Instructional Technology

Today's world is geared toward computers. Proper keyboarding helps us do the best job that we can with the tools we have. Whether it's typing a report or essay, doing data entry, or just emailing our friends, we all need good typing skills. Young children who know their ABC's can find the letters on the keyboard. By 4th grade, students are doing research and typing their reports or stories. It is very important that they are taught to type the correct way. With training, patience, and lots of practice, even young students can master the skills needed in today's world.

Keyboarding is training your fingers and your brain to work together. Using the sense of touch is more important than using the sense of sight. Being able to type without constantly looking at the hands increases speed and accuracy. When we keyboard, we are using muscle memory. It's the same way our muscles are trained when we ride a bicycle, play a musical instrument, or play video games. If you can play video games without looking at your hands, you can keyboard!

We also encourage you to visit the following keyboarding practice sites:

ABCya.com

Free Typing Games

Typing.com

Nitro Typing

Learning to Type Efficiently 

Learning to code is an activity that can prepare students for college and career by encouraging 21st century skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and innovation. There are many resources available to help students get started and teach them fundamental coding skills. 

Please visit the following websites to access these awesome resources!

Code.org

Scratch

Code Club

Tynker

Code Cambat

The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) was enacted by Congress in 2000 to address concerns about children's access to obscene or harmful content over the Internet. CIPA imposes certain requirements on schools or libraries that receive discounts for Internet access or internal connections through the E-rate program – a program that makes certain communications services and products more affordable for eligible schools and libraries. In early 2001, the FCC issued rules implementing CIPA and provided updates to those rules in 2011.

What CIPA requires

Schools and libraries subject to CIPA may not receive the discounts offered by the E-rate program unless they certify that they have an Internet safety policy that includes technology protection measures. The protection measures must block or filter Internet access to pictures that are: (a) obscene; (b) child pornography; or (c) harmful to minors (for computers that are accessed by minors). Before adopting this Internet safety policy, schools and libraries must provide reasonable notice and hold at least one public hearing or meeting to address the proposal.

Schools subject to CIPA have two additional certification requirements: 1) their Internet safety policies must include monitoring the online activities of minors; and 2) as required by the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act, they must provide for educating minors about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, and cyberbullying awareness and response.

For more information, go to https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/childrens-internet-protection-act. 

This is an exciting time for us at SMSD. We now have a one-to-one iPad initiative where all of our students have access to a device! We understand that this can be a little intimidating for parents, so we comprised some instructions and resources to help you get started! 

iPad Setup Guide

Office 365 is an integrated experience of Microsoft apps and services that allow institutions to organize, communicate, and collaborate. Office 365 offers a myriad of apps including, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneDrive, OneNote, Sway, and Stream. Office 365 will also allow users to download the entire Office Suite, on up to five machines, for as long as they are a part of the organization! 

To access Office 365 go through ClassLink or go straight to the Office 365 Portal. 

Login credential for Office 365 are as follows:

Student Email: username@student.staffordmsd.org (i.e. jsmith456@student.staffordmsd.org)

Password: Computer Password

STUDENT-PARENT TECH ACCESS HANDOUT