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Security
Updates
- Google's Biggest Workspace EDU Updates Ever (video)
- Google Classroom: New Capabilities for Student Groups
- Google Classroom: Gemini in Classroom Available to All
- Google Classroom: Upload Standards and Add Them to Assignments
- Google Classroom: Analytics Tab Coming to Teaching & Learning
- Google Classroom Read Along: Create a Story with Gemini + More
- Google Drive: Video Engagment Insights
- Google Gemini: Now Available for Students Under 18
- Google Gmail: Manage Email Subscriptions From a Single Location
- Google Notebook LM: More Languages Supported and Video Overviews
- Google Training: New Platform for Applied Digital Skills
- Google Vids: Now Available to All Google for Education Users
Tips and Tutorials
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How Hackers Steal Passwords
Watch Out: How to Stop Your Smart TV From Spying on You
Watch Out: How to Stop Your Smart TV From Spying on You, from PC Magazine by Lance Whitney
As with most online services, convenience comes at a cost and with possible risk. Learn how to protect your data and privacy.
Core 4 Online Safety Basics
Core 4 Online Safety Basics, from National Cybersecurity Alliance
It doesn't have to be complicated - just remember 4 good habits. Simplify them further by using a password manager. With this tool, you can stop stressing over remembering all your passwords or thinking up new ones. It also speeds up the login process. I use Bitwarden free version, and it works like a charm.
What to Do When You Get Hacked: Follow These Steps Now
What to Do When You Get Hacked: Follow These Steps Now, from PCMagazine by Neil J. Rubenking
This article not only covers what to do after you get hacked, it also discusses the ways you can get hacked and how to avoid them.
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Google's Biggest Workspace EDU Updates Ever (video)
As a reminder, we have the Teaching & Learning ediction of Google Workspace for Education. Most of the Classroom updates he mentions will be coming to our version soon, if it's not already there.
Google Classroom: New Capabilities for Student Groups
Teachers can now email groups, sort by groups on the Student work page, and edit student groups when creating an assignment. Group names are not visible to students. You should see this update now. Learn how to manage student groups here.
Google Classroom: Gemini in Classroom Available to All Adults
Gemini in Classroom was only available to Education Plus users, but has now been made available for all Google Workspace for Education versions for users who are 18 and over. You'll now have access to many of those teaching assistant tools right in Classroom. Those features include
- Create a rubric
- Brainstorm project ideas
- Translate text
- Build a choice board
- Write an iniformational text
- Write a story
- Tackle common misconceptions
Teachers can also ask Gemini to refine content it has generated, and then easily add it to an assignment with the Add to class button. In addition teachers can also use starter prompts to help with things like brainstorming real world examples, gamifying an activity, generating differentiation strategies, drafting an exemplar and non-exemplar, as well as creationg depth of knowledge qustions. Watch the video below for ideas. Learn more about Gemini in Classroom here.
Google Classroom: Upload Standards and Add Them to Assignments
It will be possible to upload state standards via Case Network 2 to your Google Classroom. Once uploaded, you be able to tag assignments with the standards to gain insight into goal proficiency. More information about this update will be coming when it becomes available, so stay tuned.
Google Classroom: Analytics Tab Coming to Teaching & Learning
Soon you will see an additional tab on your course page for Analytics. This tab will allow teachers to receive relevant, real-time insights about your class, such as alerts on grade drops or changes in assignment completion. This will help you identify students who may need support. This update should also be available in the next couple months.
Google Classroom Read Along: Create a Story with Gemini + More
These updates were previously only available in Workspace Plus, but will soon be available to our Teaching & Learning version.
- Right within the Classroom flow, teachers can create a story with Gemini that will turn into a Read Along Activity.
- Phonics Skills Dashboard
- Heggerty Decodables Library Expansion
- Silent Reading and Listening Modes
Google Drive: Video Engagment Insights
Google recently enhanced the video play experience in Drive with a new look and feel, enhanced functionality, automatically generated captions, and video transcripts. With the latest update, you'll now be able to measure the engagement on videos uploaded to Drive with the ability to see the total number of times a video is opened. You can see this information in a new Analytics section in the Details panel. To see a video's "open count", open a video file in Google Drive > click the three dot menu > click on Details > open the new Analytics section. Learn more about storing and playing video in Google Drive here. This update became available in early June.
Google Gemini: Now Available for Students Under 18
Google has now made Gemini (Google's LLM like ChatGPT) available to all students under 18. It is considered a core application in Google Workspace for Education, and as such, it complies with the same privacy laws as the rest of the apps. Common Sense Media has recently awarded Google Gemini with their privacy seal. For now, we have disabled this for students until we can have a planning conversation as a staff to approach it thoughtully and intentionally. When activated it will allow teachers to assign Gems and Notebook LM in Classroom.
Google Gmail: Manage Email Subscriptions From a Single Location
When this update arrives in late July, you'll be able to all of your email subscriptions in one place, and more importantly unsubscribe from any you no longer wish to receive. This is available now in a new Manage Subscriptions view that will also allow you to see which subscriptions send the most emails, and the number of messages they've sent in the past few weeks. Right now it is only available in Gmail on your mobile device. Learn how to manage your subscriptions in Gmail here.
Google Notebook LM: More Languages Supported and Video Overviews
This update is two treats in one. Now in Notebook LM, you can upload sources in over 50 languages. In addition, Notebook LM has created audio overviews of your resources, much like a podcast. Now it will also create video overviews. This tool is only available for users over 18, but will be available to students in the coming months. With NotebookLM you can upload resources, videos, and support articles to keep them in one place. Once uploaded, you can ask NLM anything you want about the topic, create a study guide, a timeline, listen to a podcast overview, or watch a video overview. Long articles? No problem, let NLM summarize it for you. Learn how to use NotebookLM in this Google Support article, or watch this video.
Google Training: New Platform for Applied Digital Skills
Google for Education's Applied Digital Skills platform has been updated and has a new URL. ASA/DOGR bookmarks have been updated to reflect this. You may (or may not) recall, the Applied Digital Skills platform has interactive courses and lessons for learning how to use the Google tools, as well as other topics. This platform can be used by adults, but it is also designed so teachers can use the lesson plans and interactive classes with students as well.
Google Vids: Now Available to All Google for Education Users
Google introduced Vids last year to Education Plus users, they have now made Vids available to all Google Workspace for Education users. Google Vids is an AI-powered video creation and editing tool that is integrated with Google Workspace. You should already see Vids as a choice in your Google app switcher (9-dot menu), or you can access it a vids.google.com. Learn how to use Vids with Google's self-paced online training course, or see Vid features in this PDF. This help center article is also available to get you started. This will be an easy way for your students to create a video demonstrating their knowledge.
Meet the New Google for Education Learning Center
Google has replaced the Applied Digital Skills Teacher Site with the Google for Education Learning Center. This site provides free, online, on-demand training for teachers, school leaders and students related to Workspace, Chrome and Gemini. With the course catalog, you can filter courses by role, expertise level and specific Google products. In addition to Google products, there are also courses for Chromebooks, AI, Accessibility, and digital citizenship. This is also where you'll take training courses and test for Google certifications, such as Google Certified Educator levels 1 and 2. If an entire course seems daunting, I've linked many individual lessons (under 10 minutes each) on the Resources page of the Employee Tech Guide, under the Google Workspace for Education section. There, they are broken down by product.
Using Gemini in Google Classroom (video)
Beginner's Guide to Google Vids (video)
AI Introduction Videos & Lessons for You and Your Students
Google has made Gemini safe for students under 18 to use - we have not yet turned it on for students until we can have some conversations as a staff. Whether or not we do open Gemini up for students, it is important to include AI literacy in your Digital Citizenship lessons. Common Sense Media has lesson plans for you to use with your students in grades 6-12, as well as an AI Basics course for K-12 teachers. In addition, Google has provided some helpful videos you could use in class as well.
