Screen Recorders 09/02/16

Check out some of these new screen recorder options.....as well as some "oldies but goodies".

Handouts and Tutorials - 

• Brief Overview - click here
• Jing Tutorial Video - click here

Here are some easy-to-use, free screen recorder tools:

• Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder
  http://www.apowersoft.com/free-online-screen-recorder 
  
• Screencast-o-matic
  http://screencast-o-matic.com/home 

• Jing
  https://www.techsmith.com/jing.html 

• ActivInspire Screen Recorder

Schoology - Lockdown Browser 09/02/16

Good News! 

PISD has purchased the LockDown Browser in Schoology. 

• When students use LockDown Browser to access a test or quiz, they are unable to print, copy, go to another URL, or access other applications. 
• Students are locked into the test until it is submitted for grading.

Instructions for using this feature - click here.

Think Central ELAR Resources Gone? 09/02/16

Can't log into the Think Central ELAR resources anymore?  What's up?

From: Traci Powell
Sent: Monday, August 29, 2016 8:06 AM
Subject: RE: Think Central ELA Resources

The adoption ran out at the end of last year.  We made the decision not to renew in light of limited IMA [Instructional Materials $$] funding and the fact the curriculum isn’t dependent on this resource. 

We thought we would only have to go one year without a resource, but TEA [Texas Education Agency] has now pushed the new adoption back another year.  So, it will be two years.

Istation Question of the Week - Campus Managers 08/26/16

Istation Campus Managers

Who are our campus managers?
Usually, your ELAR Peer Facilitator is a campus manager.  If you ask the PF and they aren't sure, have your PF contact Emily Bourgeois.  I can identify the current campus manager(s) and/or add a manager.

What benefits are available for campus managers?
They can do the following:

• View all teachers and students (especially useful for accessing results/reports)
• Print all campus reports (including individual classes and/or student reports)
• Create teacher accounts (especially useful for Dyslexia teachers, SPED teachers, Intervention teachers, etc.)
• Create "special" classes for teachers (especially useful for RTI, PIE time, etc.)
• Enroll students into "special" classes
• Peer managers can also create or remove managers

What if I need instructions or help learning about the options available to me as a manager?  

Handouts and Resources - click here

Contact any of the following people:

• Candice Arthur - x-70880 (PK-4th)
• Traci Powell - x-70906 (PK-4th)
• Allison Zamarripa - x-70046 (5th-6th)
• Emily Bourgeois - x-78102  (PK-6th)

Pearson enVision Math Update 08/26/16

Pearson Realize (K-4th enVision Math) 

Question: Do we have to upload students and teachers at the campus level?
Answer: Student and teacher accounts are automatically uploaded/updated at the district level each night.  Classes are rostered (created) for each teacher.  No one at the campus level needs to create accounts for teachers or students.

Question: What is the login for teachers?
Answer: Teachers log into this site:  http://tinyurl.com/pisdpearson
Username: PISD Network Username
Password: PISD Network Username


Question: What is the login for students?
Answer: Students log into this site:  http://tinyurl.com/pisdpearson
Username: PISD Network Username
Password: PISD Network Username

Question: How do I know what the students' PISD network usernames and passwords are? 
Answer: This question is especially common at the elementary level where students don't utilize their network usernames and passwords as much as middle schools and higher.  If you are not sure of this information, it is suggested that you contact any of the following people:

• Campus Technology Liaison
• Campus Technology Applications Teacher (if applicable)
• Emily Bourgeois x-78102
• Tom Deibel x-78101
• Shane Tout x-78105

Instructional Materials Subscription Codes? Where are they? 08/26/16

Need the code and/or password for BrainPOP, Discovery Education, etc?

Here's how to find it:

• Go to this website:  http://pasadenaisd.libguides.com/wmi
• Password: If you need the password, do one of the following:
• Ask your librarian 
• Look in Eduphoria Forethought
• Click Scope and Sequence--Other--Library (electronic resources).
• Click Electronic Resources in the middle column 
• Click Cheat Sheets, Weapons of Mass Instruction, etc.
• The password will appear in the content box
• Once you are in the libguide website, do the following:
• Click WMI by Vendor Name on the left
• Click the vendor name tab at the top middle (i.e. – Discovery Education Streaming or BrainPOP)

Think Through Math Update 08/26/16

Regarding Think Through Math (3^rd-8^th) question:  Does the campus import all of our students or does the district do that?

===================================================

From: Charlene Strickland
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2016 10:03 AM

If your [campus] is ready for the one-time upload of students and rosters into TTM, I can take care of that when you’re ready.  But after the initial upload, new student account creating and enrollment into classes is maintained at the campus level, so all changes will have to be made manually after the initial upload. 

In future months and years.....
Regarding any potential for auto-updating every night, it’s not looking good at this time.  TTM is planning on ending their partnership with Clever (the company that services auto-uploads).  TTM plans on developing their own auto-update procedure, but I don’t see that happening until at least next year.

Charlene x-70143

cstrickland@pasadenaisd.org

Need training on TTM?

Contact any of the following people:

• Sarah Evans - x-70070
• Marla Nickelson - x-70945
• Janet Nuzzie - x-70043
• Cindy Garcia - x-70053
• Sherrie Grounds - x-78109
• Emily Bourgeois - x-78102