If not, don't worry. There's an app for that!

You're probably familiar with barcodes. They've been around in one form or another since 1948 - found on everything from books to breakfast cereal boxes. The UPC (Universal Product Code) to the left, when read by a scanner translates to "987654321098", which can then be used to identify or track a product. While UPC codes can be found just about everywhere and are used for anything, one place they haven't been used is in the classroom.

You might have also seen these new barcodes, called QR or Quick Response codes. They're the most popular barcode in Japan and are gaining popularity all over the world! The main reason is that rather than translating to simple a tracking number, QR codes contain much richer information, like web addresses and more. That's one reason you'll see them more and more here in the US on packaging materials, in magazine articles and on marketing information...and even in the classroom!

Check out these examples and let me know if you want some assistance in using QR codes in your classroom.

• 36 Interesting Ways to Use QR Codes to Support Learning
• Tell a Story with QR Codes
• How to Use QR Codes in Student Projects
• Using QR Codes in Homework
• In the Library: QR Codes Connect Students to Books
• QR Code Projects
• QR Code Implementation Guide

Teachers here in Wayne-Westland are no strangers to video conferencing. The Lecture Hall at the William D. Ford Career-Technical Center has hosted students engaged in these two-way, interactive audio-video sessions for nearly 10 years! In these sessions, our students have participated in face-to-face exchanges with researchers, authors, experts and other students in different geographic locations across our state and country, using cameras, projectors, and other technologies. In the past couple of years, with support from Wayne RESA, we have been able to take these conferences to the classroom, rather than transport the classes to the Lecture Hall.

Michigan Online Resources for Educators (M.O.R.E.) first began in 2008, as an alliance between the Michigan Department of Education and Wayne State University, designed to provide curricular-based resources aligned to the Michigan Content Expectations. Teachers can use M.O.R.E. to find quality online resources to use in and out of the classroom, such as lesson plans, interactive games, and other educational web sites aligned to and searchable by the Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations and High School Content Expectations. To learn more about M.O.R.E., check out this video.

Some other interesting password analogies I've heard include, "Passwords are like bubble gum; they are better when fresh," meaning that they should be changed every 90-365 days. Another favorite is, "Passwords are like underwear. You shouldn’t leave them out where people can see them. You should change them regularly. And you shouldn’t loan them out to strangers." I think you get the picture, right? Passwords are important and should be treated as such.

When selecting a password, we recommend you test it on Microsoft's Password Checker to make sure it's a strong one. The strength of a password is a function of length, complexity, and unpredictability. If your password is 8-characters long and has a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols, chances are pretty good that it will be strong and your information that it protects (like your GradeBook or email account) will be safe.

A little over a year ago, hackers took advantage of a vulnerability in the website of the online gaming service RockYou, which exposed the passwords of 32 million users. In an analysis of the passwords, Information Security specialists have reported what is now refereed to as the 10 worst passwords used on the Internet. Hopefully nothing here looks familiar to you:

1. 123456

2. 12345

3. 123456789

4. Password

5. iloveyou

6. princess

7. rockyou

8. 1234567

9. 12345678

10. abc123

If you would like to change any of your Wayne-Westland passwords and need help, please don't hesitate to call us at 419-2077.