Category: Canvas - Updates Happen!

TT on 9/26

9/26/2023

Microphones

As many of you start to use your microphones, you may notice that it does not work or does not work well or hold a charge. The microphone system has been in the building since it opened in 2013. The system was even upgraded in 2019(ish). However if you have not used your microphone the battery may have reached it's end of life. If you are having issues please let me know and we can you a new battery and get your system working.

We do not collect the microphones they are expected to be stored in your AV closet or plugged in at your desk for use during the school year. Each room classroom should have their own.

Once you start using it, the worst part is the regret you have for not using it sooner! ;)

Focus - Grades posting

Here is all I can currently tell you from one of our district level admins.

"There are a number of issues that have yet to be resolved around the final posting of grades. We met with Focus this morning to review all the needed changes. We are hopeful that they can address these items before the posting window opens on October 1st. The decision on the posting window will be done later this week and may be a last minute decision giving Focus the most time possible. There has been PD created for the currently available process for posting grades."

I personally am speechless.

Canvas Students

I am unaware if the removing of students is up-to-date in Canvas. Again it is just a PITA for teachers and students. Students and actual grades should be correct in Focus (however see above!). From my district level Canvas peeps... "Our night upload of data is adding new students buy not removing the dropped students. - There is a ticket in and it has been escalated"

LanSchool Air

LanSchool Air seems to be working much better now. The icon is (or should be) on your desktop. If you want some help, I'd be happy to show you how to use it and its best feature of "Allow Only" websites."

Do not use LanSchool Air in a wired computer lab. Continue with regular 'ol working just fine LanSchool!

Student Chromebooks

Please do NOT send students down to get a second chromebook. We barely have enough Chromebooks for our students. If they forget theirs on test day... Take advantage of the teacher moment and KARE - ACCOUNTABLITY.

Techie Tuesday #2

10/26/2021

What do <list below> have in common?

Find a grave
Data.gov

The Library of Congress (LOC)
The FBI
FOIA (freedom of information act)

Fed Flix (National Archives movie index)
NSA
MIT Visualizing History
The Morgue files
Primary Sources

None of the them are “indexed” or searched deeply by Google! Which means students may never see these websites unless they get direct links and reason to go there. Those links and many more can be found on the search engines of TheOlyCenter.org website. If one of those links perked your interest – go to the search engine page to find the link! There are a few hundred more of them broken down by discipline for you and your topic. If you have any topics or links to add please don’t be shy – I would be happy to add them or build you a list.

theolycenter.org/search-engines.html

Update your slideshow

To change your “Weekly Checklist” (slideshow) in Canvas…
1. Go to your Google Drive and find the presentation Tiffany has sent you. Edit it as needed then…

Go to File
Publish to web
Embed
Copy the code

2. Go to Canvas

Find the page you want it on
Edit
At bottom click the </> code button under the current slideshow.
*Delete the code that is there and paste the new code.*
Click the </> button and you should see the new slideshow. You can keep editing the page as normal.
Scroll Down to click SAVE.

*IF YOU have more content on your home page… BE SURE to only replace the <iFrame> code

Pro Tip!
If you have MORE than the slide show on you page…. In edit mode hit return a few times (BEFORE the slide show) to separate the content a little bit. THEN go to code mode </>

Embedding Slideshow

8/13/2021

Below is a video on how to embed a slide show in a Canvas page.

Cross-listing and Importing content to Canvas classes

8/12/2021

Think of cross-listing as combing like classes! Be sure to combine the correct classes! You cannot undo this.

It is very important to.
Import from the correct class! Remove due dates!
(If you do not remove them you will be deleting each item individually)

A file with just the steps as a refresher! --->
Crosslist your classes first.

crosslist_and_import.pdf
File Size:	252 kb
File Type:	pdf

Adding People to Canvas

10/27/2020

Howdy hey!
I get quite a few teachers asking me to add another person or teacher to their Canvas class. You (the teacher) can also do this in your own classes.

Click on "People"
Click the blue "+People" button
Add their "e-mail address"
be sure to give the correct "Role"

Then click next.

Please understand that if you give someone "Teacher" rights they have the same rights as you!

Canvas new QUARTER

10/23/2020

Two quick things for the start of a new quarter.

How to NOT see last quarter's assignments. Easy, peasy! Go your Canvas Assignments tab. At the top there is a dropdown menu that says "Grading Period". Chose grading period 2. Viola! If you need to see an assignment from a previous grading period just change it back.
Do not cross-list your classes at a quarter break. You will lose your data that is currently in your class. Cross-listing (properly) must be done at the start of a class, or semester.

What about Modules?

Q. Can we “hide” or not show the modules?
A. Not like you can Assignments, but…

There are ways!

It should not matter. Modules should be by date so just keep adding more modules at the top. Old modules will be still be there at the bottom and not used.
If you really do not want them there… Unpublish them. BUT then the kids can’t see them. You will still see them. Theoretically and Chronologically you should be done with them.

Adobe Acrobat forms

10/21/2020

Caveat - Acrobat is a very powerful and there are other ways to create a form! I believe this to be the simplest way as teachers already have numerous documents / worksheets already created.

First of all - Why

Students cannot edit your form. They fill in the text boxes you "create". It can be best described as a digital worksheet. Why not just give students the Word or Google Document then? Watch the video to compare a student filling in a Word document vs. Filling in a pdf form.

Download Acrobat Pro DC

You will need Acrobat Pro to create a form. You have access to it with your @graniteschools.org account by logging in to Adobe Creative Cloud. It is simple but may ask you to log in the first time and run some updates.

How to create an easy table

You more than likely have some "worksheets" already made in Word or Google. Don't re-create anything. However it is best if you have "answer spots" for your students to write their answers in. Those become the fillable fields in the form.

As the user

Open the .pdf as any file.
Fill it out.
Save it
Send it.

A little more complex...

How I created the first form (worksheet) above in the first video.

Quick short summary

Download Adobe Acrobat DC
Create or open document with answer spots.
Save it as pdf.
Open it in Acrobat DC
Use the tools on the right and click on "Prepare form"
Yes you want to use the current document.
All your "Answer lines" should turn in to fillable boxes or lines.
Save it!
Send it to students via Canvas / Google.

Students:

Open the file you give them via Google or Canvas.
Fill out the form
Save it as any file. Perhaps have them type their name in the title too.
Turn in via file upload as we do in Canvas.

Communicate!

4/24/2020

Three Great WAYS!

In Canvas go to Grades. At the top near the Assignment title click the 3 dots and chose... "Message students who..."
Pros - perfect for specific/individual assignments!
Cons - does not send to parents
In Grade book
Go to your class. Top left click the e-mail icon. Chose recipients Include Progress reports, attendance...) Pros - can include a progress report, include "parents"
Cons - No record of it as it comes from grade book
In Grade book
Go to Reports, chose GSD Preferred Student e-mail
Three options of student e-mails "preferred", GSD, Google e-mail address in pdf or xls formats
Pro - Clicking on the @email.com opens YOUR e-mail program to send. There will be a record of it.
Cons - It's another file for you to keep somewhere. Do not add them to your contacts - there's too many!

All three of these methods have video instructions here! The page is password protected as I don't have time to edit out student data. Teachers may ask me for the password.

Canvas Notifications

4/21/2020

How to set your contacts (for notifications) in Canvas. By default it is set to your @graniteschools.org account. YES, students have one of those too. Log in to www.office.com to check it. However add whatever e-mail want but make sure it is one you do check. I HIGHLY suggest your @granitesd.org acct. since you log in to Google quite often.

My suggestions!

In the Notifications area Conversation = inbox = "e-mail" As in, check your inbox for a conversation. Many users send conversations to their e-mail and then say student's have e-mailed them...
Do NOT send your Conversations to your e-mail. Just have the conversation in Canvas. Skip the middle software! Check your inbox, respond in your inbox.
Add a phone number too and get texts.
Get a text when there is Conversation and know to check your inbox!
You can decide what other notifications you want and where you want them sent. You could chose to not be notified or not to check your e-mail but those are YOUR <bad> choices.

Canvas - Embed videos

4/17/2020

Videos should be embedded into canvas! That "forces" the students to watch the video in your Canvas page. If you just put a link to a video for students to click on... you just sent the kid the movie theater and expect them to come back!

1. Find the embed code.

You may need to find the SHARE button. On the left from a Library of Congress website it is under the video. At YouTube (2 pics below) it is a two step process.

Click Share,
THEN embed
then copy the code.

2. In Canvas....

Create your page or assignment, then click the video icon in the edit box and select embed. Paste. Click OK. this will keep you students in "Class" and not wandering around the "theatre"... aka being sent to YouTube!