How to Change Search Engines in Your Web Browser

Some installations of software unfortunately will install add-ons that we don't want, such as changing your search engine in your web browser.

In most cases, you can go change it back.

Here is how to do that for Chrome, Firefox and Safari:

Chrome:
In Chrome, go to the Chrome menu and choose Preferences.
Scroll down until you see Search and change your search engine in the selection box.
Close the preferences tab or window when done.

Firefox:

In Firefox, click on the Firefox menu and choose Preferences. Click on Search on the left side. Then select your search engine. Close the preferences tab or window when done.

Safari:

In Safari, click on the Safari menu and choose Preferences. Click on Search and select your search engine. Close the preferences window when done.

WeVideo Permissions Issues on Chromebooks

WeVideo will ask for permission to access the web cam and microphone. If a student clicks deny or block instead of allow, they won't be able to record video. It may give a message about not having permission.

To fix this issue, try these two steps:

1. In WeVideo, hold down alt and click on record and go to settings. Make sure allow is checked in all settings, click through the different options at the bottom.
2. Click on the video camera icon in the URL bar when in the wevideo site.
1. It should be selected to continue allowing…. if not, select that option.
2. Click on manage media settings and remove any that say block.

Android Tablet Shows Offline in Web Browser

Problem: When you go into a web browser on the tablet, it shows it is offline.

Solution: Wifi signal either was too low, or wifi may have been turned off.
Swipe down from the top right where the time and date are, to see the settings window. Tap on the wifi icon if it isn't showing up green. If it is green, tap it to shut it off, then tap again to turn it back on.

If it is green there and still not working, open the regular settings in the app switcher.

Go to wifi and see if it shows it's on. If off, slide it to on and see if it stays on and turns green.
If it goes green, go back and try web browser again.

If web browser still shows offline after all the above steps, shut down the tablet completely by holding down the power button, then choosing to shut down. Power it back on and see if the wifi icon is now showing in the top right of the screen. Test the web browser.

Allow YouTube Videos Longer Than 15 Minutes

How to set YouTube to let you record or upload videos longer than 15 minutes

The default settings allow you to upload or record videos up to 15 minutes long. If you need longer than that, you just need to change a setting.

Using the web browser
Go to YouTube.com, click on your profile picture at the top right, then click the gear by your name to go into the settings.

Click view additional features.

Next to longer videos, click enable.
It should now say you can upload videos longer than 15 minutes.

TIP: Collaborating in Google Docs - Using Suggestion Mode

Do you have students collaborating in Google Docs yet (multiple students working in one Google Doc)?

If so, you might want to teach them about Suggestion Mode. I didn't know about this but just saw this great article on Twitter.

http://www.alicekeeler.com/teachertech/2015/08/04/digital-citizenship-use-suggestion-mode-in-a-google-doc/

Instead of kids just overwriting someone elses work, they can truly collaborate and make suggestions on how things are worded then the author of that portion can determine if that's a change they want to make or not and they can discuss why.

This is also great for us adults as well.

Single Page in Chrome is Really Small

I have seen a few kids in the repair center today with this issue.

If they have a page in their Chrome browser, such as their Google search page, or even in Google Docs, Sheets or Slides that is very small on the screen, press Ctrl and + to zoom it back in. You will see at the top right of the screen the percentage it is on as you zoom in. Put it back to 100%.

Ctrl and - is zoom out.

Creating Filters to Prevent Messages from Going to Spam

In the video tutorial, I mention you can select multiple messages to create the filter with. If you do select multiple, they must be from the same sender, and it's better to just select one, as there is no need to select multiple.

Video Tutorial:  How to Whitelist an Address with a Filter