Screenshots, Screencasts, and Animated GIFs

This week,  Maureen Tumenas wrote to the Techy Coach asking what I use to make GIFs and Videos for my Tiny Tutorials.  Over the years, I have found that teachers attending PD training want two things:

• Step by Step Instructions
• Visuals in the form of Screenshots or Animations

Being a visual person myself, I work best when I can see a process, better than if I were just to follow a set of instructions.  With that, I have worked to incorporate both video tutorials and Animated GIFs into my articles and posts.  There are some great tools out there.  In this article, I'll highlight the tools I use most, as well as a few others that are available to get the job done.

SnagIt by TechSmith

• This Chrome Extension from TechSmith is a great tool for grabbing Screenshots or recordings in the Chrome Browser.  You can also create Animated GIF Files from your Video recordings.  While this tool has been handy, it is soon being retired from TechSmith.  While they are retiring it, you can purchase the full version of SnagIt from their website and get more information about the retiring of this extension here.  Personally, I'll be sad to see this one go, as it is a great tool!  But the full version has more bells and whistles and is worth the purchase.

Camtasia by TechSmith

• Camtasia is a full featured tool that allows you to import audio, video, and images into a multi-track editing tool for the creation of studio-quality videos.  I use this for my Tiny Tutorials on YouTube and on the Techy Coach Blog.  This tool costs around $179.00 at the Education Price.  $299.00 for non-Education consumers.  I highly recommend this tool if you can afford it.

Photoshop

• If you have access to Photoshop, you can create Animated GIF files without having to find an alternate program or software. Just open PhotoShop, and follow the instructions in the video below.  This will only work with static images, but if you have screenshots or pics for each step of the process you are trying to provide instructions for, Animated GIFs can be just as handy as a video.  

Screencast - o - Matic

• If you're looking for a FREE tool to create screencasts, this is the one for you.  It works in browser, or you can download a launcher that allows you to record a screencast from your browser with audio.  

More Links for Animation and Video Tools

• Screencast.com - Free online service from TechSmith
• Jing - From TechSmith - captures short recordings or images or video. 

New Look for the Techy Coach Blog

Over the weekend, I spent a little time updating the Techy Coach Blog to give it a more user friendly look and feel.  You'll now notice that instead of the 20+ buttons at the top of the page,  you can access my video tutorials by topic.  Each topic has a drop-down list of subjects you can choose from to get help using Google Apps and Tools.



Also, don't forget, you can access Techy Coach Tutorials any time using the Techy Coach Chrome Extension.  Now you can access tutorials through a popup window, allowing you to work while you learn.  

Topics available through the extension include:

• Google Drive
• Google Docs
• Google Sheets
• Google Forms
• Google Slides
• Google Drawings
• Google Classroom
• Gmail
• Google Calendar

Just go to the Chrome Web Store and search for Techy Coach.  You can also use this direct link.

The Techy Coach Chrome Extension

Techy Coach Video Tutorials are now available to users as a Chrome Extension.  Now you can access tutorials through a popup window, allowing you to work while you learn.  

Topics available through the extension include:

• Google Drive
• Google Docs
• Google Sheets
• Google Forms
• Google Slides
• Google Drawings
• Google Classroom
• Gmail
• Google Calendar

Just go to the Chrome Web Store and search for Techy Coach.  You can also use this direct link.

How to Protect Information in a Google Sheet

Sometimes in Google Sheets, it is necessary to protect a range of cells, or even an entire sheet so that other users cannot edit them.  Likewise, you may have multiple users in the same sheet, and you may have the need to set permissions for cells that allow only certain users to edit.  An example may be a Sheet you are using for Collaboration, in which you want each student to have access to only one row.  Another example is when a Sheet is being used as a fillable form rather than using a Google Form, and you wish to protect headers, questions, and other data from end users, while still allowing them to enter information in empty cells.

To protect cells in a sheet:

1. Highlight the Range of cells you wish protect
2. Click on the Data Menu
3. Select Protected Sheets and Ranges
4. A menu will appear at the right of your sheet.
5. Click Set Permissions
6. Change "Only You" to Custom and enter the account of the user you'd like to restrict to these cells.

To protect an entire sheet:

1. Click on the dropdown menu in the Tab of the Sheet you want to protect.
2. Choose Protect Sheet
3. A menu will appear at the right of your sheet.
4. Click Set Permissions
5. Change "Only You" to Custom and enter the account of the user you'd like to restrict to this sheet.

Both of these functions come in very handy.  There have been several times when I have used a Google Sheet as a group activity in which I wanted students to answer questions that we could all view and discuss as they were being answered.  But because some students like to "mess" with other's cells, it was necessary to protect that information and allow only the user of that row or cell access.  

Hope this helps!

ePortfolios & Projects with Google Sites

Recently a question was posted in the "Ask the Techy Coach" page regarding Google Sites and Google Classroom.  A teacher had inquired about creating a project for students in which they would create an eBook on a Google Sites page.  Students would "pick up" study guides from Google Classroom and would insert them into their Google Site.  Her concern is over how well the two integrate with one another.

Just last year, I posted an article called Google Sites vs. Google Classroom.  While that article gives a basic Pros & Cons approach to each, this article will discuss how the two can be integrated.

While Google Classroom is not directly integrated with Google Sites on the same level as, say, Google Docs or Slides, you can still use Sites as the platform for a project, and Classroom as a place to submit work.

For the project side, students can use page templates in Google Sites to:

• Blog about a Topic (Announcements)
• Add Content such as YouTube videos (Web Page)
• Create a database of information (Lists)
• Store files (File Cabinet)

If you are interested in learning more about how Google Sites work, and how to get started, watch here:

Sites can also be used as a Digital Portfolio.  A Google Site can be set up as a Template which could then be used as a starting point that all students could use and develop in their own style.  While monitoring this may seem like a nightmare, there is a great solution in an AddOn called Site Maestro.  This handy tool allows teachers to set up an entire class with their own Google Site, while using a Google Sheet as a dashboard for monitoring their progress.  Use my Google Sites tutorial to help you create a skeleton site that your students can use, and then use this tutorial from New Visions Cloudlab to help you get started with your own ePortfolio project for students:

  

Don't forget, there are many other great web tools you can use to get students started with Blogging or ePortfolios, such as:

• Blogger
• EduBlogs
• Kidblog

Now what does any of this have to do with Google Classroom?  If you are like me, you probably have grown to love the simplistic design of Google Classroom, and the way it integrates with Google Drive.  But while it may not work as well with Sites, you can still use Classroom to:

Post links and docs for items required in a Project

• While most of the work will be done inside the Blog, students can still pick up items like Docs or Slideshow templates that they can post within their Site.  For instance, the teacher could post a Doc in Google Classroom with instructions on how students will use the templates, where they should appear, or how they fit in the portfolio, as well as due dates.  In this instance, I have to point out that the integration between Google Sites and Google Docs is great.  Google has made it easy to embed or insert almost anything from Drive into a Site.  

Post assignment submissions for sections of a Google Site

• Once students have completed work in their Google Site, they can use the Assignment Submission page to paste a URL link to their finished product.

Post Reminders & Project Due Dates

• It never hurts to post timely reminders regarding projects in Google Classroom - especially since they will be sent by email to students as well.

Use the Question tool in Classroom so students can post links to their Google Site for discussion

• The Question tool allows teachers to create a Forum in which you can post a question, and have students respond, and comment on each others responses.  This could be used as a great way to get students in a dialogue about their work.  This is a great way to introduce peer grading or suggesting.

All this being said, this answer was mostly for any teacher that uses Google Classroom on a daily basis and may be looking for a solution to guide and oversee a project such as an online project.  But don't ever feel that you have to use a certain tool because it is new.  If another tool will do the job, use it.  The tool should never become more important than the process or learning experience.

Change the Subject in a Gmail Reply

If you are a recent convert to Gmail, you may have noticed that when you reply to an email from someone, the Subject Line does not readily appear allowing you to change it.

If you reply to someone and you need to change the Subject line, there are a few easy steps to accomplish this.

1.  Open an email
2.  Click Reply
3.  To the left of the Address of the recipient, click the Reply drop-down Menu.
4.  Choose Edit Subject
5.  The email will appear in a Pop Out window allowing you to edit the subject line.

Its that easy!  Watch the animation below if you need further help.

New to Google Drive? Check out this handy Cheat Sheet!

If you are a new Google Drive user, you may need the help of a handy cheat sheet.  Try this one on for size.  If you need extra help, you can also find some useful tutorials on my webpage.  Happy Googling!  Click the image below to download...

Everything Google

In order to serve the needs of our teachers during our transition to Google Apps for Education, I've created a website with articles, tutorials, and information about Google Apps.  You can link to my page from this blog or by visiting http://everythinggoogle.com

You can also subscribe to posts and updates to Everything Google here:

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

Google Sites vs. Google Classroom

Classroom vs. Site

This year, our district has made significant strides toward being a Google Apps for Education school district.  All of our faculty and students have their own Google Account and have been working to understand the benefits afforded by working in the cloud.

As we drew the year to a close we started Summer training for our English Language Arts teachers, as they would be receiving a Chromebook cart in each of their classrooms.  As part of that training, one of the questions that popped up was,  "Which is better? Google Sites or Google Classroom."

To answer that question, I've provided a few pieces of information for you (benefits of each), as well as a few videos to help newbies understand each tool:

Google Classroom

• Teachers can assign students to their classroom.
• Assign and grade work within the classroom.
• Use the stream to post announcements or assignments
• Link to Google Drive to assign work.
• Add links to YouTube Videos
• Add links to URLs
• Allow students to post or comment (easy to disable)

Google Classroom

Discussion Forums using Google Classroom

Google Sites

• Freedom to create the look and feel of a Teacher Webpage/Site
• Add multiple pages
• Link to Google Drive to add assignments
• Create a File Cabinet to share files as a department
• Create an Announcements Page to post thoughts and discussion topics
• Embed any content you need (YouTube, Easel.ly, Etc...)
• Add links to websites, etc....
• Open site up for discussion boards
• Embed a Google Calendar for a list of events
• Have students create their own Google Site as a digital portfolio
• Use a Google Site as a Wiki where students can work on group projects.  

Setting up a Google Site

New Google Tutorials - YouTube, Google Slides, and Google Search

A new crop of videos have been posted to my YouTube Channel this month.  Here they are so you can see them.  Also, visit my Video Tutorials Page to see the entire playlist of Google Tutorials.

Google Search Tips

Google Slides:  Mask and Crop Tools

YouTube Captions for ELL/ESL