Virtual Instruction - Technology – Parents/Guardians

The ACLD Tillotson School is pleased to provide students with a school-issued Chromebook for Virtual Instruction. The school faculty will be utilizing Google Classroom and other web-based applications to deliver lessons and assignments to students. Students will be expected to login to their Chromebook and access Google Classroom to check for meeting times, assignments, and deadlines for each of their courses and programs. Live lessons will be conducted via web-based video conferencing tools and will provide opportunities for discussion and dialogue between teachers and students.

The purpose of a Chromebook for use at home and Virtual Instruction is to be able to provide equitable digital learning access to online resources and classroom instruction for all students.

1) Getting started with a Chromebook

Chromebook Charging

When you receive your Chromebook and take it home for the first time, the device battery may need charged. Use the included charging adapter connected to both the device and wall outlet. It is recommended to charge the Chromebook every night. It will not harm the device if it is always charging, but overnight should provide enough charge for a full day of use.

Powering on

The power button is located on the left of the device. Press button to power on. If the device is not powering on or booting up to the login screen, it may need charged. The power button can also be used to turn off and restart the device.

Connecting to Home Wireless Network

The Chromebook will need to be connected to your home wireless network the first time.

In the lower right click on the time displayed area
Click under the Wi-Fi icon click on Not Connected
Click on your personal wireless network in the list
Type in your Wi-Fi password and click connect

Logging into the Chromebook

Located on the top of the lid of the Chromebook is a label with the student’s Chromebook username. Students create their own unique password.

2) What is Google Classroom & How to Use

Some may think that Google Classroom is an app where students log on and virtually interact through video chat and messaging with their teacher and classmates. While Google Meet and Google Chat allow for that type of interaction, Google Classroom is different. Google Classroom is a platform for teachers and students to interact via posting assignments, links to resources, engaging in academic dialogue, and providing feedback to one another.

When students access each of their classes in Google Classroom they will see upcoming homework assignments, teacher announcements, teacher and student questions, and other important class information. Students can submit their work directly through Google Classroom, and teachers can provide feedback, assign grades, and return the work.

Google Classroom is where schoolwork is created, exchanged, and stored and while also providing instructions for external digital online instructional apps and content.

Click the link below to watch a How To video on Google Classroom

https://youtu.be/qSxNLaWm74g

3) Using Google Calendar to view assignment due dates and teacher office hours

4) Creating notes and tasks within Google Calendar

The Google Calendar app has add on apps for creating notes with Google Keep and creating task with Google Tasks.

Open the Calendar app in the Google Chrome apps list or by going to https://calendar.google.com/

In Google Calendar, on the right side bar is apps for Google Keep and Google Tasks

In Google Keep, click the + or in the text field to create a new note. Google Keep notes will save automatically and can also be accessed using the app in the Google Chrome apps list or by going to https://keep.google.com/

In Google Task, click the + or in the text field to create a new task. Tasks can have due dates and when completed checked off the list.

5) How to use Nearpod

6) Google Meet and how to use it

Google Meet is an online web meeting application that connects staff and students through video and audio chat.

Google Meet links will be posted in each teacher's Google Classrooms.

Click the link and the Google Meet web app will launch.
(If the link is not opening into Google Meet, select or highlight the URL link, right click or 2 finger press on the trackpad, click copy. Then open a new tab, in the top web address bar, right click or 2 finger press on the trackpad, and click paste, then hit enter key.)

Devices and ways to join a Google Meet

On a computer, (Windows PC, Mac, or Chromebook) attendees can join the video chat meeting using the link with or without a signing in.
On a mobile phone, attendees can join the video chat after installing the Google Meet app and signing in with a work or personal Google account.
On a mobile phone without a Google account, attendees can only join using the dial in phone number with pin.

First time accessing Google Meet and getting started

The first time Google Meet is launched, there may be prompt to allow Google Meet to allow access to the camera and microphone during the meeting. Click allow. (If block was clicked by mistake, click the lock icon and click allow for both camera and microphone.)

Once in the waiting room, there will be the option to turn off the camera and/or microphone.
Image shown is both microphone and camera turned ON -
This image shows both the microphone and camera turned OFF -

Click the Join Now button when ready to join the live video chat.

Once in the video chat the host will be able to guide and assist using features like chat and presenting screen.
To leave the video chat, click the Leave Call button

7) Google Chat and sending messages

Google Chat is a messaging app for communication.

Click the Google Chat icon in the app tray
Click in the search field
Type the name of a person to chat with and click on their name. (Names will start showing while typing.)
Type in message and click send message

Click on the app to check for new messages or keep Google Chat open in a Chrome tab for new message notifications.

(Notifications of new messages will not be shown if the app is closed.)

8) My child's school email isn't working

9) Where to find my child's schedule?

10) How to enable and use Talk-to-Text on a Chromebook

In Google Chrome, click on the Extensions icon in the upper right corner
Click on the Read & Write for Chrome icon
Click on dictation
The first time it is clicked, it will ask for permission to allow. Click Allow
Click into any text field, then click the microphone and start speaking. Speech will appear as text on the screen.

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If the Chromebook keyboard is flipped around, the device will go into tablet mode. The on-screen keyboard will show a microphone button in the top right.

11) How to enable text to be read out loud on a Chromebook

On all student Chromebooks is a Chrome extension called Read & Write

In Google Chrome, click on the Extensions icon in the upper right corner
Click on the Read & Write for Chrome icon

Click on the hover speech icon and click the same icon to disable hover speech
If the text is in an image, use the screenshot reader icon and drag cursor to select and highlight the image

If your not hearing anything, the volume on the Chromebook may need to be turned up.

12) A website isn't loading correctly

Whether you’re having login trouble or viewing a website, a quick clearing of the cookies and cache is the first solution to try to fix the issue. Google Chrome will "remember" old versions of websites so that they load more quickly. Usually, this is not a problem, but when websites update, remembering that old version can sometimes cause a problem. Clearing cookies and cache tells the browser to start over fresh.

In Google Chrome

Click the 3 dots
Click More tools
Click clear browser data

Set Time range to All time
Check Cookies and other site data and cached images and files
Click Clear data

Restart the Chromebook

In the lower right click on the time displayed area
Click the power button to shut down
The power button is located on the left of the device. Press button to power on.

13) What if I don't have wireless internet at home

14) Request for Headphones/Earbuds

15) How to report a technology issue/Forgot Password

16) What do I do if it's broken, lost, stolen, or damaged