tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37798167961720306052024-03-08T10:26:32.274-06:00bsd220techMatt J. Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12721543039244700203noreply@blogger.comBlogger515125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-40722439955747656002024-03-06T17:15:00.000-06:002024-03-08T10:25:52.414-06:00Unlock Your TPACK System of Support<p>In my role as Director of Innovation, I have the benefit of visiting many classrooms throughout the district. Each week, I witness teachers and students deeply engaged in meaningful learning facilitated through instructional technology. Our One to World program supports authentic, personal, and relevant learning by amplifying a teacher's impact on diverse groups of students. I see students at all grade levels engaged in creative tasks that allow them some control and choice in the learning process. Research suggests that these students are likely to feel more connected to their classmates and teachers, believe the work they are doing has value, and persist when learning gets difficult. </p><p>However, I also talk to teachers who feel frustrated with some of their experiences with instructional technology. Some teachers feel anxious that they aren’t using technology enough or aren’t using it effectively. Others are overwhelmed by the number of apps and websites available and don’t know where to start. Still, others want to try something new and creative but struggle to find the time within a packed schedule. I’ve talked with teachers who tried something new in class, but the technology didn’t work as expected so they were forced to pivot mid-lesson, discouraging them from trying new things in the future. </p><p>And sometimes, these two scenarios are experienced by the same teacher with the same students. If you occasionally feel frustrated by your experiences using instructional technology in your classroom, you’re not alone. I have yet to talk to a teacher who doesn’t see the benefits of incorporating technology into their class, but also recognizes the potential for things to go south.</p><p>Fortunately, there is a group of talented and experienced educators available to support you in all aspects of instructional technology. Each building has a team dedicated to supporting teaching and learning. One way to describe this team is by using the TPACK framework. </p><p>TPACK stands for Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (Koehler & Mishra, 2009). It's a framework that identifies the knowledge teachers need to effectively integrate technology into their teaching by blending their understanding of technology, pedagogy, and content. The TPACK teams in Barrington 220 consist of Teacher Librarians, Instructional Digital Age Learning (iDAL) Coaches, Library Technology Associates (LTA), and are supported by the Technology Support Team. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqTNyshSZOYwvk7r8lZtMzWf6rhG7OdkNZq0PAUwGPOXcl-YpoAW3wsI1bdvzB1DB93lhQMCxfHQ2UocHJ1I8UuiOjQzVxt4U6AdRu11F2dhDloOK8cra-k_BYxtPujqlTmKXrsheLYUHR1HU-gWmY8dFH6CHIewKuhlsOLNA-DmyVkVWV88e5a9Niuck" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1956" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqTNyshSZOYwvk7r8lZtMzWf6rhG7OdkNZq0PAUwGPOXcl-YpoAW3wsI1bdvzB1DB93lhQMCxfHQ2UocHJ1I8UuiOjQzVxt4U6AdRu11F2dhDloOK8cra-k_BYxtPujqlTmKXrsheLYUHR1HU-gWmY8dFH6CHIewKuhlsOLNA-DmyVkVWV88e5a9Niuck=w640-h378" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Understanding the roles your TPACK teams play can help you unlock the benefits of our powerful resources for teaching and learning.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Teacher Librarians</h4><p>The libraries in Barrington 220 can be described as a cross between Barnes & Noble, Apple Store, and Starbucks. They are a resource- and technology-rich place for students and staff to meet, share ideas, learn, and grow. Your Teacher Librarian provides a wealth of knowledge and can help in many key areas:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Information Specialist</b>: Teacher Librarians select, organize, and provide access to resources that support the curriculum and meet the diverse needs of students and teachers. They also teach students how to effectively find, evaluate, and use information, fostering information literacy skills.</li><li><b>Teacher and Instructional Partner</b>: Teacher Librarians collaborate with classroom teachers to design and deliver instruction that integrates information literacy and technology skills into the curriculum. They co-teach lessons, provide resources for project-based learning, and support the development of critical thinking, reading, and research skills. They may also teach classes on digital citizenship, copyright laws, and ethical use of information.</li><li><b>Reading Advocate</b>: A student who enjoys reading is a better learner. Promoting reading for pleasure and learning is a central part of the role of a Teacher Librarian. They recommend books and other reading materials to students, organize reading programs and book clubs, and work to create a welcoming environment that encourages reading. </li><li><b>Technology Integration Specialist</b>: Teacher Librarians lead in teaching digital literacy skills, including educational software, databases, and online resources. They are experts in digital citizenship and can provide resources and lessons to improve student and teacher digital wellbeing and reduce digital distraction in the classroom. </li></ul><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Instructional Digital Age Learning Coaches</h4><p>Barrington 220's iDAL coaches are expert teachers with a wealth of experience and knowledge in student engagement, technology integration, and pedagogy. What often sets them apart is their expertise in instructional coaching. We all rely on colleagues who give us ideas, inspire us to be better, commiserate with us when things don’t go as planned, and give us feedback. Your iDAL coach is highly trained to do all of that in a structured, planned, and supportive way. </p><p>Our iDAL coaches work closely with teachers to provide on-site, embedded professional development, focusing on effective instructional methods, technology integration, and data utilization to improve instruction. Their expertise covers many areas, including literacy, technology, student learning theories, and differentiated instruction. Your coach can help you:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Design Innovative Learning Experiences</b>: Collaborate with coaches to design and implement innovative learning experiences that leverage technology to meet diverse learner needs.</li><li><b>Improve Team Effectiveness</b>: Work more effectively to enhance instruction and technology integration among grade level and/or content area teams.</li><li><b>Customized Professional Development</b>: Work with coaches to identify specific professional growth areas and tailor professional development activities that meet these needs, including workshops, coaching sessions, and team teaching opportunities.</li><li><b>Integrating Emerging Technologies</b>: Explore and integrate emerging technologies under the guidance of iDAL coaches to enhance instructional practices and student engagement.</li></ul><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Library Technology Associates</h4><p>LTAs work with teacher librarians to run the library's day-to-day operations. In addition, they support students and staff as the first contact for technology support. Many staff and students go to LTAs for these valuable services, but did you know that LTAs are also experts in many apps, websites, and digital platforms we use at Barrington 220? Our LTAs have undergone hours of training and professional development to understand the educational impact of the tools we use. For example:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>All of our LTAs are designated as Apple Teachers.</li><li>Four of our LTAs have earned Apple Learning Coach certification.</li><li>In the past two years, LTAs have received explicit training in EdPuzzle, Nearpod, Schoology, SeeSaw, Canva, Adobe, and more.</li><li>LTAs regularly attend regional technology conferences and build resources to share their knowledge.</li></ul><p></p><p>Some benefits your LTA can provide that you may not be using:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Build “how-to” videos and resources for students and staff for specific tech tools. </li><li>Provide in-class support during lessons that use technology.</li><li>Co-plan technology integration for a lesson.</li><li>Work with students during class to learn a new tool.</li><li>Deliver professional development for staff.</li></ul><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Technology Support Team</h4><p>This triumvirate of Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge expertise exists within the supportive environment of our Technology Support Team. Our Technology Support Associates, Technicians, and Specialists ensure that technology works as it should. More than just a group of tech troubleshooting experts, your Technology Support Team works to understand technology's educational impact. They attend to the detailed and complex world of cybersecurity, data privacy, and network integration. This team is focused on providing a seamless user experience in a safe and reliable technology-rich environment. </p><p>The TPACK system in Barrington 220 is a practical and effective way to help teachers use technology better in their classrooms. It brings together Teacher Librarians, Instructional Digital Age Learning Coaches, Library Technology Associates, and the Technology Support Team. This team gives teachers the support they need to overcome the challenges of using technology and to find ways to make lessons more engaging and effective. Whether it's getting help finding the right digital tools, planning lessons that use technology, or fixing technical problems, our TPACK teams are here to help!</p><p><br /></p><p><b>References</b></p><p>Koehler, M.J., & Mishra, P. (2008). Introducing tpck. AACTE Committee on Innovation and Technology (Ed.), The handbook of technological pedagogical content knowledge (tpck) for educators (pp. 3-29). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. </p><p>Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1). Retrieved from https://www.citejournal.org </p><div><br /></div>Ty Gormanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10756017457946827585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-13694941272332255352024-03-06T17:13:00.001-06:002024-03-08T10:25:54.701-06:00Infinite Campus Countdown to the New Look<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Have you made the transition to the Infinite Campus New Look? If you answered "not yet," it is time to get ready! Beginning Monday, March 25, 2024, your Infinite Campus account will begin showing the New Look automatically. Make a plan to spend some time each day in the New Look that includes:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://kb.infinitecampus.com/help/try-the-new-look-of-campus#simplified-navigation">A simplified navigation structure</a></li><li><a href="https://kb.infinitecampus.com/help/try-the-new-look-of-campus#responsive-ui-design">Responsive UI design</a></li><li><a href="https://kb.infinitecampus.com/help/try-the-new-look-of-campus#TrytheNewLookofCampus-User-CreatedMenuofFavoriteTools">A user-created menu of favorite tools</a></li><li><a href="https://kb.infinitecampus.com/help/try-the-new-look-of-campus#TrytheNewLookofCampus-QuickAccesstoRecentlyUsedTools">Quick access to recently used tools</a></li><li><a href="https://kb.infinitecampus.com/help/try-the-new-look-of-campus#intuitive-related-tools-toolbar">Intuitive related tools toolbar</a></li><li><a href="https://kb.infinitecampus.com/help/try-the-new-look-of-campus#TrytheNewLookofCampus-NavigableBreadcrumbs">Navigable breadcrumbs</a></li><li><a href="https://kb.infinitecampus.com/help/try-the-new-look-of-campus#robust-in-tool-person-search">Robust in-tool person search</a></li><li><a href="https://kb.infinitecampus.com/help/try-the-new-look-of-campus#unified-search-menu">A unified search menu for quickly searching a multitude of data</a></li><li><a href="https://kb.infinitecampus.com/help/try-the-new-look-of-campus#person-information-card">A useful person information card</a></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxIr2g4_FYwBYhtJDjJZagMQXojPHRtDnIaJemRQmnVugkgUIm6hG7dEaI6j8eu3sC7xAWBNt6usskgPYaSm_1MK6h0XFaqjhUT90xOHA0FZolYZNPwtpCmc0W8AFnlVhUxPhMQEgevZViCqb0zlEQRHuXlO97nSzwXM1oxA8E0Qk8bqXDAneePBVhqY/s1000/ic-launch.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxIr2g4_FYwBYhtJDjJZagMQXojPHRtDnIaJemRQmnVugkgUIm6hG7dEaI6j8eu3sC7xAWBNt6usskgPYaSm_1MK6h0XFaqjhUT90xOHA0FZolYZNPwtpCmc0W8AFnlVhUxPhMQEgevZViCqb0zlEQRHuXlO97nSzwXM1oxA8E0Qk8bqXDAneePBVhqY/w200-h200/ic-launch.png" width="200" /></a></div>Infinite Campus knows change is hard, so users can click on their <b>Profile</b> and toggle back to the old look. However, every Monday you will be returned to the New Look. To return to the classic view of Infinite Campus, select the person icon in the upper right-hand corner of the screen and click the <b>Try New Look</b> toggle to <b>OFF</b>. The screen will refresh and you will return to the classic view of Infinite Campus. <br /><br />For more information, check out: <a href="https://kb.infinitecampus.com/help/try-the-new-look-of-campus">Infinite Campus New Look</a>.</div>Tracy Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631340335160261089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-47484170951961699732024-03-06T17:13:00.000-06:002024-03-08T10:25:57.016-06:00Secure Your Mac Laptop by Upgrading the Operating System<p>Security continues to be at the top of the minds of the Technology & Innovation Department—and hopefully yours as well. Whether it's your personal data, your online finances, or access to your personal or work computing devices, we must all follow responsible security practices to ensure the bad guys don't get what they're looking for. The number one thing you can do to keep the scoundrels from plundering your digital life is to make sure that you're running the latest operating systems.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvjJJSbT82F5-ZezY_PkCmADywAGljZOCw11I6tmIkkDJsk8cDTb7HUJEqpDcjq3qqr6s2T91vuWnSVSAyLv42AnIdqxx8PkjSerXGjD-MUkSCT6Y4nQdneUe-4iYA4Ud3IdpBkH3PLwlG26yX979OqTs3K9njPp1WLwF1P7RKh93NLJ-x4sKphBenro/s1000/sonoma-secure.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvjJJSbT82F5-ZezY_PkCmADywAGljZOCw11I6tmIkkDJsk8cDTb7HUJEqpDcjq3qqr6s2T91vuWnSVSAyLv42AnIdqxx8PkjSerXGjD-MUkSCT6Y4nQdneUe-4iYA4Ud3IdpBkH3PLwlG26yX979OqTs3K9njPp1WLwF1P7RKh93NLJ-x4sKphBenro/w200-h200/sonoma-secure.png" width="200" /></a></div>In this article, we will focus on your MacBook Air laptop. When our new laptops were assigned about three years ago, macOS 11 was the operating system installed at the time. Since then we've been introduced to three new versions of macOS—with macOS 14 being the latest. Many of you have been diligent about keeping your computer updated, but many users have not. Around Winter Break we were able to nudge those who were still on macOS 11 to upgrade their computers to 14. Now it's time to get the remaining users who are currently running macOS 12 to the latest version.<p></p><p>Those of you still on macOS 12 will begin getting emails and notifications on your computer encouraging you to upgrade your operating system. The deadline for users to upgrade is April 5, 2024. Operating systems prior to macOS 14 do not have updated security features and leave you and the district open to cybersecurity risks. If your computer is not upgraded to macOS 14 by the end of the day on Friday, April 5, 2024, you will lose access to it. </p><p>One of the hurdles some users may face when upgrading their operating system is that their hard drive may report it is too full to run an upgrade. Upgrading to macOS 14 takes 25GB of free space. If the storage on your MacBook Air is full, you can easily move data to your Google Drive—and we can help you if needed. Please reach out to your building LTA or the Technology Department (call x. 1500) if you need assistance with freeing up space on your MacBook Air laptop.</p><p>Once staff members running macOS 12 are upgraded to macOS 14, we'll focus on assisting staff members running macOS 13 to upgrade to macOS 14. We hope that by the end of the school year we'll have everyone on the latest—and most secure—version of macOS.</p><p>Thanks in advance for helping us help you keep our district secure.</p>Mark Polzinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16765784487431622752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-57616018070267322432024-03-06T17:11:00.004-06:002024-03-08T10:25:58.774-06:00Updates for Staff Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)<p>As more Barrington 220 staff members are exploring the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in their workflow, effective uses and potential pitfalls become increasingly important topics to consider. Tools such as ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini are powerful, but far from perfect. Further, the wave of newly released GenAI tools for educators may be challenging to navigate. </p><p>Some Potential Opportunities:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Support students with disabilities through Assistive Technology (AT)</li><li>Support multilingual students</li><li>Improve speed and accuracy in data analysis</li><li>Find, choose, generate, and/or adapt learning materials to fit diverse student needs</li><li>Provide opportunities for student and teacher creativity</li><li>Improve personalization of content, assessment, and feedback</li><li>Increase efficiency and quality of student and staff workflow</li></ul><p></p><p>Some Potential Challenges:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Data privacy and security risks</li><li>Output from generative AI can be inappropriate or wrong</li><li>Output from generative AI can be biased</li><li>Students may represent AI-generated work as their own</li><li>AI-generated content is not yet reliably detectable</li></ul><p></p><p>Barrington 220 is committed to the safe, ethical, and responsible use of AI to improve teaching and learning. While we encourage staff to use AI in their workflow, it is essential to be mindful of practices that will ensure your use of AI is both safe and productive. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5ylnKY-zMEYqqHqZ3vLn0rCPn0bHn94kPSYjrX-4q6pDhdU8xK4FGH8dalo2PKc96pQsUzd-WJWNA37uVMn69ThgjNCLEI7VT9mQb4FJa9G24AA0PyGafcGDguIq47ncKOD6fmpt2rzfzTKXI7nVy_D5K63gEuy_K2oN7S8jO1T-Lg93FG896UZKmcU/s1000/ai.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5ylnKY-zMEYqqHqZ3vLn0rCPn0bHn94kPSYjrX-4q6pDhdU8xK4FGH8dalo2PKc96pQsUzd-WJWNA37uVMn69ThgjNCLEI7VT9mQb4FJa9G24AA0PyGafcGDguIq47ncKOD6fmpt2rzfzTKXI7nVy_D5K63gEuy_K2oN7S8jO1T-Lg93FG896UZKmcU/w320-h320/ai.png" width="320" /></a></div>Guidelines for Effective AI Use</h4><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Think of AI as a copilot, not a replacement. AI is meant to make your work easier and more efficient, not to do your work for you. Use AI-generated outputs as a starting point, but add your voice, context, and original thoughts.</li><li>Don’t outsource your thinking and judgment. AI is not "thinking;" it is using predictive algorithms to produce what you ask for. AI cannot replace your creative thoughts, judgments, or thinking. AI should not be used to make decisions or value judgments.</li><li>Check for bias and accuracy. AI can produce inaccurate or biased output. You should proofread and edit any outputs you plan to use in your writing. </li><li>Edit and revise AI-generated writing. You have a distinct voice when you write. Whether you know it or not, other people can pick up on it. When using AI-generated text, it’s not likely that it will sound like you. Be sure to edit, revise, and “make it yours” when using AI-generated text. </li><li>Know the limits. Most AI platforms' training information is about one year old and does not include current facts and data. Consider this when prompting AI.</li><li>Protect privacy. Avoid using personal student details and personally identifiable information unless you know for sure our district has a SOPPA agreement in place with the platform you are using. </li><li>Teachers are responsible for assigning grades. AI should not be used to grade student work. It is appropriate to generate feedback, suggestions for improvement, and gather data, but AI should not be used to assign a grade. Even in cases of computer-automated scoring, it is the teacher who ultimately determines the grade. The teacher should check computer-generated scores and is responsible for inaccuracies.</li></ol><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Tools Supported by Barrington 220</h4><p>While there are many choices for GenAI, the Department of Technology and Innovation currently supports access to the following tools:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Google Gemini</b> can be accessed using your district Google credentials. It is a free and open-source GenAI tool that generates text, images, and custom web searches. </li><li><b>Brisk Teaching</b> is a Chrome extension that works within the Google Workspace platforms, such as Google Docs and Google Slides, to help create materials and give feedback. Brisk offers a free or paid version which unlocks more features. </li><li><b>MagicSchool</b> is an AI-powered platform designed to assist teachers in various tasks. It offers features like lesson plan generation, differentiated instruction support, assessment creation, and streamlined communication tools.</li><li><b>Canva </b>offers new AI features in their suite of graphic design tools that include text-to-image generation (turning written descriptions into visuals), magic editing tools for quick modifications, background removal, and even AI-powered assistance for writing and presentations.</li><li><b>Padlet</b> has AI features that focus on content generation:</li><ul><li><b>Magic Padlet:</b> This tool helps you brainstorm and create structured Padlets from a simple prompt. It can generate lists, timelines, summaries, and more.</li><li><b>"I can't draw:"</b> This feature lets you turn brief text descriptions into AI-generated images, perfect for adding visuals to your Padlets.</li></ul><li><b>Adobe Firefly</b> is a generative AI system for graphics and images. Its primary features include:</li><ul><li><b>Text-to-Image:</b> Transform written descriptions into images with the ability to specify artistic styles, moods, and other creative control elements.</li><li><b>Generative Fill:</b> Easily remove or add objects to existing images, filling in the space with AI-generated content that seamlessly blends with the original.</li><li><b>Text Effects:</b> Create text treatments by applying AI-powered effects based on descriptive prompts (e.g., "fluffy clouds," "metallic sheen")</li></ul></ul><p></p><p>Staff members interested in learning more about generative AI in their workflow are encouraged to see their LTAs for support. </p><div><br /></div>Ty Gormanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10756017457946827585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-4665009806694426762024-03-06T15:53:00.000-06:002024-03-08T10:26:01.192-06:00Summer School Registration Is Open!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOEq37vldP3OclVYb64a13BaH-0XhHc7FJjf76xgaXqKPg4ADJ3wd6k6DH5DXFMwdEyyAUIw_mmIBfe3hxbPeVw8J8hne0PycgIkpE3wHTV3LiQHXstt3LA1hfUu_4HaT-1ek6whyleoI7x-CHpTMwyUomccjiyh6wcVW_264HRgqLzxAkbSxJlZe-dA/s800/summerschoollogocopy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="800" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOEq37vldP3OclVYb64a13BaH-0XhHc7FJjf76xgaXqKPg4ADJ3wd6k6DH5DXFMwdEyyAUIw_mmIBfe3hxbPeVw8J8hne0PycgIkpE3wHTV3LiQHXstt3LA1hfUu_4HaT-1ek6whyleoI7x-CHpTMwyUomccjiyh6wcVW_264HRgqLzxAkbSxJlZe-dA/s320/summerschoollogocopy.png" width="320" /></a></div><p>Summer School Registration is open. Registrations must be completed online in RegWerks (with the exception of Jump Start I & Jump Start II). </p><p>For more information visit <a href="https://www.barrington220.org/families/summer-school" target="_blank">Barrington 220 Summer School</a>.</p>Tracy Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631340335160261089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-47538141341720024852024-02-09T09:17:00.000-06:002024-02-09T09:17:43.806-06:00Google Bard is Now Gemini<p>In October 2023, <a href="https://bsd220tech.blogspot.com/2023/10/google-bard-now-available-for-staff.html">Barrington 220 enabled access to <i>Bard</i></a>, Google’s generative artificial intelligence tool. Bard is a generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform that can be used to create various resources. Essentially, this is Google’s version of ChatGPT.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMUgTG3FjIMV3Ft_UxcUbeR45JnrxdIqhbH-H4JRv8SRGi0xb8Zdx9nXDXtpWzSEVZIpxNG301iBdC-KtCgZlUZBcvKKsQfeODxLVmLQjtkSPh7bH3TaSg1tw-FoPwU1jmyuruTEaB4HN02yQi9bbcT3waSMHwxT7VCDczwCEuLS7IEQ7SedgrW0GWNg/s1000/bard-to-gemini.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMUgTG3FjIMV3Ft_UxcUbeR45JnrxdIqhbH-H4JRv8SRGi0xb8Zdx9nXDXtpWzSEVZIpxNG301iBdC-KtCgZlUZBcvKKsQfeODxLVmLQjtkSPh7bH3TaSg1tw-FoPwU1jmyuruTEaB4HN02yQi9bbcT3waSMHwxT7VCDczwCEuLS7IEQ7SedgrW0GWNg/w200-h200/bard-to-gemini.png" width="200" /></a></div>On Wednesday, February 7, 2024, Google launched <i>Gemini </i>to replace<i> </i>Bard, representing expanded choices and capabilities. Early tests indicate that Gemini is competitive with the more advanced capabilities of OpenAI’s GPT 4.0, while Bard was similar to less powerful models. In addition, Google has created a leveled structure similar to OpenAI and other generative AI platforms that allow users to access more powerful tools through a subscription service. <p></p><p>Barrington 220 staff members who previously accessed Bard through their @barrington220.org accounts will continue to have access through the same portal and all of their saved chats are still there. </p><p><b>What's the same?</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>The underlying technology:</b> Bard and Gemini utilize Google's AI models.</li><li><b>The core functionalities: </b>You can still use Gemini for similar tasks as Bard, such as writing, planning, learning, and generating creative text formats.</li><li><b>Access to different models:</b> Through a subscription, users can interact with Gemini Pro 1.0 in over 40 languages for advanced reasoning, understanding, and more.</li></ul><p></p><p><b>What's new?</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Name change:</b> Bard is now simply Gemini, representing the entire family of Google's AI models.</li><li><b>Mobile app: </b>There's a dedicated Gemini app for easier access and interaction on the go.</li><li><b>Ultra 1.0 model:</b> A premium, paid subscription unlocks the Gemini Ultra 1.0 model with more advanced capabilities like real-time translation, code generation, and personalized learning content.</li><li><b>Integration with Google products: </b>Gemini is slowly being integrated into various Google products, potentially making AI assistance more seamless.</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Overall, the switch to Gemini represents:</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>A unified brand: </b>Combining "Bard" and the underlying "Gemini" models under one name.</li><li><b>Expansion of features:</b> New functionality through the mobile app and Ultra 1.0 model.</li><li><b>Deeper integration: </b>Closer connection with Google's overall ecosystem.</li></ul>Ty Gormanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10756017457946827585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-81564221693418178832024-02-09T09:05:00.008-06:002024-02-09T09:05:44.915-06:00Unusual New macOS Desktop Feature - and How To Turn It Off<p>For those of you who have updated to macOS Sonoma (version 14) and have noticed an unusual (some say "annoying") new feature, you're not alone! When I first updated to Sonoma I immediately noticed my windows would suddenly go away when I clicked on the desktop wallpaper. "Is this a bug?," I asked myself. But after a brief bout of research I came to realize that this behavior was intentional on the operating system's part. </p><p>In fact, someone at Apple had the idea to make this the default behavior after you install the new macOS. Apple calls it "Click on wallpaper to reveal desktop," and if you find it as annoying as many users do, here's how you turn it off.</p><p>Go to the <b>Apple Menu</b> (the Apple in the upper left corner of your desktop) and select <b>System Settings</b>.</p><p>In <b>System Settings</b> click on <b>Desktop & Dock</b>.</p><p>In the <b>Desktop & Dock</b> pane go to <b>Desktop & Stage Manager</b> section and click on the menu next to <b>Click on wallpaper to reveal desktop</b> and change it from <b>Always</b> to <b>Only in Stage Manager</b>.</p><p>Now when you click on the wallpaper of your Desktop, all of your windows should stay exactly where they are. </p><p>Some of you may find value in this new feature and may enjoy the ability to click on your wallpaper to reveal your Desktop, and to you I tip my cap. You are someone unafraid of change and willing to forge a new digital path! But I'm sticking with my numerous open windows cluttering my Desktop...at least for now.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLK6iGjXteqPVu_bl7aEwCWIqhtidgMitcjT_tj0BIAGbcmJPZOGqKqFIOMzPz2ykl-edHLcTGRLyqTG8lYEnkreXbDRC1FO0rK_4_Dh9G6wBVlcNvNHkDZ6clnXQpGh2uyV6vqydJoEUFuK4AygxMc0Q1XPirzwdfYB_RYbkaSlNQItRnb82EgNyniZNS" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1432" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLK6iGjXteqPVu_bl7aEwCWIqhtidgMitcjT_tj0BIAGbcmJPZOGqKqFIOMzPz2ykl-edHLcTGRLyqTG8lYEnkreXbDRC1FO0rK_4_Dh9G6wBVlcNvNHkDZ6clnXQpGh2uyV6vqydJoEUFuK4AygxMc0Q1XPirzwdfYB_RYbkaSlNQItRnb82EgNyniZNS=w400-h188" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Mark Polzinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16765784487431622752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-65508124393772631192024-02-09T09:05:00.006-06:002024-02-09T09:05:37.412-06:00Navigating the New Third-Party App Access in Google Workspace for Education<p>As public school districts increasingly become the target of cyber-attacks, privacy and security concerns are top of mind for school district technology teams across the country. Many companies within the education sector are responding by developing new security measures, and Google Workspace for Education is no exception. Google has introduced significant updates to third-party app access controls aimed at strengthening the data privacy and security of users, particularly those under 18.</p><p>Recently, some Barrington 220 teachers and students have experienced errors when attempting to access certain third-party apps through their district-issued Google credentials. This error typically occurs on previously created accounts in non-Google platforms that allow <b>Sign in with Google</b> as an option when creating the account. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJZ5VRIF1P8waCJtyuvp0n0SF0FR0zZHO7khSdQL7QIfLeYP6HlPnZl3BzZVIKC43ffXcx808zfpYxj7sD3T8D8tFAxGJLIau4xjxL3Q2eyvM0PbHRzxmYxUL8Qef8ED-PzGJZishCZ_4bj6xKIJD6zDG0qxGr7xYfaa4t-CJDOn3Y_sGsVZQv9_UfZI/s854/Screenshot%202024-02-07%20at%208.34.15%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="854" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJZ5VRIF1P8waCJtyuvp0n0SF0FR0zZHO7khSdQL7QIfLeYP6HlPnZl3BzZVIKC43ffXcx808zfpYxj7sD3T8D8tFAxGJLIau4xjxL3Q2eyvM0PbHRzxmYxUL8Qef8ED-PzGJZishCZ_4bj6xKIJD6zDG0qxGr7xYfaa4t-CJDOn3Y_sGsVZQv9_UfZI/w320-h180/Screenshot%202024-02-07%20at%208.34.15%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Why is this happening?</b></p><p>In August 2023, Google announced increased security measures that require administrator approval to access third-party applications with district-issued Google credentials. These changes included:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Age-Based Access Settings: </b>Users under 18 must request access to third-party apps that haven't been pre-configured by administrators. This means a more controlled environment, ensuring only vetted apps are accessible to younger users.</li><li><b>Mandatory Review: </b>As of October 2023, administrators must review and confirm the access settings for all third-party apps accessible to users. Apps that the district has not vetted may experience disruptions to access. </li><li><b>Simplified Access for Basic Apps: </b>Apps requesting only basic profile information for authentication purposes can be set to allow users under 18 to access them without making a request. This streamlines access to essential educational tools like YouTube and Google Workspace.</li></ul><p></p><p>This new security measure was launched in October 2023. From August to October, the Barrington 220 technology team worked to configure all vetted and approved applications and websites, and there were limited interruptions to accessing district-approved accounts. However, over the years, many students and staff have used their district-issued credentials to create accounts in third-party apps not directly supported and vetted by the instructional technology team. It is with this group of applications that we are seeing issues. </p><p><b>Why is this important?</b></p><p>When you use your district-issued Google credentials to create an account in a third-party app or website, you are giving the developer of that app permission to access some information within your Google account. That access could be as little as your name and email, depending on the application. However, in some cases, it may include access to your Google Drive, contacts, sending emails on your behalf, and more. Requiring Administrator approval to access third-party applications adds a layer of protection before granting access to potentially sensitive information. </p><p><b>What should you do?</b></p><p>If you receive this error message, the first step is to contact your building Library Technology Assistant (LTA). The LTA will determine if the problem is related to this new configuration or something else. Taking a screenshot of the error you receive is a big help in helping to determine the problem. If the issue is related to the need for Administrator approval, the LTA will escalate the issue to the technology team.</p><p>In some cases, the Tech Team may deny access to an application or website. This could be because of a potential security risk or other stipulations of the Terms of Service. If your access cannot be approved, your LTA will work with you to develop alternative solutions.</p><p><b>Final Thoughts</b></p><p>The protection of user data is paramount, especially in educational contexts where minors are involved. These enhancements enable:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Increased Data Security:</b> By requiring admin approval for third-party app access, schools can better protect sensitive data.</li><li><b>Customized Access Control:</b> The ability to separately configure app access for staff and students allows for tailored experiences, ensuring users have access to the tools they need while minimizing risk.</li><li><b>Compliance and Oversight:</b> Mandatory review of third-party app settings ensures that schools remain compliant with data protection regulations and policies.</li></ul><p></p><p>As education continues to embrace digital tools, the responsibility to safeguard student data becomes increasingly important. Google Workspace for Education's latest updates to third-party app access controls represents a significant step forward in meeting this responsibility. By understanding these changes and taking action, educators and administrators can create a safer, more compliant digital environment for all users.</p><div><br /></div>Ty Gormanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10756017457946827585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-15513933012692364262024-02-09T09:05:00.004-06:002024-02-09T09:05:23.605-06:00Infinite Campus - New Year, New Look!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img height="312" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/vzW2_r8SoNt_HcHeU0Q8BuMznJV2FinRzWWaRrqHUifRurj_oh17WwStS3wOw3wd6jmdymXdpQYurzl_7_h9ft0wUy3av1R3A6BnSovWarNZZZlrSQUMAdtLgS9K9xH1yEYEAA2gnW8q79d9sUO8iZs" style="color: #374151; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;" width="624" /></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">As we proceed into 2024, we're thrilled to announce some fantastic updates to Infinite Campus (IC) that will elevate our work experience and streamline our interactions. All these enhancements are available in the </span><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">New Look</span><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> of IC and we encourage everyone to embrace and explore these improvements as we kickstart the new year together.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Why the change? IC wants users to have an even more positive experience. It should be easy to find the tools and data you need to successfully complete your job. These new platform updates will help improve your user experience.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To change to the </span><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">New Look</span><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">, click on the </span><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="border: medium; display: inline-block; height: 44px; overflow: hidden; width: 48px;"><img height="44" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/LUuMqz4GpZ6ILpvZwWKDMt7lETXMvm04Q3IUXcy5yTCjQ62-aNMBFlr_zHIuMYzPLKrQZVFAzXM8yQkn5iSG5N8FX8E6s55Q8wHsfrhrhliCkYQR4Nwje1I3KAjUc-QaWGhisVBmARqVkw_qsSf9e6c" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="48" /></span></span><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> icon, then turn on the </span><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">New Look</span><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">: </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="border: medium; display: inline-block; height: 145px; overflow: hidden; width: 174px;"><img height="145" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/j0s3PzSD4cAyjEpjqVSYGH-dYyd-NPwN0XVHSe9jqYqNpixDvy7uOfNbxsSKu7Qz-rALy6h6O5DABLL6Ek0LI9cj6cKuwDw90nL5pTZkKu-24q79Da5NAszQHKsEFPQni5urbUkDOupOXNSaf6J3_yc" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="174" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Once you are in the </span><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">New Look, </span><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">you will see that all the tools are still available, they just look a little different. Here's a sneak peek at the enhancements you can find in the </span><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">New Look</span><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">:</span></p><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 15pt;"></p><ul><li><b>Simplified navigation structure</b> - gone are the days of row after row of tabs, tools buried below multiple other tools in the Campus outline, and the frustration of not knowing where to look for a particular set of tools. In the New Look, you can quickly and easily see all tools available and understand tool relationships based on their category. </li><li><b>Responsive user interface (UI) </b> - this means no matter the size of the screen or device, you will still have access to the same functionality and tooling. </li><li><b>User-created menu of favorites</b> - you can now mark tools as favorites and have these tools populate a separate menu. This allows for easy access to those tools which you find most important and use on a day-to-day basis. </li><li><b>Quick access to recently used tools</b> - you can also quickly access a menu of recently visited tools by clicking the <img src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/c9FhHbC-3tMbQJSbLCggE-NO33EdhBiuX6VLPvH9C29IVmFnMtjjMt-ULES3Z6kkh7xn02ZMbZWDP5zVRHqAvBKSFELqkTtQk0swJG5dSynqVSggi0pVnBRC9Hot8zCfynvmNw3r-uq6n6pRYMlPBy0" /> icon.</li><li><b>Intuitive related tools toolbar</b> - functions much like how tabs worked in Classic Campus, allowing you to visually see what tools are related to each other and easily navigate to these tools to fill out related data. Tools are listed in alphabetical order for use in locating.</li><li><b>Navigable Breadcrumbs</b> - provided on the right-hand side of the screen when working within a tool Clicking an item in the breadcrumb will send you to the category or menu item selected.</li><li><b>Unified Search Menu</b> - allows you to quickly and easily search a multitude of data within Infinite Campus. Simply click the magnifying glass icon <a href="https://dyzz9obi78pm5.cloudfront.net/app/image/id/614359f222588b863d7b2834/n/1631803891037.png" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><img src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/r0rkMNHEIrwyJjj3Ffs1OXDMy0TEdy2fZriGI4o69fdMEZ0-563YA88g1uck0716-ho2OJMPfyX0dlw2uz0xRm6sejsz6R97ZmU3P1vc08WUAzWxhyA546E8Ykrtxe-pFPaS-MQlwmZC3b8B0NcFZVE" /></a>, select the type of data you wish to search (i.e., Student, Household, Tool, etc), and enter your search criteria. Results will appear below the search box. </li></ul>We're excited about the new look and believe the enhancements will significantly improve your day-to-day experience in IC. Your feedback and suggestions on these changes are valuable, so please don't hesitate to share your thoughts as you explore the revamped platform. <p></p><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 15pt;">To add feedback, click on the feedback button under the <img src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/PamHRLzbv5IsoQ56lSNi3W-vgV2fSvyJPBTOcQjzBV7YiZqHNTj2otNxqSDAKp_oIdxJt7rKFbYN7S84V-Gq2TuipAVxCs04ROuAVKMqtpv8xYgTY_KKtP5Vdgi1uJvr52cTAukVOeKoTnutBR8wvNU" /> menu.</p><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 15pt;">Let's embrace this fresh start together and make the most of these enhancements in our daily workflow.<br /><br />Here's to a successful and productive year ahead!</p><p role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><br /></p>Tracy Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631340335160261089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-4715989367848516172024-02-09T09:05:00.001-06:002024-02-09T09:05:16.902-06:00Verify Your Demographic Information in IC for Winter Weather Preparedness<div class="separator">Inclement weather during the winter months can present various challenges, from snowstorms to icy conditions, affecting our daily routines and work arrangements. To guarantee that we can provide timely and accurate assistance when needed, we kindly ask you to take a moment to review and verify the accuracy of their demographic details in our <b>Infinite Campus - Information Center</b>.</div><br />Your demographic information includes crucial details such as your current address, contact numbers, emergency contacts, and preferred modes of communication. Ensuring this information is up-to-date is essential, especially during the winter months.<br /><br />To verify your demographic information in IC, NEW LOOK, <b>My Account > My Demographics</b>. If you notice a correction is needed locate the <b>Request Demographic Update</b> and make the necessary updates.<br /><div><div style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></div></div><div><span></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="border: medium; display: inline-block; height: 39px; overflow: hidden; width: 264px;"><img height="39" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/9ZIezyfpzh_6PS8Zj2fbDBYnnAZcUuuE93cNqZbfkhfFgu6mCdzlNHei4kNGVMe9V3LHdSPP4qsjhSwKWMYunHMzs1jLQ4lxKtgD22kd7nEUjXQZXF3ZDuG40UieLhG0FfEz_ZsBgi1060vDOt6IA_U" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="264" /></span></span><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Then select <b>My Data > Demographics</b> </span></p><p><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="border: medium; display: inline-block; height: 259px; overflow: hidden; width: 205px;"><img height="259" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/IQe9VpKbXjHeJeoQOR-Ze-seDl82C-DrBipOyGa8_M25q_l_-b3dkyRJ9s2lsOsOUGxa5MkDT5DmCfD6SPZK5Hdyt8ykL3vfKaopyQAFRPal9DMzyENPem2WOLu4InKVLNVekt7v_Aigj86-tSWGtzw" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="205" /></span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">On the demographics tab, please verify your email addresses, and phone numbers. Primary emails for Staff must be D220 email. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="border: medium; display: inline-block; height: 238px; overflow: hidden; width: 327px;"><img height="238" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/fuWMVI5x-Y2o2iy-dTuzceJ3oH2TYszviAvYRoGfsu-GfLYCmsEg63-Bg3yPa4QuOuCnGEPxetpIpYIarY8H2sLb0TclLYW0VgeiXcrSfkTGc-b3fdXxUuXs6Qkm1tB4jwUDBhlyfTUppZBiyvxosH8" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="327" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">If you have changes, please</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="border: medium; display: inline-block; height: 50px; overflow: hidden; width: 243px;"><img height="50" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/ZYwhXw9u_00sbSZzud3XzwdMZ_L-zdL3bb-Llnjg9dJRngq4BqQaxVqtv6N4K9CrIo7e34FiRAKbBcCdr_d63wggic367vke4wB9MVW1Ku9MurvWQnNbulSADfY-MO7T3jWf9c1UFUlu7JIl4lUsjN4" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="243" /></span></span><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 15pt;"><span face="Roboto,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="border: medium; display: inline-block; height: 50px; overflow: hidden; width: 149px;"><img height="50" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/3lYE7wN3RvNn-3Wz8X65m3_B6-lBpY2thToVclijFYUNTO_sKu1Xwku5-do4ElX7UPK-JRt4nGjeTLubPB9yLdCfPpqjY-bvs8UW1FCv56_3DGE_gtM8724gfGt1Ctj0ZNTboUx0VHgocwMK-PkzUtk" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="149" /></span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For address verification, please go to <b>My Account > My Data > Demographics</b> </span></p><p><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="border: medium; display: inline-block; height: 311px; overflow: hidden; width: 246px;"><img height="311" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/h1A9vuAbSyooxJy5LzFhYSMIA8OsradqhJ17IQONoEFSdHb8wA_BbUub0gxSINcV0iMvy58FiRBTsbaxOvv7H_-eXHxb6JH2oIOaUQfaQapBl7nmBCM9Q2IfO0F_uygRFDxaSz6shImWWGCSlKPuHrw" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="246" /></span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Check you address, if you have changes,</span></p><p><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="border: medium; display: inline-block; height: 46px; overflow: hidden; width: 183px;"><img height="46" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/zqQ97q8lbP0vFp9aShhzrB84uy5M6yIZYHiShfKqpG3J2PEM9q6AFTheJ51vUCTVFkXIs43fxjeosnkGceyWmuLHy-ObVL51mEJ_e3nxOuBhsCX4xGDkr-V0UZRBjslh-0wuzf-3TmEwraWi3K8Pl3Q" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="183" /></span></span><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">make changes and </span></p><p><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="border: medium; display: inline-block; height: 37px; overflow: hidden; width: 177px;"><img height="37" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/oErKoO4X7naYuekfJWVSF0V3L8mAb-cfkah4-XLaKm2bOX8bmua_0eRqOU_nC0IZX9-smVLt3RpaSdB-T5PvqmBqtkh4H2rvMXEeZv2brjTR6mwvtdQ8FO58rJ4rwTM7x9shyf-Svph0clDRh4oSznc" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="177" /></span></span></p><p><span><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #374151; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>Tracy Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631340335160261089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-23343757214509985232024-02-09T09:05:00.000-06:002024-02-09T09:05:06.818-06:00Enhance Your Creativity Using Generative AI with Canva's Magic StudioGenerative AI stands at the forefront of current trends in EdTech, and the Canva app/service has incorporated key features from apps like ChatGPT, DALL-E, and Runway into a singular tool known as Magic Studio. These resources are conveniently accessible and integrated into your existing Canva account. Here are a just few of the tools that you can use within Canva to enhance your creative vision. <br /><br />Magic Write is an "AI Assistant" that can help you create high-quality documents, lesson plans, blog posts, and more. As with any AI resource, the true magic is in the depth and detail of the prompt that is written. The more clearly you can explain what you need, the better your result will be. For example, I asked Magic Write, "What is Magic Write," and the response is pictured below. While the system is set up to produce content that is easily readable by high school-aged students, you can manipulate the parameters of your prompt to change to a reading level that is appropriate for your audience. Due to potential privacy concerns, Canva has not enabled Magic Write for student use. <br /><br /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2WtfPGbWknL5zwAs_cm6HuFrXjUUwqPb5WTJx1121vZmKCM-lkF-2d6IzYs6JRob7xoNC8NcP0C7K-2cxL1kg2c35ilrhS15qYd53dfiIirr40kqG8_PAtcww1Px2QM4sOm69Xs8Dz75luy2FLTP1ZlfumT7r7hRPDKZ5A1nXhsgbtzk3MAaKJ4ZFRW3/w400-h169/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%2011.18.42%E2%80%AFAM.png" /><br /><br /><br /><b>Text to Image</b><div><br /></div><div>Text to image is similar to Magic Write in that you describe the image that you would like to see, the system performs its magic in the background, and the resulting image appears. Again, the key to getting what you want from any AI assistant is to craft a detailed prompt. Students and staff can use Text to Image up to 500 times per month with the district's current subscription.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxK73287Fcm2tMS19AAerGImBuXkfjBILQJZ0Sf6W6jQYyDiwEOWg8QI0eKvh5mmXzWDgdw2U730DxRjxmsJhcbflxVxqKGHB9bb0K3sbme-W7-tpvviX6AHYaJUhKfnVIUYzRdCA1TSLzaTSptBhKDeF9tLtRld-HyVyOYTMna3i5ixGn1VucgFW8U3M/s952/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%2012.00.16%E2%80%AFPM.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxK73287Fcm2tMS19AAerGImBuXkfjBILQJZ0Sf6W6jQYyDiwEOWg8QI0eKvh5mmXzWDgdw2U730DxRjxmsJhcbflxVxqKGHB9bb0K3sbme-W7-tpvviX6AHYaJUhKfnVIUYzRdCA1TSLzaTSptBhKDeF9tLtRld-HyVyOYTMna3i5ixGn1VucgFW8U3M/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-16%20at%2012.00.16%E2%80%AFPM.png" /></a><br />Created Using Canva's<br />Text to Image Tools<br /><br /><b>Magic Design</b><div><br /></div><div>Write a detailed prompt to create visual content with Canva's Magic Design tool. The system will generate eight unique templates tailored to fit your needs. Edit the original template into a slick final product that you can be proud to share. Whether you're crafting social media posts, infographics, websites, or videos, let Magic Design be your guiding force.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5rNv49pHfqiMBdMcajFTpzeDHpwSoT9L0LDImettY2aATQjlfW6BsANhmytV01umMQV5mfkqgnjSKYcPUmt373_PrqPqn9polBhGDYi2EKVf_h3N-Haewdg5eZxeW2TI4qCf13pG_AKr7JCp8n0jiHFoRp5CYyCNcXOq1ENYBx0VXqATYlDp9MhAKDD8u/s2298/Screenshot%202024-01-17%20at%201.13.11%E2%80%AFPM.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5rNv49pHfqiMBdMcajFTpzeDHpwSoT9L0LDImettY2aATQjlfW6BsANhmytV01umMQV5mfkqgnjSKYcPUmt373_PrqPqn9polBhGDYi2EKVf_h3N-Haewdg5eZxeW2TI4qCf13pG_AKr7JCp8n0jiHFoRp5CYyCNcXOq1ENYBx0VXqATYlDp9MhAKDD8u/w400-h80/Screenshot%202024-01-17%20at%201.13.11%E2%80%AFPM.png" /></a><br />Enter Prompts Here to Get Started <br /><br />If you've been considering using generative AI for an upcoming project, Canva's Magic Studio is a great (and safe) way to check it out. <br /><br />For more information visit:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.canva.com/magic-design">https://www.canva.com/magic-design</a><br /><br /><a href="https://public.canva.site/canva-edu-district-resources">https://public.canva.site/canva-edu-district-resources</a><br /><br /></div></div>Shawndra Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929227473699526654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-20749682875244810552023-12-13T14:41:00.005-06:002023-12-13T14:42:10.283-06:00Barrington 220 Adds Epic School Plus to Our Lineup<p>Recently, elementary students and teachers may have noticed a change in the number of books students can access in the digital reading app Epic. This change is the result of a restructuring of access made by the company behind the popular digital reading platform.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCWNJbDH6-kB-9x-hekNVumxrLgpcuJZl3Vm51dPHMgdLXBKJRyK0wvGSDksVeiS2yULlSWz7nBF8tBcYldAWi0pBIlnHF-TBvGgmEQgokevi_KuF9v7zuCyoQEkYu6D23azbZJ_N7Ur3dA8G8UByYDLwy999nFcQ5hpDVR03JdFldjwRZK5AI0cf5xk/s1000/epic.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCWNJbDH6-kB-9x-hekNVumxrLgpcuJZl3Vm51dPHMgdLXBKJRyK0wvGSDksVeiS2yULlSWz7nBF8tBcYldAWi0pBIlnHF-TBvGgmEQgokevi_KuF9v7zuCyoQEkYu6D23azbZJ_N7Ur3dA8G8UByYDLwy999nFcQ5hpDVR03JdFldjwRZK5AI0cf5xk/w200-h200/epic.png" width="200" /></a></div>We are happy to announce that Barrington 220 has added Epic School Plus as our newest digital reading subscription. With this new subscription, elementary students gain access to all 40,000 Epic titles. In addition, this access is no longer restricted to during-school hours. Students can now access their school-managed Epic account on nights and weekends. Students can also download books from Epic to read when they are offline. <p></p><p>There are many books from Epic that are part of our elementary social studies curriculum, and access to these resources should be restored shortly. We anticipate that Epic School Plus will be in place early in the week of December 11, 2023. Look for an email with instructions for upgrading your access. </p>Ty Gormanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10756017457946827585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-91561936822452133022023-12-13T14:41:00.000-06:002023-12-13T14:42:12.855-06:00Cybersecurity Awareness in Barrington 220<p>For the past three months, Barrington 220 has been engaged in a new cybersecurity awareness training initiative for our staff. Reflecting on our past 90 days, I'm delighted to report that Barrington 220 is leading the way! Our performance surpasses that of other school districts utilizing the same training program.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjLb9FH92oaP6u1nk3PU9PrSiYRGY139zLcY0seFBVmoaqnarLZ_FqhCsXKsmr9_vNRRxqOYFrtiBpbYMWu4Fgn7ecxy4xAj51GFVmPdBZVdlCa-yWFd46zTKleNp_Csv5AjBWcsZUaBxcodwARmeLTSN026iGtev6aonG8T_My-TM2NbdacD2JFtcNM/s1000/cybersec.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjLb9FH92oaP6u1nk3PU9PrSiYRGY139zLcY0seFBVmoaqnarLZ_FqhCsXKsmr9_vNRRxqOYFrtiBpbYMWu4Fgn7ecxy4xAj51GFVmPdBZVdlCa-yWFd46zTKleNp_Csv5AjBWcsZUaBxcodwARmeLTSN026iGtev6aonG8T_My-TM2NbdacD2JFtcNM/w200-h200/cybersec.png" width="200" /></a></div>The escalation of cybersecurity attacks on US-based school districts underscores the importance of vigilance, especially considering that a significant number of these incidents originate from deceptive email messages. Barrington 220's ongoing email training program is strategically designed to empower individuals to discern which email messages warrant a response and which should be promptly deleted and/or reported as potential phishing threats.<p></p><p>Should you and your colleagues express interest in additional cybersecurity awareness presentations, kindly coordinate with your principal and/or department chair, and the Department of Technology and Innovation will gladly accommodate your request.</p><p>In the event that you come across phishing email messages, simply label them as "phishing" within your email browser, and our Tech Support team will automatically receive notifications along with all the essential details. Your proactive involvement plays a crucial role in maintaining the security of our digital environment.</p>Russ Vander Meyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17074733699802698683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-12871380625373910092023-12-13T14:39:00.007-06:002023-12-13T14:42:15.161-06:00New MacBook Air Operating System Adds New Features<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In October 2023 Apple released the latest version of the Mac operating system, macOS Sonoma (version 14). Sonoma offers several new features that will make the user experience on your district-assigned MacBook Air even better. Of course we all love new features, but more importantly, with every new version of an operating system comes new security enhancements. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiba6YecdxZyOhTj5tW2m0dhrY4x_QpGgZRxrRnvG6cEtrFm3hSe1585H4kInhcjkiMeOg2GkLzu2qQYC547p8TSZq_aJ-3MyoK8R5C3v_jnUrAqT2rize2yssYWNPBKKobbgHQfxYOuoOFlD7RX1Y4aMVvJKnvOB3jPPiro7u9vNPycPN52mpjvfJ66Uk/s1000/sonoma.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiba6YecdxZyOhTj5tW2m0dhrY4x_QpGgZRxrRnvG6cEtrFm3hSe1585H4kInhcjkiMeOg2GkLzu2qQYC547p8TSZq_aJ-3MyoK8R5C3v_jnUrAqT2rize2yssYWNPBKKobbgHQfxYOuoOFlD7RX1Y4aMVvJKnvOB3jPPiro7u9vNPycPN52mpjvfJ66Uk/w200-h200/sonoma.png" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our systems and our Tech Support Team will help you update your computer to the latest version of all operating systems so our district's devices are up-to-date, and old operating systems, which may not contain the latest security enhancements, are phased out.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">To upgrade your computer to macOS Sonoma, we've created a How-To article that provides step-by-step instructions on the upgrade process. Click here to view the article:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://techsupport.barrington220.org/hc/en-us/articles/21952997456787-Upgrade-to-macOS-Sonoma-Using-the-Software-Update-Tool" target="_blank">Upgrade to macOS Sonoma Using the Software Update Tool</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The upgrade could take 30–45 minutes to install so please make sure you give yourself enough time to complete the install.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once you've completed the upgrade, we recommend checking out the links below to get some information on some of the new features in Sonoma, as well as how to enable or disable the ones you want or don't want. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/apple-macos-sonoma-tips-tricks/" target="_blank">All the best macOS Sonoma tips and tricks you need to know</a><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYjrSPCbQ-I"><span style="font-family: inherit;">macOS Sonoma - 16 TIPS & TRICKS!</span></a></p>Mark Polzinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16765784487431622752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-77701479595682569912023-12-13T14:39:00.003-06:002023-12-13T14:42:17.262-06:00Bust the Post-Thanksgiving Slump by Injecting Classroom Creativity<p>With Thanksgiving behind us, many people may have a fresh memory of the lethargic, sleepy, sluggish feeling that comes after a big meal. Let's face it, the period between Thanksgiving and winter break can feel a lot like that post-meal slump. Students can be antsy, motivation wanes, and even some teachers can find themselves stuck in a rut. But before you resign yourself to weeks of rote learning and low energy, consider injecting a little creativity into your daily routine as a spark that reignites the flame of engagement in your classroom to carry both you and your students to winter break with renewed energy and excitement.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjHgSdiWY2yGFPXiighbZ4i_teL9hpmA5wgcMZ9qFZ10nJAEKdi50JfBYQgIHvAuH4GZ5to8fp4R_pcH5ZdUMkc2kzu4SixbJVlPKYVgQRJTd3_AQh_JDtVPQ9NFOeDrX-vuGfwAjy_T478recjnPiARntrs02-GxLvFMRijsyZLGTbPP05lNtykp4dI/s1000/creativity.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjHgSdiWY2yGFPXiighbZ4i_teL9hpmA5wgcMZ9qFZ10nJAEKdi50JfBYQgIHvAuH4GZ5to8fp4R_pcH5ZdUMkc2kzu4SixbJVlPKYVgQRJTd3_AQh_JDtVPQ9NFOeDrX-vuGfwAjy_T478recjnPiARntrs02-GxLvFMRijsyZLGTbPP05lNtykp4dI/w200-h200/creativity.png" width="200" /></a></div>Many teachers balk at the idea of creative projects this time of year. For one, you may be experiencing a "content crunch" in which you have too little time to finish a unit of study before the extended break. In addition, the idea of a busy, weeks-long project just doesn’t make sense right now. Forget about the elaborate, time-consuming projects you envision taking home to grade over your holiday break. Instead, think small, quick, and impactful. Here are eight ways to inject a burst of creativity into your lessons without adding extra workload to your plate:<p></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Interactive Storytelling with Keynote</b>: Ditch static presentations and turn your students into digital storytellers. Using Keynote's animation features and audio recording tools, they can craft engaging narratives with voiceovers, music, and dynamic visuals that will breathe new life into a presentation. Instead of using class time to deliver a teacher-led presentation, give the Keynote file to your students and let them engage with the material and personalize their learning. </li><li><b>Mind Mapping with Jam Board or Freeform</b>: Brainstorming doesn't have to be boring. With Jam Board (Google) and Freeform (Apple), students can collaborate on mind maps in real time, adding text, images, and even scanned images to create personalized learning resources and visualize complex concepts.</li><li><b>Interactive Maps with Keynote</b>: The Logitech Crayon allows students to annotate maps and images directly on the iPad, adding pins, drawings, shapes, and voiceovers to personalize their learning and create interactive quizzes, historical timelines, or virtual treasure hunts. History students can use Magic Move in Keynote to demonstrate movements in key battles and migration patterns or create moving graphs and stories. </li><li><b>Music Composition with GarageBand</b>: GarageBand provides a variety of virtual instruments and sound effects, letting students compose original music, record podcasts, or experiment with sound design for their projects. Allow students to add a soundtrack to a digital project or create music that fits their confidence in their knowledge. High school students reviewing for finals? Let them make sound effects for review games. Using the Loops feature, it only takes a few minutes and almost no musical skill to create professional-sounding soundtracks. </li><li><b>Collaborative Art with Jam Board</b>: Jam Board allows for simultaneous drawing and sketching, both physically and virtually. Students can brainstorm ideas, create mind maps, or collaborate on collaborative digital art projects.</li><li><b>Interactive Presentations with Keynote Live</b>: Turn presentations into interactive experiences. Keynote Live allows students to present their work in real-time to a broader audience, incorporating annotations, questions, and feedback directly on the slides for a dynamic and engaging learning environment.</li><li><b>Sketchnoting and Visual Thinking with Notes</b>: Elevate note-taking by encouraging students to use the drawing tools in the Notes app or Keynote to create visual summaries of key concepts, sketch diagrams, or design characters for their stories, enhancing their learning and understanding through visual representation.</li><li><b>Video Reports with Clips</b>: Instead of writing a traditional report, students can create a video trailer or review using the Clips app. This allows them to be more creative and engaging while still demonstrating their understanding of the topic.</li></ol><p></p><p>These are just a few ideas to get you started. Remember, the goal is to inject short bursts of creativity into your existing curriculum, not add to your workload. By incorporating these quick and easy strategies, you can help your students and yourself overcome the post-Thanksgiving slump and recapture the energy in the push to winter break.</p><div><br /></div>Ty Gormanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10756017457946827585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-82857666893829390692023-12-13T11:03:00.001-06:002023-12-13T14:42:19.028-06:00Widgets on the Desktop in macOS Sonoma<p>As soon as you are able to update your district-assigned MacBook Air laptop to macOS version 14, also known as "Sonoma," you will have access to all the operating system’s new features. One new feature you might find useful in the classroom is <b>Widgets</b> that are available all the time on the macOS Desktop in Sonoma.</p><p>Widgets are small, specific-feature apps that give you information or can perform a task with just one click. My favorite Widget is <b>Weather</b>, but I also use the <b>Clock</b> widget for 1-click access to timers, the <b>Notes</b> widget to get quick access to notes from my Notes app, and a few others.</p><p>After updating to macOS Sonoma, setting up Widgets on your Desktop is easy. Just click the time in the upper-tight corner of your Desktop screen, and then click <b>Edit Widgets</b> at the bottom of the Notification Center. You can still add Widgets in the Notification Center, but now you can drag them on to your Desktop and see them all the time. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGi7U0d78e0tutQbWqaghFqGwfcjvR1BgJJHFT_eoW_OaUvMUxcFudZDgN18_2TqxCfTJ3lnhPC8OBl0a_M-GY1CllEr6Jl_7Jh9uZZ-Ro99r_4U6DvaUktI69osevLmLhW0K8xKKm4hiSQBbdTbBnQUjfKUU9wtH5dlt-9cIkX4QbihTW4wKp3iWfzes/s2880/Screenshot%202023-12-13%20at%2010.55.52%E2%80%AFAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGi7U0d78e0tutQbWqaghFqGwfcjvR1BgJJHFT_eoW_OaUvMUxcFudZDgN18_2TqxCfTJ3lnhPC8OBl0a_M-GY1CllEr6Jl_7Jh9uZZ-Ro99r_4U6DvaUktI69osevLmLhW0K8xKKm4hiSQBbdTbBnQUjfKUU9wtH5dlt-9cIkX4QbihTW4wKp3iWfzes/w400-h250/Screenshot%202023-12-13%20at%2010.55.52%E2%80%AFAM.png" title="Widgets can be added to the Notification Center (right) or directly on the Desktop in macOS Sonoma (left, seen here dimmed)." width="400" /></a></div><p>The Widgets you add on the Desktop appear dimmed and out of the way until you click them to interact with them. For example:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Add a Clock widget and click it once to set a timer.</li><li>Add a News widget to see headlines on a curricular topic and click a story to open it.</li><li>Add a Weather widget for Barrington and/or the village where you live to see the current weather conditions and click it to see the extended forecast and more information.</li><li>Add a Notes widget with a to-do list and click it once to access the note.</li></ul><p></p><p>If the Apple ID you are using on your district-assigned laptop is also being used on your district-assigned iPad (and/or other devices), the selection of Widgets you can choose will allow you to see information across all your devices. </p><p>To learn more about Widgets in macOS Sonoma using Apple’s resources, check out this Apple Support article:</p><p><a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213659" target="_blank">Use widgets on your Mac desktop</a></p><p>If you want to learn more about using the Notification Center (also mentioned in this article), check out this resource from Apple:</p><p><a href="https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/get-notifications-mchl2fb1258f/mac" target="_blank">Use Notification Center on Mac</a></p>Matt J. Fullerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12721543039244700203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-70809609380759047442023-11-10T09:02:00.001-06:002023-11-10T09:02:25.542-06:00New Skill Plans Are Live in IXL<p>IXL is a service widely used by Grades K–12 as a supplemental resource for students studying English and Math. IXL Skill Plans align with textbooks, state standards, and assessment platforms. </p><p>To access Skill Plans, click <b>Learning</b> and then <b>Skill plans</b>.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkrtml128GiRYDjCdRA8vgOdlJ1-BeLbkfGaeiAxSOqYzuwLuLW8y_cdujq24wSeqHXO3In27_Bw_h_A-Tv0AlqLF8LYXawzRlke9qzAeDmnW4v6gKwfzfZjsgax4gxv3XPRuiWfZ5YgJQLpm1VYsuT4hyuSO6qWd8ynKcKEsnGT7Jc146H1T8vOLkry0/s1176/Screenshot%202023-11-09%20at%2010.25.06%20AM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="1176" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkrtml128GiRYDjCdRA8vgOdlJ1-BeLbkfGaeiAxSOqYzuwLuLW8y_cdujq24wSeqHXO3In27_Bw_h_A-Tv0AlqLF8LYXawzRlke9qzAeDmnW4v6gKwfzfZjsgax4gxv3XPRuiWfZ5YgJQLpm1VYsuT4hyuSO6qWd8ynKcKEsnGT7Jc146H1T8vOLkry0/w400-h159/Screenshot%202023-11-09%20at%2010.25.06%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Search for specific skill plans by <b>subject</b> or <b>grade</b> level.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5VJsa5iYHgBe8XosKYh6hUKX-NfO8bH2GESuY5sFp8S5ijuBggvw7Ch6gU7f1CGa_7BoxSvRLkAFb0PPbF45IcLTYYrVHtvSNzO2Kx7ccN_sg6FU8-oZvT9RI4SIJTe3Dtghezd2q1fAth_edTwI9nL997kV4ZshMOYgdaVHU3p4yMaxSpIB16o2WLO7/s1058/Screenshot%202023-11-09%20at%2010.27.45%20AM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="112" data-original-width="1058" height="34" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5VJsa5iYHgBe8XosKYh6hUKX-NfO8bH2GESuY5sFp8S5ijuBggvw7Ch6gU7f1CGa_7BoxSvRLkAFb0PPbF45IcLTYYrVHtvSNzO2Kx7ccN_sg6FU8-oZvT9RI4SIJTe3Dtghezd2q1fAth_edTwI9nL997kV4ZshMOYgdaVHU3p4yMaxSpIB16o2WLO7/s320/Screenshot%202023-11-09%20at%2010.27.45%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are multiple categories to choose from including Illinois State Standards, Textbook Skill Plans, Middle School Math, Upper Level Math, Language Arts, Test Prep, and Assessment. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Skill plans can be assigned to students based on items that they need to practice. IXL offers aligned study for MAP, PSAT, ACT, and SAT. New this year are iReady and IAR. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">IXL is a multi-functional tool that can be used in Grades K–8, and targeted groups at BHS. Please see your building LTA or Shawndra Shelton if you would like to learn more about how you can use IXL in your classroom.</div><p></p>Shawndra Sheltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929227473699526654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-77848324617677406412023-11-10T09:01:00.000-06:002023-11-10T09:01:10.583-06:00Canva Offers Free Pro-Level Access to Educators<p><a href="https://www.canva.com" target="_blank">Canva</a> is a free online graphic design platform that allows users to create various designs, including social media graphics, presentations, posters, and more. The results of a recent Tech & Innovation survey and focus groups reveal that this service has become a popular choice among Barrington 220 staff and students. Users indicate that they like the pre-made templates and customization that allow them to create eye-catching designs with little effort.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7SgNL8_NBt942UhvU8qvU44llXoRZHrQZThrmzy649N6mxKGjTGO-kUoGFEGK0XW5aVMApVCtloXfz00MvcEU9b4YL7f_4JzBysG41BWc2MUEJSVUHVrQvarPHm9hRTYe7B_hEgj7L5fF7pGOLUfQDIR3ckfsGH82p9wOrnW1HmapuLOTvAmadaMFvT0/s1000/canva.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7SgNL8_NBt942UhvU8qvU44llXoRZHrQZThrmzy649N6mxKGjTGO-kUoGFEGK0XW5aVMApVCtloXfz00MvcEU9b4YL7f_4JzBysG41BWc2MUEJSVUHVrQvarPHm9hRTYe7B_hEgj7L5fF7pGOLUfQDIR3ckfsGH82p9wOrnW1HmapuLOTvAmadaMFvT0/w200-h200/canva.png" width="200" /></a></div>While most Barrington 220 staff currently access the free version, Canva has launched the <a href="https://www.canva.com/education/" target="_blank">Canva for Education</a> access level, giving educators many of the features from the pro version for free.<p></p><p>Educators who already have a Canva account can log in with their district email. In some cases, Canva may request that you upload teaching credentials and/or proof of employment. After Canva approves your request, you can access Canva for Education for free.</p><p>Barrington 220 is in the process of establishing district credentials within Canva that will allow students to access the same level of service as staff members. This process should be completed, and student access established, by the start of the second semester during the 2023–24 school year. Until then, students can continue to access the free version of Canva.</p>Ty Gormanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10756017457946827585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-75289128729282964642023-11-10T08:57:00.000-06:002023-11-10T08:57:04.860-06:00Tech & Innovation Seeks Members for AI Subcommittee<p>Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly changing the landscape of many industries, including education. In Barrington 220, students and staff are exploring the possibilities of AI with a mix of excitement and trepidation. The Technology & Innovation Department is seeking a group of thoughtful educators to join an active and productive subcommittee to develop resources, practices, and guidelines related to the use of artificial intelligence by students and staff in Barrington 220. </p><p>Specific outcomes of this group:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Establish best practices for the use of AI by staff.</li><li>Develop resources for staff to navigate the use and misuse of AI by students.</li><li>Identify and update existing school handbooks, syllabi, and relevant community-facing documents to include language related to the use and misuse of AI.</li><li>Review and create recommendations for updates to relevant Board policy and district administrative procedures. </li><li>Explore potential situations where AI skills can be responsibly embedded into the PK–12+ curriculum.</li></ol><p></p><p><b>Meetings/Commitment</b></p><p>The total commitment to this group will consist of three half-day, in-person meetings during the 2023–24 school year, designed to meet the above goals. There is potential for some individual follow-up work between and after meetings (i.e., suggesting document edits, providing feedback). Beyond this school year, the group would meet annually or bi-annually, as needed, to maintain resources, adjust practices, and address new issues. </p><p>If you are interested in being a part of this group, giving input, or learning more, please contact the Director of Innovation, Ty Gorman, <a href="mailto:tgorman@barrington220.org">tgorman@barrington220.org</a>.</p>Ty Gormanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10756017457946827585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-84058492671163600952023-11-10T08:53:00.007-06:002023-11-10T08:53:50.184-06:00Benefits of Infinite Campus’s New Look<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkvag-992qOcgaykt_P2123iTPozfnj2vbmViamCex8AZyeWubEat2RSVKzNTG_1U4Rnl2JspaQnN-yiJewRy5Xgo3r4UdMTU0SdCKFJcgkCr3pEvpBnyXQ7ylWAwIssM1-P4q3UE_uVLZcOabgiJJ3iuyyyD4G-w3-6wfIEbbi7GCVOvcvp3P2UEWco/s532/IC3.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: 21px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="246" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkvag-992qOcgaykt_P2123iTPozfnj2vbmViamCex8AZyeWubEat2RSVKzNTG_1U4Rnl2JspaQnN-yiJewRy5Xgo3r4UdMTU0SdCKFJcgkCr3pEvpBnyXQ7ylWAwIssM1-P4q3UE_uVLZcOabgiJJ3iuyyyD4G-w3-6wfIEbbi7GCVOvcvp3P2UEWco/s320/IC3.JPG" width="148" /></a></p>The new look of Infinite Campus provides several useful improvements over the classic view. Some of the new features include:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A simplified navigation structure</li><li>Responsive UI design</li><li>A user-created menu of favorite tools</li><li>Quick access to recently used tools</li><li>Intuitive Related Tools toolbar</li><li>Navigable "breadcrumb trails"</li><li>Robust in-tool person search</li><li>Unified Search menu for quickly searching a multitude of data</li><li>Useful student information cards</li></ul>Try it today, and join other users who are now benefiting from features of the new look!Tracy Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631340335160261089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-51274546918350011452023-11-10T08:52:00.005-06:002023-11-10T08:52:31.540-06:00Say "YES!" to Infinite Campus Professional Development<p style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2d92a896-7fff-124e-1e01-4c6b5da8b7a2"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="border: medium; display: inline-block; height: 332px; overflow: hidden; width: 542px;"><img height="332" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/UyCoJMVANzYsiAS4CNzvuyaumyIAb8f1FgoQp5maab6tG3JBghvrDXfKVnnNCHSVm3lBMsSHWJTVyBcEAd_vl0yoO3FDXPpoMKrmHyXUJw9VDsPYbhBKkDq2MqBvj3LMUE47L31sWgifv-CLzesZ2Gs" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="542" /></span></span></span></p>YES (Yearly Event Series), is the largest offering of live professional development events in Infinite Campus history! YES includes timely instruction on a wide array of Infinite Campus topics. <div><br /></div><div>All Barrington 220 staff who use Infinite Campus will definitely want to take a look at the offerings. Many topics will easily save you hundreds of hours during the school year! <br /><br />Don’t miss the YES Discovery Week beginning November 13, 2023.<div><br /></div><div><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KuY87rS9RH8IyQ3Q0HEtGhBCjUVQy3QwM7cdyL9jVxo/edit?usp=sharing">Register now!</a></div></div>Tracy Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631340335160261089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-83371233450580480252023-10-03T14:57:00.000-05:002023-10-04T10:31:51.095-05:00Join the Infinite Campus Community<div class="hg-article-header" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 28px; margin-top: 15px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #34495e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj838aI7i7n-49JXMsiaR6pIom-Pckdz7fuoO8sJFcdxeuAJDL9uBVcdTcsSYVJ6xr79_2PvV38AzY-kJ-yExG5zpHxs2RpH7bX_Heqa0V0E-btyPHtZgsqAyd8Fjph_hxBk2HaoY7dXWQ0mumjhsQYQHTTTJ8KMtejSSbs07A7Z-rohKyPvcmXogT-yDQ/s502/IC2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="126" data-original-width="502" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj838aI7i7n-49JXMsiaR6pIom-Pckdz7fuoO8sJFcdxeuAJDL9uBVcdTcsSYVJ6xr79_2PvV38AzY-kJ-yExG5zpHxs2RpH7bX_Heqa0V0E-btyPHtZgsqAyd8Fjph_hxBk2HaoY7dXWQ0mumjhsQYQHTTTJ8KMtejSSbs07A7Z-rohKyPvcmXogT-yDQ/w504-h126/IC2.JPG" width="504" /></a></div><h1 class="hg-article-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #252525; font-family: Arial; font-size: 36px; line-height: 1.1; margin: 15px 0px 2px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLWry2qIwuMlwflrshH4eIdhnsm_Fqt0F0kUUeE-fBSNA3j2N5Hagt7Q1SHrd8Fk9Ct9Ogg8GA19NmPkAn8ogEriUhCBMLa_7ZIQprPNJVl_dLLr3MKRSJvPijMhlS19HttuEHX-_Oml-wGDUPjJOrDx9HFVWeYdfOxad4rLvs2accx6E06ttA5famqA/s683/Xnip2023-09-27_09-19-42.jpg" style="font-size: 18px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="683" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLWry2qIwuMlwflrshH4eIdhnsm_Fqt0F0kUUeE-fBSNA3j2N5Hagt7Q1SHrd8Fk9Ct9Ogg8GA19NmPkAn8ogEriUhCBMLa_7ZIQprPNJVl_dLLr3MKRSJvPijMhlS19HttuEHX-_Oml-wGDUPjJOrDx9HFVWeYdfOxad4rLvs2accx6E06ttA5famqA/s320/Xnip2023-09-27_09-19-42.jpg" width="320" /></a></h1><div style="color: #34495e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18px;"><br /></div>The Campus Community provides all Campus users with single sign-on access from Infinite Campus directly to:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://kb.infinitecampus.com/help">Knowledge Base</a> - Online product information, updated with each release</li><li><a href="https://kb.infinitecampus.com/help/campus-community-guide-campus-community-forums">Campus Forums</a> - Connect with other Campus users</li><li><a href="https://community.infinitecampus.com/news/topic/events">Customer Events Calendar</a> - Learn about upcoming events and user group sessions</li><li><a href="https://community.infinitecampus.com/news/article/surveys_provide_your_feedback1">Surveys</a> - Share your opinion and feedback</li><li><a href="https://kb.infinitecampus.com/help/campus-community-guide-campus-community-news">Campus News</a> - Find out more about Infinite Campus, customers, and industry information</li><li><a href="https://www.infinitecampus.com/info/passport">Campus Passport</a> - Provides training opportunities for all districts</li></ul></div><div class="hg-article-header" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 28px; margin-top: 15px;">Click the <b>Community</b> icon in your upper right navigation panel and register. </div><div class="hg-article-header" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 28px; margin-top: 15px;">Create your Campus Community account TODAY and discover the infinite possibilities!</div><div class="hg-article-body" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; padding-bottom: 3em;"><div style="color: #34495e; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><u><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZcILAmGE8Q6rPNSQyhYwMEqvC6kUs2T-Sa3IE31CBdVdTA9SZ70ulpLwyhOvM_jUmWb3oK0roy6FNj7X-duKFVgIU8b2C5jv96DKQSAP42CKgl2TiQyqdvzBFjMReG4tPyGWr8cllkV_24zyZXo6kLN5RwLcBGqYOPHsbMOzheO4vI5zodEkR9E125eFv" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="303" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZcILAmGE8Q6rPNSQyhYwMEqvC6kUs2T-Sa3IE31CBdVdTA9SZ70ulpLwyhOvM_jUmWb3oK0roy6FNj7X-duKFVgIU8b2C5jv96DKQSAP42CKgl2TiQyqdvzBFjMReG4tPyGWr8cllkV_24zyZXo6kLN5RwLcBGqYOPHsbMOzheO4vI5zodEkR9E125eFv" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></u></b></span></div></div>Tracy Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631340335160261089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-29342907410331774912023-10-03T14:48:00.000-05:002023-10-04T10:31:53.172-05:00Google Bard Now Available for Staff<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">We are excited to announce that we have enabled access to Google Bard for our staff district-managed (@barrington220) Google accounts. Creating an account and accessing Bard is entirely optional for staff. Bard is a generative Artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can be used to create various resources. This is Google’s version of ChatGPT, with the difference that Bard has live access to the Internet. </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c8514389-7fff-a2d0-2eed-58b7fb8236ea"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1g-NxQ0USCQXyfoeWxOgUMM8a_T3SPvNbE2F-tYDMAc3ZCwwWEstiOjmqyQ6rbAdvI0AN8iSfqxjvCToh0sz_Kv8dQTUsgNK0Rf_OJfOElMZixFHEo4A18KUh4wG85Bccv983gFgOVQRkBkNsq9AJYuJcwFmCu_DthBy5t1o1hBQxHJaMw_FqEhUENEc/s64/Bard-sparkle.gif" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="64" data-original-width="64" height="64" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1g-NxQ0USCQXyfoeWxOgUMM8a_T3SPvNbE2F-tYDMAc3ZCwwWEstiOjmqyQ6rbAdvI0AN8iSfqxjvCToh0sz_Kv8dQTUsgNK0Rf_OJfOElMZixFHEo4A18KUh4wG85Bccv983gFgOVQRkBkNsq9AJYuJcwFmCu_DthBy5t1o1hBQxHJaMw_FqEhUENEc/s1600/Bard-sparkle.gif" width="64" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">To sign up to use Google Bard, please follow these steps:</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Visit </span><a href="https://bard.google.com" style="text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">bard.google.com</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Follow the instructions to sign in with your district-managed email address.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Your choice to use Bard is entirely optional. Here are some cautions or tips for using Bard:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Be aware that Bard is still under development, so it may not always be accurate or complete.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Resources created in Bard should be considered a starting point and never used without proofreading and editing by the staff member. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Since Google Bard is in an experimental phase, it has its own User Agreement (it is not part of the district's Google Workspace user agreement).</span></li></ul><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">We are enabling access for staff members to use Bard in their workflow—not as a learning tool for hands-on students. Generative AI is potentially a powerful tool for students, but that is not the intent of this access. Google Bard should not be used by students aged 13 and under. Older students may decide to create their own accounts through a personal Google account, but students should not be compelled or required by staff to create accounts. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I encourage you to try out Google Bard and let me know what you think. For tips, suggestions, and professional development in using Generative AI for teaching and learning, please reach out to me. </span></p></span>Ty Gormanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10756017457946827585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-47622314093643784772023-10-03T14:27:00.000-05:002023-10-04T10:31:55.133-05:00New SSO Feature for Barrington 220 <p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Barrington 220 implemented Single Sign-On (SSO) for staff members this past school year, and SSO is now used to sign in to many of our platforms (i.e., Google, Infinite Campus, Skyward, and Embrace).</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-22132c3a-7fff-1a21-a664-7765acca844c"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">We have now improved the multi-factor authentication (MFA) portion of this system to enhance security. This enhancement is referred to as “number matching” and is designed to reduce inadvertent MFA authorizations.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">When MFA is required, the login screen will include a number that must be entered into the Authenticator app prior to approving the sign in. It's a quick and simple way to verify that the staff member logging into a system is truly who they say they are.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Here is what the new enhancement looks like:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="border: medium; display: inline-block; height: 531px; overflow: hidden; width: 336px;"><img height="531" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/2Nc7pFAT4ZyTTsFr_ovuz1vKDPRUN--OEcr5lHTWQNexQYn7Aw9QUgNDB9agfOpxdGvGp0UrcX0sVScZpaW_NwI0lGATon0BPruZHSclhg1F_runNEtPAs1ktrZtKcBnOPixVnLxv-AKDYmTAbfFZ58" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="336" /></span></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">On the Authenticator app, the same 2-digit number that is shown on the sign-in screen must be entered. If you are not the person trying to sign in to a Barrington 220 system, please choose the <b>“No, it’s not me”</b> option. Also notice that the Authenticator app shows a general location of the individual trying to access one of our systems:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="border: medium; display: inline-block; height: 727px; overflow: hidden; width: 336px;"><img height="727" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/E0eoVvWfJ5zoxynAQBvriQUZ8qVaG3O5l3E0kpo9uAdAPClLnur4nkJeP58zbMAbK96q_AlPH4yy98i_ZOQ41Wp4cO-88R9Tb_hnHsTG18dslvC3_9eS5KCdRNNU3XDu7eLM1JwhAJ46rkBkftzangA" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="336" /></span></span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="border: medium; display: inline-block; height: 727px; overflow: hidden; width: 336px;"><img height="727" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/N8oHlKU0lZmhpfwIri8yvGDbsgie7mS5LBowXUbDhLkEgiEppm1ArNcnaNoY1r34wVDi8rGXJk5GykpubzZ2kbvIm59pi2_uA3Wf0zpBeFyh5UNl1E8s20NJNLqW9242-qxWR5Ohyy-90S1xuHZOc7c" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="336" /></span></span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">If you have questions regarding signing in to Barrington 220 systems, please contact your building LTA staff or contact our tech support department at x1500 (224-655-1500).</span></p><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>Russ Vander Meyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17074733699802698683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779816796172030605.post-59709144276460465912023-10-03T14:10:00.001-05:002023-10-04T10:31:57.541-05:00A Long-Awaited PaperCut Setting Is Now Available<p></p>We have waited a <i>long</i> time for this and it’s finally here!<div><br /></div><div><b>After you input your username and password the first time, PaperCut won’t ask you for them again!<br /></b><br />To take advantage of this, you must install the latest version of PaperCut which you’ll find in Self Service. Once you’ve clicked on <b>Install</b> or <b>Reinstall</b> under the PaperCut logo, allow the software to install (you’ll know the software is installed when you see your desktop briefly flash) and then reboot your computer. </div><div><br /></div><div>After your reboot, open a document and print it. PaperCut will ask you for your username and password. Enter your credentials, and you’ll receive a notification that your print job is in the queue. Click <b>OK</b>. Then, print the same document again. This time PaperCut will <i>not</i> ask for your username and password, nor will it ask for your credentials later!<br /><br />Should you run into an issue with the installation, please reach out to the Technology Department and we’ll help resolve the issue as soon as possible. You can reach us at ext. 1500 (in the district) or by emailing <a href="mailto:techsupport@barrington220.org">techsupport@barrington220.org</a>. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzL0Ybo3tdnLud40DTOiVUmhWqDuR_1r6Ebfe52uP81EI6p5l4lv3Q1e7jCFma-sjmMBpdm_iVPM1xHqK3gH9ZDYqkMU1c4NjqRQVhyphenhypheniLD4DmMST8y3_qukILzzXZK9mcHTAM9cCE1UvFzYyt46Z7Ocpdoot8DXy8r83-WRzCp7SJeD0cFGsOUElki8N3/s521/Screenshot%202023-10-02%20at%204.43.27%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="521" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzL0Ybo3tdnLud40DTOiVUmhWqDuR_1r6Ebfe52uP81EI6p5l4lv3Q1e7jCFma-sjmMBpdm_iVPM1xHqK3gH9ZDYqkMU1c4NjqRQVhyphenhypheniLD4DmMST8y3_qukILzzXZK9mcHTAM9cCE1UvFzYyt46Z7Ocpdoot8DXy8r83-WRzCp7SJeD0cFGsOUElki8N3/s320/Screenshot%202023-10-02%20at%204.43.27%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Mark Polzinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16765784487431622752noreply@blogger.com0