IHMS Tech Tips

The icon for ClassLink in the SMSD Macbook dock is what is called a web clip.  Web clips are direct links to specific URLs that can be accessed from the home screen without first opening a browser.  It's pretty much a fancy bookmark.   We know that the ClassLink web clip is not always reliable, and many users rely on it for access to a variety of websites.  To that end, there is another way to access those same sites without the icon. Go directly to the ClassLink website: https://launchpad.classlink.com/smsd512 Please be sure to use this exact link.  Using just the launchpad main site will not log students into their SMSD account. When logging in, the SMSD icon should be present. Go to the Student Resources page from our district website:  https://www.smsd.org/academics/curriculum-instruction/student-resources  Reinstall the Web Clip from Manager Keep these options open if you have students that have trouble accessing ClassLink.

This post primarily pertains to student device issues, but it is a good tool to keep in your back pocket if Chrome is acting wonky. Extensions are " programs that can be installed into Chrome in order to change the browser's functionality ."  I've blogged about them previously, and w hile extensions are primarily beneficial to the user, they can also bog down Chrome and end up making the browser less functional.  To that end, here's how to remove extensions from Chrome in the event you need another trick to try for students: 1. In Chrome, click on the 3 dots in the upper right 2. Choose Settings, then Extensions 3. REMOVE any Extensions that are not necessary for school.  For students, this is most of the ones listed. If you don't know what it is, remove it. :)  This is just another thing to try if students are unable to open websites in Chrome or are getting frequently blocked messages.  Clearing the cache is also a good practice.

Text replacements are not a new concept, but maybe you haven't ever tried integrating them into your feedback or emails to students and parents.  And while copying and pasting text does the same thing, this is one less step for quick responses. I use text replacement on my phone as well as on my Macbook for phrases that I type constantly.  For example, students are asked to reply to my automated overdue book email to ask to renew their book, so instead of typing the same response over and over, I use text replacement.   To add  text replacement: On your Mac, choose Apple menu   > System Preferences, click Keyboard, then click Text. Click the Add button   in the lower left, then type the text to replace (such as  teh ) in the Replace column, and its replacement (such as  the ) in the With column. I use the text replacement "techtip" for my this blog website so I do not have to go to the URL, copy and then paste it into my Hills Happenings update.  When I type my text re

I've previously discussed those of you that love to have a million tabs open in Chrome at one time (see OneTab ), but if you just can't get past this habit, Chrome has a workaround for you. Most documents we access via Drive have the same naming formula of "21-22 ....." This makes it difficult to see what tab you are looking for without clicking on them all.  Ways to avoid this waste of time: Hover over the tab to see the detailed info about the site OR Click on the tiny arrow in the upper right of your Chrome browser.  You will then see all of the tabs you have open in that window and can choose the one you want.  You also have the ability to search within your tabs as well. Close unused tabs. :) 

Another update to Big Sur is how volume is controlled on your Macbook. If you are finding that you can't hear volume on a video or a meeting, you may have to do more than just turn up the volume on your keyboard. Using the same menu as we discussed with AirPlay, you will again click the two bars at the top of your menu screen.  You will then see sound as an option.  Sometimes, your volume can be all the way up on your keyboard, but still not on from this menu.  Weird, right?  Something to remember if you encounter trouble with sound.

This is my 3rd blog post on this app, so if you STILL haven't jumped on board, now is the time: Webex (Teams), formerly known as Spark (and still is to me), is a great tool for quick communication between teachers.  I have previously done a post on Spark, but I wanted to revisit this app again for our new teachers or teachers that have yet to jump on board.  What are you waiting for?!  Webex Teams is a messaging tool that easily allows for sharing of files and communication (and most importantly, GIFs).  I find it to be much faster than email or phone and is definitely my preferred way of being contacted. ⟸Note to self To use the app, you can install it from Manager.  Go to "Self Service" then "My Apps" and "(Re)install/Update" Webex. After you open it, you will be asking to sign in.  Webex sent emails out to all staff for you to set up your account.  If you trashed it, no worries.    Open the app and type in your fullname@smsd.org.  If you know your p

You may have noticed that the way to project to your students via Airplay has changed!  I know most of you have figured this out by now, but if not, here you go!   To access Airplay: 1. Choose the two lines in the menu bar to the left of the date. 2.  Choose "Screen Mirroring" 3.  Choose your room number and enter code If you have trouble finding your room, you can restart your computer or toggle Bluetooth off and on in the same menu bar. 

 Your Macbook can do so many cool things that you probably don't know about.  Who has time for that? One of those cool features is the Spotlight tool that comes on every Apple device. You can get to the Spotlight tool in a couple of different ways: Access it from the top menu bar (or add it there from System Preferences) Type command+spacebar Both ways will get you to the Spotlight search toolbar. The Spotlight search tool can be used for a variety of different tasks: Quickly find an app or program on your Macbook.  Start typing the name of the program you want to open and it will appear in your search results.  Double click it to open the program. Start typing a keyword.  Any files, documents, emails, etc. with that keyword will be displayed in your search results.  The results are organized by file type, so you can see if the results are a PDF, email message, etc. Define a word.  Type the word in the Spotlight search and you will see the definition either pop right up or a result

  Many of you are using Screencastify to record flipped lessons for your students.  What was an already cool tool got even better with some recent updates.  This extension now has: More cursor options Stickers Blur tools And more! Before we dive into those, make sure you have the most recent Screencastify update.  To do this, click on the three dots in the upper right of Chrome.  Choose More Tools, then Extensions.  In the upper right corner, make sure that Developer mode is toggled on.  Then, click "update" in the upper left. Now that your extension is up to date, check out these cool new tools. I put them in video form because...screencasting.  Here is a  link to the updates in text form.  

 Chrome is the preferred browser for most of our school sites, so let's jazz it up a bit. I already blogged about  OneTab  for making your browser tabs more organized, but there are some other options as well. Tab Groups Much like OneTab, you can create groupings of tabs you use often.  To do this, have all of the tabs open in a Chrome window that you'd like to group together.  Right click on a tab and choose "add tab to new group". Give the tab group a name and a color.  You can then add tabs to this group by right clicking on each tab and choosing "add tab to group" and selecting your choice.   You can always edit these choices later by right clicking on the tab group name. Clicking on the tab group name will expand all of those tabs or then consolidate them to take up less space.  You can also click, hold, and drag the tab group to another location in your browser window. Customize Landing Page      You can customize Chrome further by personalizing your l

All staff members have the option to use Google Backup & Sync and if you're not, you should be! Read on for what exactly this is and how it can benefit you.  To get Back Up & Sync, go to Manager --> Self Service --> My Apps and either install or reinstall it. Once installed, follow the prompts to sign into your school Google account.  You will then see the icon for Back Up & Sync in your menu bar at the top of your screen.   Now, open it up to set your preferences.  Click the 3 dots in the upper right corner of that screen and choose "preferences". You can choose to back up your entire desktop, document folder, photos, or, you can choose specific folders from within your desktop or documents that you back up.  I recommend picking and choosing so you don't use storage for things you don't need.  If you don't use folders and have a hot mess of a desktop, you might just back up the entire desktop. To choose specific folders to back up, click &qu