Tech Tip Tuesday #34

Tech Tip Tuesday #33

Today's Tip:

Try something new!

Last year, I came across this Why Spring is the Best Time to Try Something New concept. Kristin's reasons are spot-on: "Your students trust you and will forgive any disasters. You have built relationships with them already." Last Spring, I tried some different math practice options (both analog and digital) with my students. After much trial and error, I was able to decide what to introduce to my 7th graders this fall. It was a great experience for both the students and myself!

Tech Ideas: 

(Because this is a Tech Tip Tuesday, but the concept could apply to anything!)

 Are your students completing a research project? Try having students research using the Electronic Library (ELM) or EBSCO. Both are available on the HS Media Center page at https://www.eastcentral.k12.mn.us/echs/hs_media_center/media___learning_center_resources.

 Are your students giving presentations? Try allowing students to record a video of the presentation to show to the class instead of a live presentation. I recommend Screencastify which is an extension students can install on their Chromebook. This video https://youtu.be/6HkW-lya8GU walks students through the whole process and the link for the extension to share is https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/screencastify-screen-vide/mmeijimgabbpbgpdklnllpncmdofkcpn?hl=en.

 Interested in trying some new formative assessment tools? Try a bunch of different exit ticket types to find the one that works best with your teaching style and content. Check out 10 Ideas for Digital Exit Tickets (and some analog ones, too) for some ideas.

What will you try? What ideas do you have for others to try?

Tech Tip Tuesday #32

Today's Tip: 

Use grid view to watch students collaborate in Google Slides!

Last week during PLC, Jeff shared an awesome beginning of the year activity using Google Slides and Androidify. In case you missed the PLC, click here for directions. I love having students collaborate on the same set of Slides! It's like a digital workspace that is automatically shared with the whole class. Sometimes managing 30+ slides with the default scroll bar on the left can be difficult. Grid view allows you to see all the slides at once and you can click on any slide to bring it into view.

Instructions:

- Open the Google Slides presentation where students are collaborating.

- Click the "grid view" in the bottom left part of the screen.

- Zoom in or out as needed using the buttons on the bottom of the screen. 

- Watch students in action! Or put it on a projector so the whole class can see each other's progress!

Wait, Back Up!

Get started with Google Slides with The Ultimate Guide to Google Slides and A Beginner's Guide to Google Slides in the Classroom.

Want more?

- Detailed instructions and ideas on Alice Keeler's blog at Google Slides: Watch Students Collaborate with Grid View

- Video with instructions and ideas on Matt Miller's blog at Student Collaboration in Shared Google Slides

How will you use Slides as a collaboration tool in your classroom?  

Tech Tip Tuesday #31

Today's Tip:

Did you know you can add attachments to Google Calendar events?!

Instructions from the Google Help Center:

- Open Google Calendar. 

- Create an event, or open an existing event.

- Click Add attachment.

- Choose a file that's already in your Google Drive, or click Upload to add a file from your computer.

- When you're done, click Select or Upload at the bottom.

Visual Learner?

- Blog post with pictures: How to Attach Files to Google Calendar Events

- YouTube video: How To Add Attachments To The New Google Calendar

When would I ever use this?

This feature is great for adding agendas, notes, presentation slides, YouTube videos, and more to an event. When you send out an invite to a meeting, attach the agenda. When you add an attachment, everyone on the guest list will be able to access the attachment from their calendar. This helps both you and your guests with organization and efficiency. 

What will you add to events?