and ‘keys’) into a Google Sheets template and follow the detailed instructions to transform your spreadsheet into an escape room!

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Flippity.net has other templates to turn a Google Sheet into a board game, crossword puzzle, Mad Libs, and more. Some instructions are simple enough that you can even have students create their own! In each case, check out the demo, and then use the templates and detailed instructions provided to transform your spreadsheet. Happy creating!

Annotate in Schoology

 

Parent Pointer: Reading Digitally vs. Print

“As we saw in this pandemic, reading digitally is not going anywhere… and, in fact, is what made learning even a possibility the past year and a half.” ~ Dr. Lauren Trakhman

If reading digitally is not going anywhere, how can we help our kids learn to read digitally?

1. Encourage them to slow down while reading. Digital texts encourage behaviors such as skimming and keyword seeking. We also assume that reading faster means that it is better understood. Encourage your child to take deliberate moments to stop, think, and reflect on what he/she is reading - Do you agree with the author? Why or why not? You can also balance digital reading with writing key points on paper.

2. Be familiar with the digital environment and environment. Not knowing how to use digital tools to annotate adds another complexity to the task of reading. By the time the student has figured out how to use the tools, he/she may have forgotten what the text was about. Take some time to use the digital tools with simple, familiar text before complex reading. For example, enroll in Parent University to be familiar with the digital tools in Schoology to help your child.

3. Minimize online distractions. It is easy to get distracted when reading online, with having multiple tabs opened and notifications set. Minimize those distractions by muting notifications while reading.

4. If possible, change the view of the document. Most readers retain and comprehend the digital text better when it is in a page view, as opposed to scrolling. One of the reasons why is because we associate the text and ideas with their placement on the ‘paper.’ When reading for knowledge and comprehension, try to change to page view to simulate page-turning, as opposed to scrolling.

These are some of the tips summarized from The Science of Reading’s podcast interview with Dr. Trakman and Dr. Alexander. For more, listen to The Science of Reading: The Podcast - Season 4, Episode 4: Learning to Read Digitally vs. in Print.

And for more tips about reading online, check out last year’s parent pointer about reading online!

Schoology LockDown Browser - updated and now possible while video conferencing!

LockDown Browser locks down the testing environment within Schoology until the test is submitted for grading. It blocks access to other applications and websites during exams. Students cannot copy, print, or take screen captures with LockDown Browser. This feature works for both Test/Quiz (green puzzle piece) and Assessment (blue puzzle piece) in Schoology. It updated this 21-22 school year. Here is documentation on how to set up and implement Schoology LockDown Browser while testing.

New this school year - and what many of you have been requesting - LockDown Browser in Schoology is now possible during video conferencing! (For both, Zoom and Google Meet.) Be sure to read through the entire document thoroughly. It is highly recommended to practice these procedures with your virtual students before the real exam. As with any new updates, you may encounter some live troubleshooting issues that you will need to problem-solve.

Ester Park - Follow on Twitter @MrsParkShine

Google Slides are not just for presentations; they can be used for interactive notebooks, choice boards, games, and breakout rooms. We’ve mentioned before how Slidesmania and SlidesCarnival have free templates and how to's for Google Slides. 

Another similar, great resource is from Ester Park. Ester Park is an instructional designer that creates amazing digital materials. You can access anything from graphic organizers to Bitmoji stickers with videos. Most of her materials are free on her website. Check them out today!

Iorad Extension

 

Parent Pointer: Creating Bookmarks on the Chromebooks (really in Chrome)

This post was originally posted on December 9, 2020, and has been updated as a reminder or a tech tip for Virtual Campus parents.

Help your child navigate to a video conferencing room with just a click of a button! To do this on the Parkway-issued student Chromebooks:

1. Click on the teacher’s video conferencing link to get the web address. 

2. Highlight the star at the end of the web address to add it as a bookmark. 

3. Change the name of the bookmark to the teacher’s name or the subject.

4. The icon with its name will appear below the web address. 

Now all the student has to do is to click on the icon or name and he/she will go directly to the video conference. You can also create bookmarks with shared Google Docs/Slides agendas. No need to click and search for the link in Schoology. Here’s a short video (less than a minute) to help guide you through the process. Good luck!