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
• The Easiest Way to Find Your Google Meet Rooms
• 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

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

The Easiest Way to Find Your Google Meet Rooms, from G Suite Tips

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.

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
• G Suite/Google Workspace updates
• Both Portrait and Landscape Orientations Now Possible in a Google Doc
• Open Microsoft Office Attachments From Gmail in Google Docs, Sheets or Slides
• How to Clear Chrome Browsing Data With a Keyboard Shortcut
• How to Move Desktop Files and Folders Into Google Drive
• How to find "Lost" Items in Google Drive
• Ten Google Meet Features for Teachers - Fall 2020 Update
• Twelve Free Apps for Math Instruction

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

How to Clear Chrome Browsing Data With a Keyboard Shortcut, from How-To Geek by Benj Edwards

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. 

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 Plagiarism
• Comments:  New Interface in all Apps
• Google Docs:  Improvements When Importing PDFs
• Google Meet:  Accept Knocks in Bulk
• Google Meet:  Virtually Raise Your Hand
• Google Meet:  Additional Features for Breakout Rooms
• How to Create a New Folder in Gmail
• How to Share Videos Through Google Drive
• Ten Google Meet Features for Teachers - Fall 2020 Update
• How to Use Virtual Backgrounds in Google Meet
• How to Create Comic Strips in Google Slides
• Three Ways to Conduct Polls in Google Slides
• How to Create Videos on a Chromebook - No Extensions or Apps Required

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

How to Create Comic Strips in Google Slides

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