In this Issue
In this issue, we take a look at new Webex features, tips & tricks, and district policies associated with video chats. We’ll then check out some troubleshooting steps for Youtube and end with a look at the great new features in FlipGrid!
Online Training Resources
Were you unable to attend the training session on September 21st? Attended but want to go back and review? Fear not! We are in the process of posting the session recordings on Area 66. Here are 3 to get you started!
Thought of the Week
Tell me, what’s the best way to schedule a Webex Meeting?
In Webex, there are at least 4 ways that teachers can create and share meeting information. ALL of these ways work, and over the last couple of weeks, we’ve found that one way is working best for the majority of teachers. If the way you create meetings works for you, you DON’T need to change.
However, if you’ve run across problems, then maybe think about the below.
“The Way”
- Go to: westside66.webex.com and log in using your Westside email information
- Click on SCHEDULE a meeting.
- From there, you can create the meeting, set the date and time, and even make it reoccurring. When you invite students from this screen, it will send them an email invite, and show up in their list of upcoming meetings.
- Select Advanced Options and then Scheduling Options.
- There, consider configuring ‘Automatic Lock’ to 0 minutes after meeting starts. This will make scheduled meetings behave like your PMR. Students will be able to join and wait in a lobby until you or a co-host can admit them!
- Other advantages of using this method include the ability to pre-configure meeting permissions (i.e., turn off chat) and the ability to assign an alternate host that can start the meeting if you are unable to.
- At the time of the meeting, start it directly from the Webex app on your computer or iPad.
- You can also use the Assign Participant Permissions feature to enable/disable the public chat and private chats for individual students and the entire group. You can find out more here: https://area66.westside66.org/webex-best-practices-on-running-student-meetings/
District Video Chat Procedures:
Updated 8.4.20
During Extended Campus Learning, students and staff may leverage online video chats as a way to maintain communication with staff members and students. Westside is using Webex as our video conferencing system.
District Procedure:
Students K-12 have the ability to JOIN Webex Meetings created by teachers. All students have the ability to CREATE sessions.
All staff and student have access to Webex Teams (note: the Teams app is NOT available for elementary students) and Webex Meetings.
‘Office Hours’ with students should be optional.
Students:
1) Location: Set up in a common area of your house, with school-appropriate background imaging. If these criteria are not met, the teacher will end the transmission and ask the student to call back once fixed.
2) Attire: Please wear clothes you would normally wear in public to school. If a student is in his/her pajamas or other inappropriate clothing, the teacher will end the transmission and ask the student to call back after he/she has changed clothing.
Faculty:
All board policies apply and contents of staff handbook apply.
Only video chat with students if they are in a common area.
Location: Set up in a common area of your house like an office or living room.
While you don’t need to be in ‘work clothes’, you do need to appear professional and adhere to professional dress guidelines.
Our goal is to have mostly asynchronous learning and NOT require students to have a mandated time to log on as a whole class.
If you have an open Webex link for the class, this is considered a ‘public’ area and is treated like ‘office hours’ or the IMCs at the high school. Parents/guardians do not need to be notified of these meetings.
1:1 Meetings
Some situations might require one on one meetings with students to deliver services and lessons.
Follow all of the above expectations
Students will need to have an adult present and/or the parent/guardian should have access to the meeting link (this is for staff/student protection)
For secondary students, if the teacher sets up a 1:1 Webex Meeting with a student, please copy the parent/guardian on the invite link. The parent/guardian does not need to be present, just needs to know it is happening
See a YouTube Kids Error?
Sometimes, students log in to their personal Gmail accounts on their iPads. If they have done this, and their parents have configured their child’s personal accounts as a kid’s account, then this may cause issues when trying to play YouTube videos such as those posted through Seesaw.
Solution:
- In Safari, navigate to www.google.com
- In the top right corner, should be a circle with either a photo or a letter inside of it. Click on this circle.
- A window will come up with the icon, the name, and email address of the account in question.
- If it is NOT a westside66.net email address that is showing up as the main account, then click sign out.
- Once you have visually verified that the main account is now westside66.net, please go back to Seesaw (or the YouTube page) and try again.
What’s new with Flip Grid
How do you get input from your students, or check for understanding? In the classroom do you use a “Fist to Five”? Or in your remote delivery classrooms do you use “Discussion Boards,” or digital Exit tickets? Enter Flipgrid, you may already be using it or have heard about it from a fellow teacher. Flipgrid is an amazing tool to collaborate, communicate, give feedback, and most of all give your students voice in your classroom.
Read more at: Area 66
Closing
As always, if you ever have any technology integration related questions, please let us know. We are happy to work with you to design lessons, develop workflows and even come into your classes and work with you and your students.
Thanks!