Google Keep & Google Docs - Go Together Like PB&J

Recently, Google released an update to Google Keep that links this Note-Taking Tool to Google Docs.  This combo can be a great tool for:

• Brainstorming
• Planning
• Collaboration
• Working On-the-Go
• Accessing Docs 

Watch this video to see what I mean!

Docs, Sheets & Slides - Sharing Student Presentations

This week, a question from a teacher asks:

"I have posted student presentations that they have made using Google Slides, but for a parent to view these..it says they have to sign in with a Google Account.  Is there any way to do this so they don't have to have a Google account to view these presentations?"

 This is a very common issue and can easily be resolved. The thing to keep in mind anytime you are posting Google documents on the web is to make sure you setup sharing rights properly.  

Before posting any items to the web:

1. Click on the Share Button
2. From the pop up menu, click Advanced.
3. Under "Who has access" click Change
4. Select "Anyone with the link"
5. Under Access, select "Can View"
6. Click Save & Done

After you have set your document up this way, you can post it to a website using an Embed Code or link by using the Publish to the Web option in the File Menu:

1. click File
2. Choose Publish to the Web.
3. Click Publish
4. Choose from a Link or the Embed (HTML) Code.

This is an easy way to share documents on the web - Docs, Sheets, or Slides - and a great way to present information to your audience.  

One key thing to remember when posting student work is that you secure permission from parents or guardians to publish student work on the web.  You might check with your principal regarding permission slips or a student contract requiring parent permission to share student work.  For example, a slip sent home similar to the following, would be a good way to get parent authorization:

Parents,  This school year, we will be using Google Apps for Education in the classroom.  Google Apps is a free suite of tools available to schools that includes Gmail, document creation, presentation tools, and other collaboration tools.  As part of that process, from time to time, we may have the opportunity to post student work on the web.  The school will work to make sure student work is shared in the safest way possible, but we want to make sure you are aware and that we have your permission to do so. No student grades will be posted.  As part of that, please sign and date this slip granting the school permission to post examples of your students' work for your viewing.

Parent Signature _________________________________________ 

Of course many districts already have a technology or internet use agreement in place, as well as permission slips for use of Google Tools. If you do not already,  you may want to do so.

Happy Sharing!

Now You Have a Choice! Google Docs TOC

Google just released an update to Table of Contents feature in Google Docs that allows you a bit more freedom.  For a great while now, I have, as I am sure others have too, wanted the ability to add page numbers to my Table of Contents in Google Docs.  But previous to this week, your only option was a table with hyperlinks to formatted sections of your doc.  See example below:

But with the recent update to Google Docs, you can now choose to add a Table of Contents with Hyperlinked items, or Page Numbers.

Of course the key to making the Table of Contents tool work for you is that you apply Headers to your text.   Once you apply Headers to your text, the Table of Contents tool will use this formatting to create your table.

To apply a Header:

1. Highlight text
2. Click on the Header Tool
3. Choose your level of formatting
4. Header 1, Header 2, Header 3, etc...

  

Once you have formatted your document, now its time to insert a Table of Contents.  To add a Table of Contents to your document:

1. From Google Docs, click Insert
2. Choose Table of Contents
3. Choose from "With Page Numbers" or "With Blue Links"

Happy Formatting!

Google Apps Ideas for Elementary Teachers

This week, I will be sharing Google Apps tips with some of the elementary school teachers in our district.  I thought I would also share it here in the event that it benefits someone else.

Look for tips on Google Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides & Forms.  Slides include links to Video Tutorials and Sample Material.

Back to School with the Techy Coach

As many districts are rapidly approaching the start of school, it is a great time to reflect on EdTech, projects, and general tech tips. So, with that in mind, I'm passing along a list of articles to help educators start the new year!

Raise Engagement with a Hyperdoc

Start fresh with the New Google Sites

Help Your Students Learn More About You with a Teacher Trailer

Track Student Progress this Year

Broadcast Student Work with Google Cast

Brush Up on Google Forms

Try Creating A Quiz in Google Forms

Create Rubrics for Grading

Google for Assessments

Google Slides - Take Questions from your class

Google Classroom Articles

Choose your own adventure with Google Forms

Google Docs and Student Feedback

Setting Up Your GAFE Site

Go Paperless With Hyperdocs

For an upcoming training on Chromebooks, I developed a section on Hyperdocs.  If you aren't familiar with Hyperdocs, they are essentially a Document (Google Docs, Slides, or Google Sites) set up to create an interactive and engaging lesson to help students cover a short topic or unit.

Hyperdocs can be modified for several different uses:

• Differentiation
• Collaboration
• Independent Study

This tutorial video explains some basic information on formatting a Google Doc as a Hyperdoc.  If you are interested in more information, check out "The Hyperdocs Handbook" by Lisa Highfill, Kelly Hilton, and Sarah Landis.

Double Up Security For Shared Google Files

When sharing files with other on Google Drive, you may find that in certain situations, you need to limit how others access your files and folders, and for how long.  For instance, you may want to:

• Share files for a limited amount of time.
• Prevent users from Sharing your files with others.
• Prevent users from downloading, copying or printing your files.

Luckily, Google has security features that allow you to do just that.  To change these features:

1. Click the Share button in any Doc, Sheet, or Slide.
2. Click on Advanced at the bottom right of the popup.

Each of these features is outlined in the videos below.  At this time, these features are only available to Google Apps for Education and Google For Work users.

Happy Secure Sharing!

How to Limit Access Features for Shared Google Files

How to Set an Expiration Date on Shared Google Drive Files

Ya'll Ready for This? Chart Integration for Docs and Slides!

I have been waiting for this for quite some time.  People have asked if it is possible, and I always had to say no.  But not any more.  What is it you might ask?  Didn't you read the title?  It's chart integration for Docs and Slides! 

If you have a chart or graph in Google Sheets, you can easily integrate it into a Google Slides presentation or a Google Doc!  Just go to the Insert Menu and choose Chart > From Sheets.

Need to insert a chart from a Google Sheet into Google Slides?  Its just as easy...

Not only that, but once your chart is in your Doc or Slides presentation, you can jump directly to the Sheet your chart originated from and update it with one click.  Also, you can change your data to update the chart, and reflect changes to your presentation or doc with one click.

I so could have used this just about a month ago when, across our district, 5 different school sites were inputting data regarding a vote on textbook publishers for adoption year into several linked Google Sheets.  All the data was gathered and shown in a graph on Sheets.  We wanted to have a graph that reflected the change in votes as the data came in, but that also showed up in a Slides presentation.  So glad to see this update.

So for all the science teachers out there, you can create a slide presentation with an active Google Sheets graph, linked to data from a student spreadsheet.  As data is collected or input by students, you can update your findings on the screen in real time.  This is great for lab day!

Graduating Seniors: Take Your Drive Files With You!

 

So you've got graduating seniors who have been using a District-owned GAFE (Google Apps for Education) Account.  Many of them have already made plans to get out of high school long before now and their heads are in the clouds about graduation!  But eventually, as freshmen at college, they will look back and think... "Hey!  I need to look up that essay I wrote in Senior English!"  or "I need a sample of work from my high school portfolio!"   The trouble is, if they have not already downloaded it, they may not be able to access it because many districts will archive or retire GAFE accounts for Graduating Seniors.

Now, there are some that would tell you to open a new Gmail account, and just share your docs from drive with the new account.  The trouble with this is:

1. Once the old account is archived, links to "Shared" documents will disappear.
2. You cannot transfer ownership of shared files to an account outside of your GAFE district.

So what do you do?  There's a solution for that.  Google Takeout!  This is a service from Google that allows you to download a ZIP file of your docs from Google Drive so you can manually upload them to a new account.  Watch this video to learn how....

A couple of tips to keep in mind:

• Focus primarily on your Drive Account.
• While there are other services you can add to your zip file, your docs are the main thing you'll want to save.
• Set your NEW Drive account to Convert Uploaded Documents to Docs format
• When you download your ZIP File, all downloads are converted to Microsoft Office Files.  You'll want to convert them back.
• If you decide to download messages from Gmail, try using this link to learn how to put them into your new account:  http://goo.gl/yK8p8t

Boost the Power of Comments When Grading Google Docs

The greatest thing about Google Apps for Education is that teachers can go paperless.  By making lessons available on Google Classroom, or affording students the flexibility of submitting work via Google Docs, there is little to no need for paper submitted work.  And, it also takes away the argument of "my dog ate my homework".  Unless your dog eats the internet, I think that excuse is gone.

The only thing greater than going paperless, is the ability to leave comments when grading student work. If you haven't already noticed by now, there is a Comments button at the top right of any Google Sheet or Doc.

 

Teachers can also change from Editing to Suggesting in a Google Doc.  Suggesting allows any edits typed on the page to become suggestions that students can use later to update a Draft before turning in a Final Submission.

But when it comes to grading digital submissions, one of the complaints I hear from teachers is that they tire of typing the same comments over and over again.  There is a way to combat this task, if you feel the same way.

In Docs and Slides, users can use the Preferences in the Tools menu to set up frequently used phrases.  

For instance, if you wanted to leave a comment such as "hyphenate this word", but you don't want to type it over and over again, you could use the substitution "hyp" to auto insert the phrase.  

1. Just go to Tools, and click on Preferences
2. In the Replace / With boxes, type your shorthand preference in Replace and the long version of your comment in the With box.
3. Click OK

Now you're ready to use your substitution.  In Suggesting Mode, just click where you want to make a suggestion, type your shorthand comment, and click enter.

Happy Grading!

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.

Workflow AddOns for Google Docs and Sheets

Earlier this week, a subscriber posted a question for the Techy Coach regarding Workflows and Document Approval.  Specifically, there was a need for an AddOn that would allow users to get approval from multiple document reviewers.

To answer this question, I posted this tutorial regarding two AddOns:  Workflows and Collavate.  Both of these AddOns are available for Docs and Sheets and work great for document review/approval.  Take at look at the tutorial and then use the links below to find these AddOns.

Workflows - https://goo.gl/MQTbdr 

Collavate - https://goo.gl/yEvUlv

List-makers and Note-Takers Listen Up! Google Doc Navigation Now Made Easy!

Yesterday. Google released an update for Google Docs users that allows for easier navigation in longer documents.  Whether you have applied Headers to your document or not, the intelligent design of this tool will recognize breaks in your document to make for easier searching and navigation.  

If you don't notice this feature already, you can turn it on by clicking on the Tools Menu and selecting Document Outline.  This feature is also available on Google Docs for Android.

So for Google users who use Docs to create large documents, lessons, or outlines, this feature is a huge time-saver.  As a result, this tool means that study time for students is more efficient, as they can quickly and easily jump to any topic they need to review.  

Much like a web-quest, teachers can also create Choose Your Own Adventure stories that utilize the features of the document outline.  For example, as students complete a passage, they could be given a choice to go on to one of two passages, which they could quickly jump to using the document outline.

Publish Your Docs for Use on eReaders

So how many teachers out there would like to publish their lessons or documents so that students could read them on their mobile device just like a book?  I'm thinking quite a few!  If that is the case with you, Google just took the guesswork out of publishing for you.

Today's Google Apps Update allows Google Docs users to publish docs as an ePub file format.  What does this mean?  ePub files (short for electronic publication) are an e-book file format (*.epub) that can be read on apps such as Play Books (Google), Kindle (amazon ereader), the iBooks app for iOS , and many others.  

For teachers, this a huge advantage, as they can develop classroom materials that students can download to their mobile device, tablet, or laptop for easier access.

To take advantage of this feature, go to the file menu of Google Docs, choose Download As, and then select EPUB.  Your document will be downloaded as an epub file that you can then make available to students on your website.  



So for teachers that are looking to extend the walls of their classroom, the possibilities are endless.  You can make content available for kids such as packets, short publications, textbooks, or compilations of short stories.  While many districts are looking for ways to satisfy tighter budgets, this is a great time to look at developing your own textbook.  Just make sure you obey copyright laws!  

Google Apps Updates - Google Sheets and Templates for Docs

This week, Google dropped two updates that are sure to whet your appetite.  Take a look at these changes!

Google Sheets

For all of you spreadsheet lovers who have been waiting for a text-to-column tool, its here!  On March 1st, Google added a Text-To-Column option allowing you to split text into separate columns.  Here is a sample along with the post from Google

Templates for Google Docs

Also, today, Google released new templates available for Docs, Sheets, and Slides users.  These templates have been created by pros like Quickbooks, Google Science Fair, and Reading Rainbow.  To use Templates, all you have to do is click on the File menu of any doc, choose New and Template.

You can also access the templates by visiting the main links for each doc:

• Google Docs - http://docs.google.com 
• Google Sheets - http://sheets.google.com
• Google Slides - http://slides.google.com

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.

Tutorial Showcase: Google Drive

Whether you are a new user to Google Drive or not, you can pick up some helpful tips from these Google Drive videos.  Find out how to:

• Share A Doc
• Share A Folder
• Transfer Ownership of a Doc
• Upload Files from an iPad

Watch using the playlist below, or by visiting the Google Drive page on my site.  Enjoy!

Use Google Drawings to Create Dynamic Text and Clip Art

One of the things that many people miss when making the transition from Microsoft Office to Google Docs are the text and clip art editing tools.  But don't forget that inside Google Docs and Slides, you can insert artwork using Google Drawings.  By using Google Drawings you can:

• Insert Annotated Screenshots
• Create Drop Shadow Effects for Text
• Add Shapes and Flowcharts
• Create your own Clip Art
• Insert Annotated Images

To give you a sense of how easy it is, watch this video that explains how to use Drawings to accomplish a few of the tasks listed above.

While making your own effects and clip art may take some time, it is worth it.  Give it a try!

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...

Templates Available for Google Mobile Apps

If you've been waiting with bated breath for the coming of templates to Google Mobile Apps, then wait no longer!  Yesterday, Google launched templates in Docs, Sheets, and Slides for iOS and Android.  

Now when you create a document in any of these apps, you have the option of choosing from several templates.  Now formatting is a breeze, as it has already been done for you.  Take a peek at left.  

Make sure to visit the iOS app store or Google Play Store for your mobile device and update your apps to see these changes.  Also visit the launch site to see more about these changes.