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. 

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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.


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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. 


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