Learn21's Weekly EdTech Update

October 31, 2024

Indian Hill Exempted Village Schools Showcase Innovation at AASA Site Visit

From October 6-8, Indian Hill Exempted Village Schools in Cincinnati, Ohio, hosted the AASA 2024-2025 Innovation for Transformation Consortium Site Visit. Educators, administrators, and industry leaders from across the nation gathered to explore the district's innovative approaches to education and to engage in collaborative learning. ETLA Executive Director and CoSN Chair-Elect, Dr. Stacy Hawthorne, participated and spoke to attendees during the site visit.

The event featured a series of insightful presentations and breakout sessions highlighting Indian Hill’s commitment to transformative learning. Attendees delved into topics such as Personalized Professional Learning (#IHPromise), where Interim Assistant Superintendent Whitney Buell and her team discussed how the district empowers educators through tailored professional development opportunities. The "Be an Argonaut" project showcased how fourth-grade students engage in immersive, project-based learning experiences that foster critical thinking and real-world problem-solving skills.

A significant focus was placed on building a robust STEM culture within the schools. Sessions led by educators like Erin Owens and Kim Given demonstrated how STEM is integrated as a pedagogy across all grade levels, cultivating an environment of curiosity and innovation. The district's emphasis on student wellness was also prominent, with presentations on supporting mental health, including resources like the student-created "Mental Health Matters" booklet for the Brave Room.

The partnership between AASA and CoSN was instrumental in facilitating this event, exemplifying how collaborative efforts can drive educational innovation. By bringing together superintendents and technology leaders, the alliance fosters a unified approach to integrating technology in education. This synergy enhances learning opportunities and ensures that districts are equipped to meet the evolving needs of students.

The site visit underscored the importance of community and collaboration in education. Indian Hill's innovative programs and the shared insights from the event serve as a catalyst for transformative practices. As educators continue to navigate the challenges and opportunities of modern education, partnerships among organizations like AASA, CoSN, and ETLA remain vital.

By fostering environments where innovation thrives, and by supporting educators through resources and collaboration, these organizations contribute significantly to the advancement of education. The success of the Indian Hill site visit is a testament to what can be achieved when districts, educators, and organizations work together towards a common goal of enriching student learning experiences.

Options to Remove Backgrounds From Pictures

This past week I was helping a staff member who creates a "student of the month" bulletin board. She's been using a website to remove the background, of her photos, but the website has started to limit her on how many photos she can edit all the while bombarding her with ads. I wish she would have said something sooner because I thought this was a solved issue. There are several ways you can remove the background from a picture with just about any device you have.

Built in

iPhone/iPad - Open the picture in the Photos app. Tap and hold on the object that you want to keep. The object will have a cool graphic effect, and then you can let up. From the menu that appears, click right until you get to Share, and from the share menu, select Save Photo.
Android - The Google Photos app has a feature named Magic Eraser. Once you open your photo in Google Photos, you can use the Magic Eraser to erase all sorts of things from your photos, including the background.
Windows - The Windows Photos app can remove the background from a photo. Open the photo in the Windows Photos app and click the Edit image button in the toolbar. In the edit toolbar is a background tool, that will let you blur, remove, or replace the background. After clicking on the background tool, click on Remove. Click apply and then select the save option you want (Save as copy, Save, or Copy to Clipboard).
macOS - This one of the easiest of the bunch. In the Finder, right-click on the photo, go to the Services menu and select Remove Background. You can also select multiple photos and run the command on all of them at once.

Apps

Almost every graphic app available now has the option to remove backgrounds, including Canva and Adobe Express.

Tips and Tricks

Are you using a password manager yet? One of the reasons I hear for not using a password manager is that the user wants to be able to see their password. This is understandable, especially if not knowing any of your passwords makes you uneasy. However, password managers are not blackboxes. All of the password managers allow you to view the saved password, so you can look at them at any time.

The easiest way to start with a password manager is to try out the one built in to your browser. A browser’s built in password manager is not the most secure, but it is still more secure then using the same password or a derivative thereof on multiple sites.

There are several stand-alone password managers, my favorite being Bitwarden. Using a password manager is one of the best ways to stay safe online, especially when you give in and let it store all of your passwords.

Speaking of passwords, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) regularly releases security guidelines for companies to follow. Their latest guidelines simplify password requirements to the following:

A minimum of 15 characters

That's it. No forced password reset and no complexity requirement (upper/lowercase, numbers, special characters), just a length requirement. The longer the password, the more secure it is. I use Bitwarden's passphrase generator, and my passwords look like this: Document-Halved-Gumminess8-Upstate-Pantomime. Nice and long, but I still keep the complexity rules in it since most sites haven't changed to follow the new guidelines. However, the length has bitten me several times. I am amazed at the number of sites that limit password length to 20 characters.

Extra Credit

Google's NotebookLM, powered by the enhanced Gemini 1.5, is releasing a new feature that allows you to customize Audio Overviews. While Audio Overviews can create some unbelievable podcast summarizations of your notes, you will soon be able to direct the AI hosts and tell them what to focus on, tailoring the audio insights for your specific needs. In the near future Google will be releasing NotebookLM Business, promising advanced features tailored for businesses and academic institutions, complete with a focus on data privacy and security.

Olivia Burke highlights the disbelief surrounding "iPad kids" who have been introduced to the wonders of paper and pen. As these students have grown up with technology, they are now fascinated with the use of pencil and paper, sparking surprise and discussions on the balance between digital and traditional learning methods.

In a recent survey, approximately 400 teenagers shared that their primary source of news is social media. Many teens are aware of the attention economy and recognize that news is often treated as a product, influencing how they digest information. Fortunately, both teachers and students are embracing strategies like lateral reading to enhance media literacy, especially crucial as we face increased disinformation.

🙋‍♂️ Bytes and Insights is co-authored by Eduk8me’s Ryan Collins who writes about education and educational technology. He is also the Director of Technology for Kenton City Schools in Ohio. Sign up for his Of Bits and Bytes newsletter at https://eduk8.me!

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