July 15, 2020 This past spring, many schools and districts found themselves suddenly trying to figure out how to quickly distribute Chromebooks to students as schools were quickly shutting their doors to in-person instruction. Distance learning dealt schools a wide range of challenges, and the shift from shared, cart-based, or even 1-to-1 devices to a […]
June 15, 2020 What a year it’s been! Like most districts, by now you’re probably looking at the end of the school year and planning (or already working on) that summer checklist to get ready for next year. And if you’re like most other districts we work with, Google Classroom has played an increased role […]
May 11, 2020 While recent events have thrust schools head first into distance learning, many are finding that they are struggling to adapt some of the most basic daily activities, like tracking whether or not students are participating. With students, teachers, and even devices now at home, the reliance on technology has never been greater. […]
In early March, with the assumption that schools might be closed in a few regional hotspots in the US, we quietly began offering a Little SIS web promotional license free through July 1st to districts with fewer than 40K students impacted by covid-19. Little did we know, the crisis would result in near-nationwide school closures, […]
March 11, 2020 Each year we discover more and more schools are turning to their Chromebook devices to administer state or provincial testing to students. While managed devices can certainly streamline the testing process, they can present a unique set of challenges as well. Below you’ll find 10 tips that can help your school prepare […]
Whether your district is new to Google Classroom or if you’re veteran power users, inevitably you may be plagued with the existence of student-owned classes on your domain. In fact, much like orphaned Google Classroom classes, most districts don’t know they have student-owned Google Classroom classes unless they become a problem. And like orphaned classes […]
*Cue the sound of Auld Lang Syne and popping corks resonating softly in the background* 2019 was a year of growth at Amplified Labs – we launched some visionary new products, learned new development techniques, gave the people what they wanted – live chat support! – and added three new people to the team. As […]
An often unanticipated result of user account deletion, orphaned classes in Google Classroom keep cropping in Google Workspace forums and support desks across the education ecosystem. Schools likely don’t know they have this problem until it becomes a larger issue. So what are orphaned classes, how can they be prevented, and how can you fix […]
So you’re going 1-to-1? With a new school year quickly approaching, I’ve been talking to a lot of people who are in the process of going 1-to-1 with Chromebooks, or are planning on doing so in the next year or two. In the conversation I always get asked, so what is it really like? I […]
As technology teams get ready for the new school year and the annual rollover of moving users move from one grade to the next, it is easy to keep doing things the way they’ve been done year after year. After all, if it’s working, why change it? One major argument for change is the fluidity […]
It’s never too soon to start thinking of ways to make your life easier this summer! If your district has been using Chromebooks for more than three years, you’ve probably gone through a device refresh already, and you know how daunting it can be. If not, and you’re preparing to do so for the first […]