Wednesday, December 30, 2020

ASA Tech Tips and News for December 31, 2020


I don't think anyone is sorry to see the year 2020 in the rearview mirror. Although for most of us nothing will change right away in 2021, there is at least the hope of an eventual improvement in the pandemic restrictions with the rollout of several vaccines. In spite of the of all the unpleasant side affects, such as online learning, closed restaurants, small holiday gatherings, and cancelled weddings, we have definitely learned we are quick learners and very adaptable. As our environment changed, we rolled with it. As the way we teach our students changed, we made adjustments. I would also like to think many teachers learned they CAN tackle technology! It doesn't have to be perfect (it very rarely is) but we can adapt! Continue learning and adapting in 2021. We've got this!


How to Delete and Recover Deleted Emails in Gmail

How to Delete and Recover Deleted Emails in Gmail, from How-To Geek by Marshall Gunnell
Clear the clutter and find those missing messages.

The Easiest Way to Find Your Google Meet Rooms

An easy solution when you have more than one Meet per day. 

Create a Random Name Picker with Google Sheets



Create a Progress Tracker with Google Forms and Sheets Pivot Tables



How to Create Crossword Puzzles with Google Sheets




25+ Amazing Educational Virtual Field Trips

25+ Amazing Educational Virtual Field Trips, from We Are Teachers by Kimmie Fink
Visit space, museums, aquariums, zoos, planetariums, landmarks, planets and more! No passports, buses or permission forms needed.

Friday, December 18, 2020

ASA Tech Tips and News for December 18, 2020

Here we are, it's finally Christmas break. I hope you can find some "calm" during the next two weeks! No Google Meets, no sending materials home to quarantining students, no packing up chromebooks and cords then collecting them again, and no tracking down work completed at home...in addition to keeping your in-person students engaged and learning. Teachers are rock stars this year, give yourself a much deserved pat on the back and some rest. I wish you a merry Christmas and a healthy new year!

Your Password Isn't as Strong as You Think It is

Your Password Isn't as Strong as You Think It Is, from Free Technology for Teachers, by Richard Byrne
Important food for thought - including a video about how easy it is to crack your password. 

G Suite/Google Workspace updates

Both Portrait and Landscape Orientations Now Possible in a Google Doc

We will be able to have a single Google Doc contain pages that are portrait AND landscape. We will also be able to import Microsoft Word files that have both orientations in a single file. This feature should be available by January 5th. More info is available here. Specific How-To info can be found here.

Open Microsoft Office Attachments From Gmail in Google Docs, Sheets or Slides

It will now be easier to open, view and edit Microsoft Office files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) files from Gmail with just one click. There will be an edit icon that will allow you to open Office files directly in Google Docs, Sheets or Slides. You'll also be able to reply to the email from within the file. You should see this new feature between now and Christmas. Read more here

How to Clear Chrome Browsing Data With a Keyboard Shortcut

Whenever you are having issues with web pages displaying correctly or loading properly, my first advice is usually to clear your history, cookies and cache. Here's a quick keyboard command to accomplish that!

How to Move Desktop Files and Folders Into Google Drive

How to Move Desktop Files and Folders Into Google Drive, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
If you are storing files on your laptop, but not backing them up, you will lose them at some point. You also can only access them from that laptop. Move them to Drive so they're available from any device you own or use.

How to find "Lost" Items in Google Drive

How to find "Lost" Items in Google Drive, from Free Technology for Teachers, by Richard Byrne
If folders aren't your thing, or you haven't had time to organize your files in Drive, it can be a challenge to find your files. The search tools will be your new best friend.

Ten Google Meet Features for Teachers - Fall 2020 Update




Twelve Free Apps for Math Instruction

Twelve Free Apps for Math Instruction, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
These apps are available on iOS, Android and Chrome. 

Friday, December 11, 2020

ASA Tech Tips and News for December 11, 2020

Courtesy of Pixabay
So many new Google Meet features have been released. Google has clearly committed to making this a better tool for education. Just remember to keep using those nicknames when creating Meets, and don't set up Meets with students in Calendar. With such promising news of a COVID-19 vaccine about to be approved, hopefully this will be the last school year where we are doing so much quarantining and remote learning. The skills we've learned in the last nine months can only improve our digital skills in everything we do. 

G Suite/Workspace Updates

Google Assignments:  Improved Originality Reports to Better Detect Plaigiarism

Google Assignments is available through Canvas, and better able to detect potential plagiarism in student work by recognizing symbols. Read the details here

Comments:  New Interface in All Apps

The comment interface in Drive, Docs, Sheets and Slides has been updated. The interface is larger and clearer, and it's easier to reference a name and reply across all devices. Here are full details

Google Docs:  Improvements When Importing PDFs

Now when you import PDFs as Google Docs, images and text wrapping will be preserved, as well as tet styles and formatting, support for columns, tables with borders, custom page sizes and improved ordered lists. Read all about it.

Google Meet:  Accept Knocks in Bulk

This update should arrive by the end of November. The Meeting organizer will be able see a list of all those asking to join the Meet, and admit them all at once. Full details and screenshots can be found here

Google Meet:  Virtually Raise Your Hand

No add-ons necessary any more to raise your hand during a Google Meet. This option appears along the bottom bar during a meeting. When a participant raises their hand, the moderator will hear a sound and see all raised hands in the order they were raised. Here are all the details

Google Meet:  Additional Features for Breakout Rooms

Breakout room participants can now ask for help, and the moderator will see those requests. The moderator can now also set a timer/countdown that room participants can see. At the end of the countdown, room participants are prompted to return to the main session. Read more here

How To Create a New Folder in Gmail

How To Create a New Folder in Gmail, from How-To Geek by Marshall Gunnell
It's so hard to keep track of those messages you need to reference later. Easiest solution? Create folders to organize them. 


How to Share Videos Through Google Drive




How to Use Virtual Backgrounds in Google Meet

How to Use Virtual Backgrounds in Google Meet, from How-To Geek by Joe Fedewa
Need to hide your background during a Google Meet? Change the background! Right now this is only working on the web, not with mobile devices. 

Ten Google Meet Features for Teachers - Fall 2020 Update




Three Ways to Conduct Polls in Google Slides

Three Ways to Conduct Polls in Google Slides, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Sometimes you just need to quickly find out how your students are feeling about a particular topic. Poll Everywhere, Slido, and the Slides Q&A function will all get the job done. 

How to Create Videos on a Chromebook - No Extensions or Apps Required



Friday, October 30, 2020

Tech Tips and News for October 30, 2020

 


We've already reached the end of Daylight Saving time. Sadly, next week it will be dark by 5:30pm, however we do at least get an extra hour of sleep Saturday night.  Also coming to an end will be the endless stream of political ads. We may not know who the President will be for the next four years by next week, but at least the ads, robo calls and texts will be done. So will the voting reminders - I'm sure you've had enough of those, so I won't remind you again here. There are some timely videos, explaining both Daylight Saving time and the Electoral College, included in this post. There is also the usual collection of G Suite updates - including the long awaited ability to change your background in Google Meet. Soon, the holidays will be upon us, and with the holidays come an increase in scams. Be sure to check out the latest phishing scam making the rounds looking like communication from Amazon. Stay safe and healthy this Halloween weekend and keep wearing those masks!


PSA:  Watch Out for this New Amazon Email Phishing Scam

If only scammers would use their talents for good! They are getting very good at creating more realistic phishing emails that can occasionally make it past Google's spam filters. The latest makes it look like Amazon is having trouble authorizing a purchase and asks you to enter your billing info. Here's a good rule of thumb for all email messages:  Never click on links in the email. Always go directly to the website and check orders, bank info, shipping tracking, etc. on the business's legitimate website. Always mark suspicious emails as Spam in Google. 

G Suite/Google Workspace Updates

Grant Access to Files Directly From Gmail

Forgot to share that file before sending the link to someone? Now when you get an email requesting access to a file, you won't need to leave Gmail to grant access. You'll be able to choose the level of access (edit, view, comment) right in the message and share it. Here is the blog post with the details and demonstration. You should see this feature by November 5th.

Google Meet:  Replace Your Background

This update should be rolling out in mid November. You can use Google's images, which include office space, landscapes and abstract backgrounds, or you can upload your own image. You will see this setting in the three dots at the bottom right, then select Change Background. Here are all the details with screenshots

Google Drive:  Office Files Now Open in Editing Mode

It used to be when you opened a Microsoft Office file in Drive it would open as a preview. Now it will open in editing mode. This means you'll be able to open it and immediately start making changes to it. If you aren't already seeing this behavior, you'll see it in the next two weeks. Read about it here

Time to Fall Back - Short Lessons About Daylight Saving Time and Time Zones

Time to Fall Back - Short Lessons About Daylight Saving Time and Time Zones, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
There are about six different videos in this post about Daylight Saving Time and synchronizing time across the globe. 

Five Last Minute Resources for Teaching About the Electoral College

Five Last Minute Resources for Teaching About the Electoral College, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
There are five different videos explaining the Electoral College, either for you and/or your students. 

Best Digital Ice-Breakers

Best Digital Ice-Breakers, by Tech & Learning
Need an ice-breaker for those virtual meetings, or remote class sessions? 

Top 10 Free Sites for Creating Digital Art

These range from simple enough for preschoolers, to sophisticated enough for high schoolers. 

Friday, October 23, 2020

ASA Tech Tips and News for October 23, 2020

For all the craziness the year 2020 has brought, the weather has certainly been the best part. Summer was warm and sunny with just enough rain. Now Autumn has become a technicolor delight. I don't remember seeing such vibrant colors in many years. I hope you take the time to drive around and enjoy God's beautiful palette. Speaking of changes, there aren't quite as many G Suite/Google Workspace updates this time. The most notable ones will be the ability to check permissions when you share Google Slides, and being able to check for plagiarism and originality in Google Docs from Canvas Assignments. As  the Presidential election looms ever closer, you may want to share with your students how to think like a fact-checker. Finally for comedy relief, see what would happen if the Presidential debates were run with classroom rules. I'm sure they'd be much more successful!

Why iPhone Apps Ask for "Devices on Your Local Network"

This update came with iOS 14. Find out what it means and how you should answer it. 

How to Change Your Home Page in Google Chrome

How to Change Your Home Page in Google Chrome, from How-To Geek by Benj Edwards
Instead of the Google home page, maybe you'd prefer it open Infinite Campus or Canvas? Find out how to customize it for the way you work. 

G Suite Updates:

Google Slides:  Access Checker in Slides Now Checks Permissions When You Share

If you insert a video or audio file in your Slide, Google will automatically check if the users you shared it with have access to it. This update should arrive by mid-November. Here are the details

Google Docs:  Mention a User Directly Within a Google Doc

Now you can mention another user within a Google Doc, like you can in comments by using the @ and starting to type their name. Mentioning them in a doc will not send them a message, though. You also will get a notice if you add someone who doesn't have access to the doc. It will allow any readers of the doc to hover over the user's link and get more info about them. Read more here. This feature should be available by the end of October. 

Smart Fill Helps Automate Entry in Google Sheets

When entering data in Google Sheets, Smart Fill will detect patterns and suggest a formula to fill the entire column of data. You should see this update roll out by November 5th. See a demonstration here

New Default Video Playback Option in Google Slides

Now when you are presenting in Google Slides a video in the slide will start playing when you click to advance the slide. You can change this option if you wish, by setting it to play automatically when you advance to the slide, or manually when you click on the video itself. Read all about it.

Check for Plagiarism with Google Originality Reports in Canvas Assignments

Concerned that students have copied from each other or plagiarized in their work? Originality Reports works with Assignments in Canvas.


The Easiest Way to Use Jamboard in Google Meet

Bring your interactive whiteboard to the Meet. 


Two Helpful but Overlooked Features of Google Meet

Tutorial for blurring your background, now that we have this feature, and disabling chat and screen share for your students. 



Edu in 90:  Explore in Google Slides




How to Create Your Own Online Boardgame

How to Create Your Own Online Boardgame, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Flippity to the rescue again. Using Google Sheets and a Flippity template you can create a customizable online board.

How to Think Like a Fact-Checker

We should never take as fact anything we see online, and especially not on social media. We also need to teach our students to do the same. 

New Presidential Debate Procedures

In case you missed this video from "erducator" Gerry Brooks...when classroom rules meet the Presidential Debate.


Friday, October 9, 2020

Tech Tips and News for October 2, 2020


Now that I'm starting to feel like the beginning of the school year is sort of under control, or as "under control" as 2020 can be, it's time to catch up on the tech blog. Most of the articles this week are G Suite updates from the past couple of months, as I'm catching up on new features that were introduced. While we were busy getting a very different school year started, Google was busy rolling out lots of new features. You'll notice many of them are for Google Meet. With so many schools still learning virtually, there's a big demand for full features and student security. We have recently switched to G Suite Enterprise, so we will have FULL Meet features, such as recording Meets and Break Out Rooms. I would suggest Teachers practice with Google Meet, and familiarize yourself with the new features as a Meet host. Just like last March, we may have very little, if any, warning before we might need to transition to remote learning school-wide. It's good to be prepared. I'll roll out a new instructional video very soon with the new features!


8 Ways to Make Your Mac Boot Faster

8 Ways to Make Your Mac Boot Faster, from How-To Geek by Tim Brookes
Is your Mac slowing down and taking longer to start up? Find out how to speed it up.

G Suite Updates

Google Contacts:  New Trash Feature

Trash has been added to Google Contacts. What does that mean? Now when you delete a contact, it will go into trash, where it will sit for 30 days before it is deleted. This gives you a month to rescue accidentally deleted contacts. This update arrived in early August.

Google Docs:  Easily Add and Manage Citations

You will no longer need an add-on or extension to insert citations into academic papers. By using the Citations feature (in the Tools menu), you can insert in-text citations and create a bibliography in the MLA, APA, or Chicago styles. If you are not already seeing this, it should appear by mid-October. 

Google Drive:  Trash Items Will Automatically Delete After 30 Days

Beginning October 13th, any files in the Trash folder will automatically be deleted after 30 days. Previously, it stayed there until the user emptied the trash. Clearly, we're not doing a good enough job of taking out the trash, so Google will do it for us. 

Google Meet:  New Digital Whiteboard Integration

Meet now integrates with Jamboard to offer a digital whiteboard to collaborate with other Meet participants. Those using Meet on a computer or chromebook will easily be able to collaborate. Attendees using a mobile device will be prompted to use the Jamboard app. Full instructions for using a whiteboard in Google Meet can be found here

Google Meet:  Increase Engagement with Q&A and Polls

These features will roll out after October 8. Q&A will allow attendees to ask questions and get answers without disrupting the flow of the Meet by separating them out from the chat. Questions can be upvoted by attendees, so the most common questions will stand out. Polls allow you to quickly get real-time feedback from the attendees. Full details, including links to help screens can be found here
The feature was expected to become available last week, but it has been delayed due to performance issues. When it does rollout, meeting organizers will receive an attendance report via email once the Meet is over. The attendance report will be available for Meets with between 5 and 250 participants. The report will include the participant's name, email, the length of time they attended, as well as join and exit times. 

Google Meet:  See Up To 49 People

You can now remove your Google Meet GridView extension in Chrome! During September Google Meet added the feature to see up to 49 people, including yourself, at once with both the Auto and Tiled layout options. How do you turn it on? During a Meet, click on the 3 dots in the bottom right, select Change Layout, and choose either Auto or Tiled. At the bottom of the Change Layout window, you'll see a slider bar for the number of tiles you wish to see at once. To add yourself to the tile view, hover over your thumbnail in the upper right corner of the Meet window, and you'll see a grid option to add or remove yourself from the grid. Here are the complete details. Note:  I have removed the Google Meet Grid View extension from student accounts, please show them how to use the tile and auto views. I'll create a new Meet video tutorial for students too.

Google Meet:  Blur Your Background

This feature was supposed to become available in September, although I'm not seeing it yet. Didn't have time to tidy up before your meeting? No Problem! Just blur your background. The feature is off by default, so you'll need to turn it on to use it. You'll access it through the three dots in the bottom right. You can read all about it here. Hopefully we'll be seeing it soon. 

Google Meet:  Quick Access to Manage Who Can Access Meetings

Meeting hosts now have more control over who can access meetings. Meets are now limited to within the ASA or DOGR domains, or anyone with a Google account. In addition to that by using Quick Access. This feature is on by default, and will allow participants in the same domain (asagr.org or dogrschools.org) to enter the meeting with out "knocking" or requesting access to the Meet. Any participants outside the domain will need to be allowed to enter the Meet. Any participants without a Google account will be prompted to login to a Google account. Google accounts include any Gmail or G Suite account. Access full instructions here.

Google Meet:  Manage Who Can Share Their Screen

Meet hosts and creators can now control who in the Meet can present their screen by turning the "share their screen" feature on or off. When it is off, only the host can share their screen. When it is on, anyone can share their screen. This feature is on by default. This feature can easily be found by clicking on the blue shield with the lock next to Meeting Details at the bottom of the screen. Screenshots, instructions and details can be found here

Google Meet:  Block Participants from Knocking Again

Knocking is when someone sends a request to join a Meet. If the Meet organizer denies a request twice, they will be prevented from sending more requests. In addition, if the organizer ejects a participant, they will not be able to rejoin, or ask to rejoin. If the teacher accidentally ejects a participant, he or she can add them back by using the Add Person button in the People panel. Here are all the details and instructions

Google Meet:  Cast Google Meet to Your TV

With a Chromecast device, you can easily cast your Google Meet to your TV. Just make sure both the Chrome browser and the Chromecast device are up to date. Find out more here

G Suite now Google Workspace

Just when you got used to calling it G Suite instead of Google Apps, sometime in October, G Suite will become Google Workspace. Hey, it's 2020, we can roll with any changes now, can't we?

How to Make Text Bigger or Smaller in Google Chrome

How to Make Text Bigger or Smaller in Google Chrome, from How-To Geek by Benj Edwards
Have you ever encountered websites with too small text? Chrome has a wonderful zoom option to allow you to make it bigger, and easier to read.

What is a Bitmoji Classroom and How Can I Build One?

Image Credit:  Pinterest
Image Credit:  Pinterest


What is a Bitmoji Classroom and How Can I Build One?, from Tech & Learning by Luke Edwards
Mary Klaasen and Nicole Stoner have used these with students. They are a very engaging and interactive way to organize lessons for your students. 


Thursday, July 16, 2020

Tech Tips and News for July 17, 2020

We Are Teachers
Although we are still in the middle of summer, I'm sure many of you are already thinking about what will happen next school year? Of course, all that is still getting figured out, so we need to be ready for any eventuality, including the possibility of quickly pivoting from in-person instruction to remote learning, or possibly needing to do both simultaneously. There are so many resources available, and you still have plenty of time to try some new things out or refine the familiar, with your new-found background in remote learning from last Spring. Google Meet is getting some new features that were developed with education in mind. Maybe consider the need to record lessons by familiarizing yourself with the video camera on your phone, using Canvas Studio, or Loom, or any other screencasting solution, and figuring out now how to upload it with Canvas or Drive. Teachers are some of the most creative and innovative professionals, so I'm sure you will make any eventuality work with your teaching style. You can always reach out for help as well, I'm happy to work through a process with you. Be sure to check out the school reopening memes at the end of the blog - when we can do anything else, we might as well laugh.


What's Inside Your Computer - Three Introductory Lessons from TED-Ed

What's Inside Your Computer - Three Introductory Lessons from TED-Ed, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Do you feel like technology is a mystery? Well here's a chance to understand a little more about how computers work. As with any other tool you use on a daily basis, it's helpful to have a basic understanding of how they work to use them properly or purchase new technology with knowledge.

How the New App Library Works on iPhone

How the New App Library Works on iPhone, from How-To Geek by Khamosh Pathak
When your iPhone updates to iOS 14, it will roll out with the App Library. Here's how it works.

How to Make Google Auto-Delete Your Web and Location History

How to Make Google Auto-Delete Your Web and Location History, from How-To Geek by Chris Hoffman
Google has recently started deleting your web and location history after 18 months, but only for new users. Existing users will need to manually turn this on.

G Suite Updates:  

Anonymous Users Blocked from Google Meet by Default

Many teachers have struggled with students or other users outside their schools trying to join a class Google Meet. Even if the teacher doesn't let them in, their continuous join requests are a huge distraction for the teacher and the flow of the class. To combat this Google Meet for education accounts will be automatically set to not allow users outside the school domain to join the Meet. They won't even be able to request to join. This means, for younger students, if the parents are joining the Meet, they will need to do so through the child's student account.

Improved Google Calendar Event Creation on the Web

Google has added settings to the initial event setup pop-up window. You will no longer need to click More Tools to grant guest permissions, add attachments, choose an event color, customize notifications, and set how an event is viewed. Full details with instructions can be found here

EDU in 90:  Time Saving G Suite Tips



EDU in 90:  More Time Saving G Suite Tips

The first few tips are for Classroom, but there are more useful tips after those.


8 Tips and Tricks to Speed Up Gmail

8 Tips and Tricks to Speed Up Gmail, from How-To Geek by Howard Wen
Does Gmail seem to take a long time to load after each message? Try these tips to speed it back up.

7 New Google Meet Features for Teachers

7 New Google Meet Features for Teachers, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
These new features will be coming soon to Google Meet for G Suite for Education users. They will be so helpful for teachers if we need to return to remote learning at some point next school year. They include the ability to mute all participants, a hand raising function, teacher ability to end the meeting and prevent students from rejoining, after ejecting a participant they will not be able to automatically rejoin and their requests to rejoin are limited, an integrated whiteboard, and the ability to change the background. This will eliminate the need for several Chrome extension that we use for Meet.

How to Use Loom to Make a Whiteboard Video

How to Use Loom to Make a Whiteboard Video, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Loom is free and works from any device. It's also an easy screencast service to use. Jamboard is built in to G Suite for Education, and works interactively like all other Google apps.

20 Add-ons and Extensions to Supercharge Your Google Slides Presentations

20 Add-ons and Extensions to Supercharge Your Google Slides Presentations, from Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller
Looking for icons? They have millions. Want to make your slide deck interactive? It's there! Need flashcards? You can do that too! So many more, as well.

11 Accurate Teacher Memes About School Reopening This Fall

11 Accurate Teacher Memes About School Reopening This Fall, from We Are Teachers by Nikki Katz
When we can do nothing else, we can always laugh.

Thursday, July 2, 2020

Tech Tips & News For July 3, 2020

flickr.com
Doesn't it seem as if the last school year just ended, and here we are halfway through summer already! As you relax and enjoy the holiday weekend, yet unable to sleep due to the constant fireworks, here are some tech tips and news to help you out. There are several for the care and feeding of your laptop or desktop computer, and also numerous Google updates. A couple of the updates will need your intervention. In addition, take a moment to look at why it's so important to protect children's personal information, and teach them to do the same. Children are attractive targets to those who specialize in identity theft. Enjoy the holiday and drink in the warm, sunny weather.





It's Important to Run Windows Updates Regularl

Windows pushes out security updates once each month. Big feature updates are pushed out twice each year, in the fall and spring. It is important to run all updates when they are available to keep your laptop updated and secure. Windows is doing a better job of not making updates available to devices that may experience issues with them. How do you know when updates are ready? You'll see an icon in the lower right section of the taskbar that runs along the bottom of your desktop. It looks like a rectangle with an orange dot on it. (See image above.) Windows will automatically restart your laptop during your off hours, as long as you leave your Windows device on, or you can click on that icon and tap/click the Restart Now button. What happens if you ignore the update restart prompt? After several days of seeing the prompt and not restarting, you'll begin to have trouble printing or connecting to WiFi to prompt you to restart.

How to Quickly Show Your Desktop on Windows 10

How to Quickly Show Your Desktop on Windows 10, from How-To Geek by Benj Edwards
When you find yourself busily working along with many tabs and windows open, and suddenly to access a shortcut on your desktop, what do you do? Well there's a handy shortcut that's MUCH faster than closing all the windows you have open.

10 Awesome Windows 10 Desktop Tips and Tricks

10 Awesome Windows 10 Desktop Tips and Tricks, from How-To Geek by Benj Edwards
Some of these tips are a little silly, such as turning your desktop into a meadow, or creating invisible folders. Others are much more helpful, such as grouping your desktop icons, changing the size of your icons, or syncing to a Mac.


What To Do If You Spilled Water or Coffee On Your Laptop

What To Do If You Spilled Water or Coffee On Your Laptop, from How-To Geek by Tim Brookes
The best way to try to save that laptop!

Why K-12 Students Need to Be Taught to Guard Their Data Online

Why K-12 Students Need to Be Taught to Guard Their Data Online, from Ed Tech by Shailaja Neelakantan
Who would ever be interested in student data? Well, it turns out pristine social security numbers, birth dates, names, etc., are VERY lucrative to those who market stolen identities. It's imperative we teach students to be protective of their personal information. It's bad enough for adults to have their identities stolen, it's even worse for a young adult to apply for credit for the first time, only to find their credit history has been abused for years.

G Suite Updates:  

Strengthening 2-Step Verification With Phone Prompts

Currently if you've turned on 2-factor verification, unless you use a security key, when you login to your Google account you'll receive a text on your smartphone to confirm it's really you. To make this more secure, in early July Google will make this process more secure by sending a phone prompt instead of a text. Here's how it will work:  after you sign in to your Google account, Google will send a "Trying to sign in?' prompt on eligible mobile phones. This prompt will tell you when and where your password was entered. You just simply tap the appropriate response on your phone. Here are all the details.

Update Your G Suite Apps on Desktop, Android and iOS by August 12

If you use G Suite for Education apps on Android or iOS, or the Drive File Stream on your desktop, be sure to update the apps by August 12 or they will stop working. Full details can be found here.

Filter Out Disruptive Noise in Google Meet


Google Meet now can filter out background noises on the desktop version. The feature will be added to Meet on mobile devices in the coming months. This new feature is not on by default, you will need to turn in on in Meet settings. I don't yet see this setting, but it should be available within the next week or so. Read all about it here.


How to Create an Approved Senders List in Gmail

How to Create an Approved Senders List in Gmail, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
If you'd like to be proactive about receiving certain emails, and not have to go find them in the spam folder and then mark them as "not spam", you can easily create a filter.

Sharing vs. Publishing Google Docs

You can either share a doc, and give someone else the ability to just view, view and comment or edit it, or you can publish it to the web. Publishing the doc to the web is an alternative to creating a static PDF. Anyone with any device can view it, but not make changes. Best of all, you can continue to update the doc after it's been published.


Five Overlooked Features of Google Forms Quizzes

Five Overlooked Features of Google Forms Quizzes, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
These are great tips for customizing your quizzes, such as point values, defining the format or length of an answer, shuffling the order of questions and even answers, and more.

How to Use Pictures in Google Forms

How to Use Pictures in Google Forms, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
If you prefer giving tests and quizzes in Google Forms as opposed to the Quiz feature in Canvas, here are good instructions for embedding photos into your questions. This method will allow you to still be able to shuffle questions, and the photos will stay with the appropriate questions.

5 Ways to Support Parents During Remote Learning

5 Ways to Support Parents During Remote Learning, from Tech & Learning by Carl Hooker
We learned so much during three months of remote learning, so have other teachers. For remote learning to really work, it's just as important to consider it from a parent's perspective.

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Tech Tips and News for June 19, 2020

Pixabay.com
<sigh> Of course, with any new disaster, comes new scams. This pandemic is no different. There has been a marked increase in COVID-19-related email phishing scams. Now that there is more testing for Corona virus, scammers have graduated to contact tracing text message scams. Contact tracing is important for understanding the spread of illness. Please take a moment to read about how to tell the difference between a legitimate contact tracing text message and a scam message. On another safety subject, please also take a minute to read the post about free education apps. Not all free apps are safe to use with children, nor do they comply with children's online safety and privacy. Find out how to tell if the one you want to use is OK to use with your students.




Watch for COVID-19 Contact Tracing Text Message Scams

Watch for COVID-19 Contact Tracing Text Message Scams, from Rehman
Contact tracing is how the Health Department tracks the spread of disease by finding out who has been in contact with an infected person. Of course, scammers are taking advantage of this legitimate process. A true text from the Health Department will only inform you of the contact with an infected person and advise you to quarantine. It will NOT contain a link for you to click. Please read this article for all the ways you can identify and protect yourself from these scams.

6 Tips to Ensure Free Education Apps Are Safe

6 Tips to Ensure Free Education Apps Are Safe, from Tech & Learning by Carl Hooker
Many free apps for students do not comply with laws designed to protect children and their personal information. Any app or site you wish to use with your students must comply with FERPA, CIPA and COPPA laws. Tip number 4 in this article, really should be tip number 1 - if an app or site doesn't comply with children's protection and privacy laws there's no need to proceed to the other steps. Another good resource for vetting a children's app or site is commonsensemedia.org.

G Suite Updates:  

Google Docs Assistive Writing Features Coming to G Suite for Education

Smart Compose and Autocorrect will be added to Google Docs for education this by the end of June. At this time the user (meaning the students) will be able to turn this on or off, but there is no way to turn it off for all students at the administrative level. While this is a very helpful feature, it may interfere with the ability for teachers to assess a student's actual grammar comprehension. We are told there will be administrator controls by the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year. Read full details here.

New Document Save Status and Offline Indicator


In Docs, Sheets and Slides files, take a look at the icons next to the title. There is now a new one that indicates the file has been saved to drive, and if the file is available for offline editing. It's also a good way to check if you are online. The message will say Saved to Drive if you are online, and Saved to Device if you are offline. This is also a handy shortcut to making a document available for offline editing. By clicking on the icon, you can turn on/off offline editing.  Full details and demonstrations are available here.

Edit Calendar Events Directly from Gmail and Docs


In Gmail and Docs, the Calendar app icon has been added to the task bar on the right, allowing you to edit calendar events without the need to switch over to Calendar. You can also use the find a time feature in Calendar from that side panel. You should already be seeing the calendar icon in the side panel.

Improvements to Google Meet Layouts


Google is improving the layouts in Google Meet to include the ability to see all participants when someone is presenting their screen. This choice is called Tiled View with Presentations. When you select it, Meet will automatically save it as your preferred layout. This update should be available now.

How to Share Your Screen in Google Meet

How to Share Your Screen in Google Meet, from How-To Geek by Khamosh Pathak
See how to share your entire screen, just a tab, or a window with others in a Google Meet.

5 Ways to Edit Images in Google Slides

5 Ways to Edit Images in Google Slides, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Change the shape, add shadows, crop the image and more.

5 Things You Should Know About Using Video in Google Slides

5 Things You Should Know About Using Video in Google Slides, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Did you know you don't have to play the entire video in a slide, or that you can make a video automatically start?

A Few Basic Settings to Know When Uploading to YouTube

A Few Basic Settings to Know When Uploading to YouTube, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Some settings are very important when sharing videos with students. You'll want to know how to keep videos unlisted, and how to turn off comments, among other helpful tips.

Friday, May 29, 2020

Technology Tips and News for May 29, 2020

Courtesy of Flickr.com
The finish line is in site for this very rough marathon we've been on since March. This school year will definitely be one for the history books. Think of all you learned and how your Ed Tech expertise has grown! One of the silver linings, is you would have never otherwise been so motivated to learn so much in such a short time. As a result, I hope you've found some new tricks that make the process of teaching, grading and organizing a little easier. If there are other skills you'd like to refine, reach out to me and we can work on it together. I hope after you've taken a well deserved break this summer, you are able to refine your newly gained skills. While it is still uncertain what school will look like in the fall, rest assured in knowing you can adapt and still shine!




How to Pin Text and Images to Windows 10's Clipboard History

How to Pin Text and Images to Windows 10's Clipboard History, from How-To Geek by Benj Edwards
This is such a time saver when you have to copy and paste several items at a time.

G Suite Updates:  

New Quick Settings to Optimize Gmail Layout

A quick settings menu will be coming soon to Gmail. In the right column, you'll be able to choose inbox types and display options. Full settings will still be available in the settings gear. You should begin to see this feature by mid-June. Here are all the details.

Chat Becomes a Standalone App

Like it did with Meet, Google is replacing Hangouts Chat with Google Chat. What is it? Chat is an instant messaging app, for those times when you need an immediate answer or to have a conversation, instead of waiting for an email reply. You can also set up group chats in rooms. When it is available for our organization, you will be redirected from the existing Chat to install the new Chat app. Chat is currently disabled for students. Complete information is available here.

Google Meet on Your Personal Gmail

Google Meet on Your Personal Gmail, from G Suite Tips
Google Meet is no longer only available for work and school email accounts. It is now available in your personal Gmail accounts.

How to Use Jamboard and Google Meet Together

How to Use Jamboard and Google Meet Together by Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
If you are looking for a virtual interactive white board to use during your class Google Meets, take a look at this article.

5 Tips to Move Students from 'Googling' to 'Thinking' in the Age of Distance Learning

5 Tips to Move Students from 'Googling' to 'Thinking' in the Age of Distance Learning, from We Are Teachers by Kyleen Gray
See how to Google-proof your lessons.

Bitmoji Classroom Tutorial

These are fun, interactive virtual rooms in Google Slides.

Friday, May 22, 2020

ASA Tech Tips and News for May 22, 2020

I cannot believe we've reached Memorial Day weekend. We're now truly in the home stretch of the school year. It's almost time for the victory lap, a deep sigh of relief, and a well-deserved opportunity for a break. You've earned it more this year than ever! Although this year's Memorial Day weekend will not have the same holiday feel to it, it does give us a chance to truly reflect the spirit of the holiday - remembering those who sacrificed everything defending our country. We may not have sacrificed everything, we've certainly sacrificed a lot this year, and will continue to do so for awhile yet. For this weekend, enjoy the warm weather, say a prayer of thanks to a veteran and continue to stay safe and healthy.


How Your iPhone's New COVID-19 Exposure Notifications Work

How Your iPhone's New COVID-19 Exposure Notifications Work, from How-To Geek by Khamosh Pathak
There's a new update coming soon for you iPhone. It includes notifications if you have encountered someone else who later tests positive for COVID-19...as long as they've enabled the feature, opted in, and reports they tested positive.

G Suite Updates:  

Talk to People Outside of Your Domain in Google Chat

Google Chat, which is G Suite's version of instant messaging, is currently limited to those within the organization. Chat is a much more instant communication option than email, for those times when you need to have a real-time conversation In an update, scheduled for May 26th, you will be able to also chat with those outside our domain. Here are the full details.  

New User Setting to Hide/Show Google Meet in Gmail

You've probably noticed the recent addition of the Meet links in your Gmail account. If you don't like having the links to join or start a Google Meet, you can get rid of it in Settings. You should see this option anytime between now, and the next two weeks. Full details are here

How to View Everyone At Once in Google Meet

How to View Everyone At Once in Google Meet, from How-To Geek by Joel Cornell
If you don't have the Grid View extension and have 16 or fewer in your Meet, you can change the layout to see everyone at once.

How to Convert a PDF Into a Google Document

How to Convert a PDF Into a Google Document, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Easy peasy, lemon squeazy! This solution is built right into Google Drive.

Powerful Analytics in New, Free Kahoot! Reports

Powerful Analytics in New, Free Kahoot! Reports, from Kahoot! Blog, by Osama Hanif
Check out how to use Kahoot! reports, in the free version, to use it for assessments.

How to Quickly Create a Slideshow With Google Photos and Slides

How to Quickly Create a Slideshow With Google Photos and Slides, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Looking for an easy solution for the end of the year compilation of classroom photos? Another add-on to the rescue:  Photos to Slides.

Pixabay Offers Free Music to Use and Reuse

Pixabay Offers Free Music to Use and Reuse, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne Here's another source to add to your collection of free-to-use sources for music for your presentation or video.