Technology Tips of the Week: New Look Google Calendar!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! I cannot believe it is 2018. Time flies! Recently Google launched a New Google Calendar interface. It is much like the current calendar, but has a few upgrades and a polished look!
You will see in the upper right side of calendar.google.com that is says “Use new Calendar”.
(Note: if you move to the new Calendar, you can always revert back to the old one if you do not like it)
One of the new features is being able to see your calendars side by side in Day View!
Here is tutorial to get you started!
Please add to the below list of technology tools (chrome extensions, websites, apps) that you are using with the freshman chromebooks. I hope to make a great resource for staff!
Technology Tips of the Week: YouTube - Channels, and
Playlists!
Winter break is almost here!
YouTube is a fabulous resource for your classes. There are features of YouTube that can help you organize and share video clips, follow relevant subjects, and keep your own screencasts and videos. When you are logged into YouTube you have your own “YouTube Channel” where you can upload your own videos, or collect and organize other people's, and share collected playlists to your students or colleagues!
Here is a tutorial to help you get started!
Make & find your playlists
Start with a video that you want in the playlist.
Under the video, click Add to.
Select Watch later, Faves or a playlist that you've already created, or click Create new playlist.
If you create a new playlist, enter a playlist name.
Use the drop-down box to select your playlist's privacy setting. If it's private, only you can view the playlist.
Click Create.
To find your playlists, go to the Guide and click Library.
Note: It's not currently possible to delete playlists in the new desktop experience. To edit or delete playlists:
Go to your channel page.
Select Edit layout.
You'll be taken to the old design to make changes.
Please add to the below list of technology tools (chrome extensions, websites, apps) that you are using with the freshman chromebooks. I hope to make a great resource for staff!
I know I have talked to a few teachers here at EHS about how to make a copy of Google Doc and also copy over the comments you have created to guide students. In the past, you needed to use a 3rd party app such as “Copy Comments” chrome extension. Recently, G Suite has updated Docs, Sheets, and Slides to be able to do this! Yay!
Why would you want to copy comments for students?
HERE is an example (created by Eric Curts, along with his article on this update) of how it can be used in a classroom for directions.
File- “Make a Copy”- then check “Copy
comments and suggestions”:
Sculptris- 3D Modeling Software that is free!
Sculptris is a free 3D Modeling software that is currently installed in Lab 2 in the EHS Library. I am currently researching how the files can be exported to use with the 3D printer! Recently, I gave Rachel Cote’s Ceramics class a tutorial on how to use the software to integrate technology into their content of form.
This is a Yoda I created on Sculptris
Here is a video tutorial I created as well! (You can also print out the Sculptris “Cheat Sheet” to guide you!)
Please add to the below list of technology tools (chrome extensions, websites, apps) that you are using with the freshman chromebooks. I hope to make a great resource for staff!
Plickers is a tool to collect formative assessment from your class WITHOUT students having to use any technology (only the teacher needs a device) and the students need the Plicker cards. The teacher will need an iPhone or iPad to collect the data using the app from the (hopefully a chromebook app will be coming soon- there is a Google Play app).
Did you know that Sandy Blanc has a set of 40 Plickers cards printed, laminated, and ready to go in her office (you can use them anytime!)? (You can also make your own set here!
Here is tutorial on how to set this up!
Please add to the below list of technology tools (chrome extensions, websites, apps) that you are using with the freshman chromebooks. I hope to make a great resource for staff!
Technology Tips of the Week: Voice over Google Slides using Screencastify Chrome Add-on
I have been seeing some great ideas from the staff for technology integration in the classroom! Recently, Jennifer Delorie created a project for her Spanish students using Google Slides and creating voice overs as video files to insert on each slide.
Currently, Google Slides does not have a voice over option, so there have been a variety of ways to go around this omission. I have seen screencasting (recording the computer screen with voice over) for the whole presentation as one method. I have not seen the way Jennifer delivered it to her Spanish classes before.
Here is tutorial I created for how to do this!
I created this tutorial as a way to remember what we needed to adjust to make the Google Slides able to be seen and heard by any viewer. I also wanted to share to the staff this creative way to make a Google Slide presentation.
For each slide, record your voice on the slide using Screencastify.
When finished all the recordings, go to Google Drive and find the Screencastify folder. Change the permissions for the whole folder from private to “anyone with the link- can view”
Go back into Google Slides to insert the video clip. Insert- Video- Drive- Screencastify folder- find the file.
Shrink the video file box to a small icon size.
Be sure the Google Slideshow permissions are also set correctly.
Please add to the below list of technology tools (chrome extensions, websites, apps) that you are using with the freshman chromebooks. I hope to make a great resource for staff!
Technology Tips of the Week: Google Doc Add-on “Reader” and Freshman Chromebook Share of Ed Tech Tools
I have been discussing assistive technology tools this week with various staff members. In a search for a free speech to text tool, I came across the Google Docs Extension, called “Reader”. Reader is used ONLY in Google Docs, but it is free and it works pretty good!
To the add-on:
From Google Docs- Choose “Add-ons” at the top of the page.
At the bottom of the Add-ons tab, choose “Get Add-ons”
Search for “Reader” in the Get Add-on tab and the first listing is the one you add!
Here is short video tutorial- (NOTE: the reader voice was not able to be recorded but it works...I promise!)
Got Freshman? What Apps/Ext./Websites do you use with them on their Chromebooks?
The freshman chromebooks have limitations as to what can currently be added for Chrome extensions, etc. That is because they are filtered at school AND at home using filter that is different from our everyday filter. We have not smoothed out all of the filter settings yet. I know it can be frustrating as a teacher to want to do something with technology only to find out it is blocked! I have put together the below Google Sheet for you to add to it what the freshman are using for educational technology in your classroom! We can share and then you will know what you can use! Please CLICK HERE to add your input!
We recently sent out a survey to parents pertaining to the freshman 1:1 rollout. Multiple parents expressed that they would like to see paperless classrooms so they did not have to print their child's work at home. The chromebooks right now are difficult to connect for printing because we have limited access to chrome extensions (they can request to add them). Many printers have various extensions, etc. so students with the freshman chromebooks really cannot print from them at home. With all of the printing issues we have experienced this year, I thought it would be a great time to talk about a paperless classroom!
How can I go paperless anyway?? G Suite (Google Apps for Education) is an awesome way to go paperless!
Here is an overview of G Suite Applications.
Google Classroom! - Create an assignment (make a “Copy” for each student), students “turn in” the assignment electronically, you can comment and grade, and “Return Work” to them… all without paper!
Forms- Create paperless class forms, surveys, class voting, formative check-ins, follow up quiz to flipped lessons, and many more!
THIS IS AN AWESOME ARTICLE FULL OF IDEAS ON DISTRIBUTING CONTENT, COLLECTING WORK, DELIVERING INFORMATION, READING OR ANNOTATING TEXT, SHARING DOCUMENTS, EXIT TICKETING, AND COLLECTING FEEDBACK IN YOUR PAPERLESS CLASSROOM!
Technology Tips of the Week: Kami Chrome Extension (free version)
I have talked to a few teachers who were looking for a way to send a .PDF to students in Google Classroom and have the ability for them to complete the .PDF and pass it back in. Initially, I thought of using Adobe Acrobat Pro, but it would require everyone have this program. After some Googling online, I found Kami. Kami is a free, .pdf annotator that can also be used to highlight text, add text, or draw over a .pdf.
Here a few things to know if you add the chrome extension…
Click HERE to see KAMI in the Chrome Web Store. Please watch the tutorial on installing the extension. When you add Kami, I would suggest to go into the Options Settings and UNCHECK that it opens all .pdfs automatically.
There is a 14-day “free trial” that allows for integration with Google Classroom in a streamlined way. See here.
If you want to use the FREE version with Google Classroom, there are a few steps you need to take.
Kami was recently pushed out to the Freshman Chromebooks! I hope to see how we can integrate this tool more in class!
I use Screencast-O-Matic to create screencasts. However, there are many other ways! You can use the "Light Board" in the Broadcasting room if you like to handwrite your content. You can also use Explain Everything (on a touchscreen chromebook or iPad). You could also simply record yourself teaching using your smartphone camera to record!
