Tech Tips and News for April 28, 2023

How secure are your passwords? How fast could a hacker discover your passwords? Take a look at the chart above and see where your passwords fall. How can you tweak them a little to make them more secure? If you are finding it to be too complicated to keep track of all  your passwords, it's time to use a password manager. With a password manager, you only need to remember one password. Install the password manager on all your devices and it will remember all your passwords for you. It can even create very secure passwords for you. Many will even tell you if your password has been leaked. I'm currently using Bitwarden, and have found it to be a huge help managing my passwords and keeping them secure.

• "Mum, I Broke My Phone!" - Wham! Bam! - That's a SCAM # 7
• How to Add a Website to the Home Screen on iPhone and Android
• Millions of Facebook Users Are Entitled to a Settlement Payout. How to File a Claim
• Google Workspace Updates:
• Docs, Sheets, Slides:  Enhanced Tool Finder
• Google Meet:  Turn Off the Video Feed for Select Tiles
• Google Meet:  Co-Present Google Slides
• 7 Awesome Google Drive Features You May Not Know About
• Seven Google Scholar Features You Should Know How to Use
• Google Bard Overview for Educators
• Four Easy Ways to Make End-of Year Slideshow Videos
• Quickly Create Presentations with Canva's Magic Design Tool

"Mum, I Broke My Phone!" - Wham! Bam! - That's a SCAM # 7

How to Add a Website to the Home Screen on iPhone and Android

How to Add a Website to the Home Screen on iPhone and Android, from How-To Geek by Joe Fedewa

Is there a website you frequent that you'd like to access without opening the browser on your phone? Add a shortcut for it on your home screen to quickly access it. The ASA Bookmarks page on the ASA Tech Guide site might be a great candidate for this. 

Millions of Facebook Users Are Entitiled to a Settlement Payout. How to File a Claim

Millions of Facebook Users Are Entitiled to a Settlement Payout. How to File a Claim, from ZDNet by Jada Jones

Yes, it's really legit. It's Facebook's penalty for the Cambridge Analytica data leak scandal.

Google Workspace Updates

Docs, Sheets, Slides:  Enhanced Tool Finder

Within the next couple weeks, you'll start to see a Menu field at the top of your Docs, Sheets and Slide files. This will allow you to search for a tool instead of opening each menu to find it. Simply click in the Menu field, and enter a search term to find the tool you're looking for. Click here for full details on how to use this feature. 

Google Meet:  Turn Off the Video Feed for Select Tiles

If you are finding some of the individual video feeds in a Meet are distracting you from the main presenter, you can turn them off. Other participants will not see the change if you use this feature. Just click the 3-dot menu from the tile you wish to hide, or use the People panel, and select Don't Watch. Here are the instructions. You should be seeing this feature now. 

Google Meet:  Co-Present Google Slides

It's FINALLY possible to have co-presenters share control of Google Slides during a meet. In other words, the presenter can have a trusty assistant advance slides as they present information. Both will also be able to see speaker notes as well. We should be seeing this new feature between the end of April to mid-May. Find all the details here. 

7 Awesome Google Drive Features You May Not Know About

7 Awesome Google Drive Features You May Not Know About, from How-To Geek by Sandy Writtenhouse

Google Drive can be the key to finding and organizing all Google files that you have created or have been shared with you. 

Seven Google Scholar Features You Should Know How to Use

Seven Google Scholar Features You Should Know How to Use, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne

Google Scholar is a useful tool for research. This video covers article availability, date refinement, list making, citation formatting, advanced search options and creating Scholar alerts.

Google Bard Overview for Educators

Google Bard Overview for Educators, from Control Alt Achieve from Eric Curts

How to sign up for and use Google Bard. Bard is Google's AI chatbot, similar to OpenAI's ChatGPT

Four Easy Ways to Make End-of Year Slideshow Videos

Four Easy Ways to Make End-of Year Slideshow Videos, from Free Technologyfor Teachers by Richard Byrne

Here's what you can do with a year's worth of classroom photos. 

Quickly Create Presentations with Canva's Magic Design Tool

Tech Tips and News for April 21, 2023

Created with Bing Image Creator

BETT is the largest annual expo for Education Technology. It was held in London in late March, and this is the platform that Google often uses to announce new upcoming products and features they are working on releasing. If you'd like to keep an eye on the new features that are coming soon for you and your students, I've included several announcements that may interest you. Since our main productivity platform is Google based, and students use Chromebooks for school work, it's important to keep up on what new tools you and students have available. This will help you teach your students the most effective and efficient way to use their digital tools. There are some pretty exciting updates expected in the months to come. 

• Overpayment Scams - Wham! Bam! - That's a SCAM! #6
• How to Use Public Wi-Fi Safely:  5 Tips You Need to Know Before You Connect
• 5 Chromebook Updates for Students and Teachers
• New Teaching and Learning Features in Google Workspace for Education
• 18 BIG Updates To Your Favorite Google Tools - Video Demos
• 2023 Google Product Training Live or On-Demand
• 5 Reasons Why Chromebooks are the Perfect Laptop for Most People
• 10 Chromebook Features You Should Be Using
• 5 Chrome Tips to Organize Your Browser
• See the Planet Change with New Imagery in Google Earth Timelapse

Overpayment Scams - Wham! Bam! - That's a SCAM! #6

How to Use Public Wi-Fi Safely:  5 Tips You Need to Know Before You Connect

How to Use Public Wi-Fi Safely:  5 Tips You Need to Know Before You Connect, from ZDNet by Danny Palmer

Read this before you connect to WiFi in a hotel, airport, store, restaurant, etc. 

5 Chromebook Updates for Students and Teachers

5 Chromebook Updates for Students and Teachers, from The Keyword by Andy Russell

Topics of interes for you may include:  

• Updates to Screencast - Screencast is now a feature that is built in to Chrome on Chromebooks - no 3rd party app, such as Screencast-o-matic or Loom needed anymore. If you use a Windows or Mac laptop, you can still take advantage of the Screencast feature by using the classroom loaner chromebook. 
• New Reading Mode Feature in the Chrome Browser - This will be available in a couple months, and allows users to remove distractions, such as images and videos, from the screen.

New Teaching and Learning Features in Google Workspace for Education

New Teaching and Learning Features in Google Workspace for Education, from the Keyword by Jennifer Holland

As these features become available, more instruction and demos on how to use them will be available. This article is a forecast of what's coming. The Keyword article includes screenshots and more information than what I've summarized here.

• Practice Sets - These will be available in Google Classroom by the end of April, and allow you to quickly set up interactive quizzes, which include immediate feedback, easy to set up resources for lesson reinforcement, and automatic grading. You can even take queestions from existing PDF files so you don't have to recreate practice sets from scratch. Unfortunately it's only available via Google Classroom.
• Add Interactive Questions to YouTube Videos - This is currently in beta, which means it could be six months to a year before it's available - and it's only available through Google Classroom. There is a similar feature in Canvas.
• Custom Building Blocks in Docs with the @ Menu - By typing @ in a Doc, you will be able to access the "building block" menu, and select from saved templates. This will save you time when creating new docs. 
• Keep Track of Class Activities with Timer and Stopwatch Chips in a Doc - Typing @timer or @stopwatch in a Google Doc will display a timer or stopwatch right in your Doc, so you and your students can keep track of how long an activity took or how much time is left. 
• Get Feedback with Voting Chips in a Doc:  By typing @voting in a Google Doc, you'll be able to quickly gather feedback.
• See Your Slides and Speaker Notes While Presenting in Meet - With recent updates, you can now control your slides (advance slides, play video) and see your speaker notes from within Meet. No split screen or second monitor needed. 
• Manage Slides with a Co-Presenter - Two or more people will be able to manage slides together within a Meet.

18 BIG Updates To Your Favorite Google Tools - Video Demos

John Sowash has put together a video summary of the aforementioned, upcoming Google updates for Education and learning.

2023 Google Product Training Live or On-Demand

Google is offering a 12-part product training series, that you can either participate in live or watch on-demaind after the live event. Register using the link above, and add the events that interest you to your calendar. After the webinar runs live, the calendar event will include the recording link. You can also access all the sessions at the link above. Events that may interest you include:

• Chromebooks:  Not Just for Students! Challenge Your Chromebook Conceptions (on demand)
• Practice Makes Perfect: Bye Worksheets, Hello Skill Building (on demand)
• Mission Accessible:  Make Sure Learning is Maximally Accessible with the Google Tools (on demand)
• Google Workspace WORKS for Learning (on demand)
• Personalize the Learning Path with Google Screencast (Live 4/25/23 1:00 pm EDT, or on-demand after)
• Google Gathering:  Tips, Tricks and Faves from Your Googley Friends (Live 5/2/23 1:00 pm EDT, or on-demand after)
• All About Our Newest Features (Live 5/9/23 1:00 pm EDT, on-demand after)

Of course, there is always free, on-demand training courses offered by Google Skillshop and Google Workspac Learning Center for every Google tool, as well as education specific tools. Highlights include:

For Everyone:

• Google Workspace - Understand the basics of Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive and Gmail
• Gmail -  Learn the basic components of Gmail to help you send and receive emails.
• Gmail - Quick Start guides, cheat sheets, productivity guides, troubleshooting
• Use Google Drive to Organize Files and Folders - The basics or creating folders to organize your files.
• Google Calendar for Beginners - Create an event, add details and invite others
• Google Calendar Training and Help - including quick start guides, cheat sheets, productivity guides and troubleshooting.
• Google Meet Training and Help - including quick start guides, cheat sheets, productivity guides and troubleshooting.
• Google Meet for Beginnrs - Hold a virtual meeting

For Teachers:

• Chromebooks for Educators - Learn how to use or assist students with their Chromebooks
• Fundamentals Training - For those who are new to Google Tools.
• Advanced Training - Beyond fundamentals for integrating Google in your classroom
• Digital Citizenship and Safety Course - Ensuring all students learn, explore and have a positive experience online.

5 Reasons Why Chromebooks are the Perfect Laptop for Most People

5 Reasons Why Chromebooks are the Perfect Laptop for Most People, from ZDNet by Jack Wallen

Don't discount a simple and relatively inexpensive solution because it's not what you're used to. 90% of the time in my personal life, I use a chromebook.This has made me even more impatient as I wait for my work Windows laptop to boot up, or finally display a login prompt. Chromebooks will boot up in about 8 seconds and don't slow down as they age. I've been using my convertible HP chromebook for close to 5 years now.

10 Chromebook Features You Should Be Using

10 Chromebook Features You Should Be Using, from How-To Geek by Joe Fedewa

I love finding ways to make my tech devices more efficient! Lost a tab or window? Find it quickly. Don't have a second monitor? Snap windows side by side. Curb those notifications with Do Not Disturb. Easily send files between your Android phone and chromebook. Pin those often used files and folders to your taskbar.

5 Chrome Tips to Organize Your Browser

5 Chrome Tips to Organize Your Browser, from The Keyword by Yana Yushkina

Organize your digital workspace (Chrome browser) like you do your physical workspace. This is a great way to take control so you can find everything you need and no longer be at the mercy of your technology. Learn how to manage your bookmarks, organize your tabs, hide distracting sites, update old passwords and mute site notifications. 

See the Planet Change with New Imagery in Google Earth Timelapse

See the Planet Change with New Imagery in Google Earth Timelapse, from The Keyword by Chris Herwig

Looking to show your students how climate change has impacted the earth? Google Earth now has timelapse images from 1984 to 2022. You can download or embed the videos via YouTube, and there are 300 locations to see. 

Tech Tips and News for April 14, 2023

Image created with Bing Image Creator

Because AI options continue to expand, and their impact on education remains a major topic of conversation in Ed Tech circles, there are several more articles included this week. Major options for chat now include ChatGPT, Bing Chat and Google's Bard. You'll need to create a login at OpenAI for ChatGPT, your Microsoft login (if you have one) will work for Bing, and you'll need to use a personal Gmail account for Bard. (Google has not yet made Bard available for enterprise or education accounts.) Bing was the only AI chat bot that I could use as soon as I logged in - I didn't have to wait for an invitation confirmation or to be approved/verified. They work in very similar ways, and can definitely give you a big head start on many tasks and projects you routinely perform, such as lesson planning or explaining a concept for a specific grade level. For example, I recently used ChatGPT to generate rhyming clues for an Easter basket hunt. I had to tweak what it created a little, but it got me started, and was a huge time saver. Teachers, be sure to check out the article below explaining how to use AI to save you time getting started with your lesson plans. 

• "Your Bank Calling" Scam - Wham! Bam! - That's a SCAM #5 
• Google Workspace Updates
• Google Drive:  Move Folders From My Drive to Shared Drives
• Restrict Copying or Downloading Google Drive Files
• 5 Google Docs Features You Might Have Overlooked or Forgotten About
• Lesson Planning with AI:  Save Time and Get Ideas
• ChatGPT and Beyond:  How to Handle AI in Schools
• Searching with ChatGPT in Bing
• A Short Overview of Google Bard
• How to Write Better ChatGPT Prompts (and this applies to most other text-based AIs, too)
• How to Use Bing Image Creator (and why it's better than Dall-E2)
• 5 Videos That Get Teens Thinking Critically About Media
• How to Use Magic Eraser in Canva

"Your Bank Calling" Scam - Wham! Bam! - That's a SCAM #5 

Google Workspace Updates

Google Drive:  Move Folders From My Drive to Shared Drives

This update is WAY overdue. Now all users can move folders from My Drive into a shared drive, as long as they have Manger, Content Manger, or Contributor permissions to that shared drive. As a review, shared drives are used to store any files that need to be used by many users, or need to remain after a specific user has left the organization. Learn how to move files and folders into a shared drive here. 

Restrict Copying or Downloading Google Drive Files

Restrict Copying or Downloading Google Drive Files, from Workspace Tips

Highly sensitive documents can be shared with restrictions, so the text cannot be copied and pasted, and the file cannot be shared with others. 

5 Google Docs Features You Might Have Overlooked or Forgotten About

5 Google Docs Features You Might Have Overlooked or Forgotten About, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne

Learn more about smart chips, building blocks, bookmarks, dropdowns and image sourcing/alt text.

Lesson Planning with AI:  Save Time and Get Ideas

Lesson Planning with AI:  Save Time and Get Ideas, from Ditch That Textbuook by Matt Miller

Learn how to use various AI tools to save time making your lesson plans. 

ChatGPT and Beyond:  How to Handle AI in Schools

ChatGPT and Beyond:  How to Handle AI in Schools, from Common Sense Education by Christie Elgersma

This is basically a synopsis of a recent webinar I watched titled, ChatGPT:  To Ban or Not To Ban. Key considerations include ethics, biases and misinformation, checking sources, and plagiarism. Although ChatGPT is blocked for students at ASA due to the age restriction, if you sense your students are using it at home, you may want to teach a lesson on how students should be correctly using it as ciritical thinkers, and with the aforementioned considerations in mind. With no guidance, students may not be using it as a starting point for research or an assignment, but rather as the entire assigment without understaing the limitations of AI.

Searching with ChatGPT in Bing

A Short Overview of Google Bard

How to Write Better ChatGPT Prompts (and this applies to most other text-based AIs, too)

How to Write Better ChatGPT Prompts (and this applies to most other text-based AIs, too), from ZDNet by David Gewirtz

As with most new technology, there is a bit of a learning curve. These tips will work with any of the main three AI chatbots:  ChatGPT, Bing Chat and Google Bard.

How to Use Bing Image Creator (and why it's better than Dall-E2)

Created with Bing Image Creator

How to Use Bing Image Creator (and why it's better than Dall-E2), from ZDNet by Maria Diaz

As with ChatGPT, other versions of image creators are now also being introduced. I've used Dall-E2 several times to create an image when I can't find one that already exists for a particular project. I do find it takes several tries to get something close to what you have in mind. Both Dall-E2 and Bing impose a limit on the number of free image generations one can use per month, however Bing allows you to continue creating images, it just takes much longer to generate. I gave Bing Image Creator a try, and was able to get something I liked on the first try, of course that could be because I learned to be very descriptive while using Dall-E2. With that in mind, I did notice Bing Image Creator didn't seem to have as many junk images with floating appendages or other parts of the image that don't make sense or are disjointed. The image at right was created using this prompt:  A robot holding a paint pallet, standing in front of an easel, painting a masterpiece. 

5 Videos That Get Teens Thinking Critically About Media

5 Videos That Get Teens Thinking Critically About Media, from Common Sense Media by Eisha B

Use these videos and quick discussion activities to spark meaningful classroom conversations. It covers topics such as social media, hate speech online, civil discourse online, and screen time.

How to Use Magic Eraser in Canva