Google Drawing Power Tip - Vermont Fest 2012

Today's Tip

Using Google Drawing to create a Google Site Banner

Why It Matters

Google Drive on Mobile Devices Tip - Vermont Fest 2012

Google Drive Mobile App Tip - Vermont Fest 2012

Google Drive for Mobile Devices Power Tip - Vermont Fest 2012

Today's Tip

How to use the Google Drive App to easily edit your Google Docs.

Why It Matters

There is a Google Drive App that can be downloaded onto ios devices that makes it easy to edit and share documents.   

 Details of the Tip

Google Drive lets you keep all your stuff in one place. Upload all your files from your computer - even the big ones - and you can access them anywhere, including your iPhone or iPad. We get you started with 5 GB free.

Quickly share a photo with a friend 1000 miles away. Read the most up to date version of your document whether you’re at home, at the office, or on the go. Make items available offline so you view them while you’re on a plane. No matter what happens to your devices, even if your iPhone goes for a swim, your files are safely stored in Google Drive.

Download the app to your device and when you open the program you will be able to view and edit your documents and spreadsheets on your device.

Updates to the Google Drive app allow you to:

- Edit Google documents with formatting and collaboration
- Edits to your Google documents appear to collaborators in seconds
- Richer Google presentations with animations and speaker notes
- Create a new folder or Google document
- Upload photos and videos from your device or a photo directly from your camera 
- Move an item to a folder in your Drive
- Delete and remove files from your Drive

To download the Google Drive App for ios devices visit this link from your mobile device and download the app.  

Learn More About Google Blogger Mobile App

Learn Even More

Check out this this google help document on Google Drive for more information about Google Drive.   

Google Blogger Tip - Vermont Fest 2012

Google Blogger Tip - Vermont Fest 2012

Google Blogger Power Tip - Vermont Fest 2012

Today's Tip

How to use the Blogger Mobile App to post to your Blog

Why It Matters

When you have installed the Blogger Mobile App onto your device, you have easy access to post directly to your blog from your mobile device.   There is an android version of the app as well as an ios version for ipads, ipods, and iphones.   

 Details of the Tip

Download the app to your device and when you open the program you will have an easy interface to post pictures and blog posts to your blog.   You can take a picture within the app to post or use something you have in your Camera Roll.  Please note you can not upload a video from the mobile app at this time.

Within the app you can also delete old posts and make changes to posts you have on your blog.

To download the Blogger Mobile App for ios devices visit this link from your mobile device and download the app.  

Learn More About Google Blogger Mobile App

Learn Even More

Check out this blog on the new app for more information about Google Blogger.   There is a link to the Android mobile app in this blog.

Google Docs/Presentation Tip - Vermont Fest 2012

Google Docs/Presentation Tip - Vermont Fest 2012

Google Docs Power Tip - Vermont Fest 2012

Today's Tip

How to use the Research tool in Google Docs.

Why It Matters

Students can conduct research from within Google Docs(Presentations and Documents).  The built in tools for citing their resources makes it easy for them to reference their sources.

 Details of the Tip

The Research tool makes it easy to add information from the web to your documents and presentations. To access the tool:

• Select the Research option from the Tools menu.
• Use the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + Cmd + I on Mac, Ctrl + Alt + I on PC).
• Right-click on a specific word and select Research.

The Research tool will appear along the right-hand side of your document or presentation. You can start a search by typing into the search bar. You can narrow your search to specific types of results (e.g. images, quotations) by using the drop-down menu in the search bar.

When conducting a search, the Research tool will show you different types of results — web results, images, quotations, maps, reviews, personal results, and more.

Learn More About Google Drive Research Tool

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Learn Even More

Check out the Google Research Help Page for more information about Google Drive 

Google Tip - Maps as Presentation

Its easy to think of ways to use Google Map and Google Earth in a Geography class.  But Google Maps can also be used in language arts class to provide a sense of place.

The famous Google Lit Trip, created by Jerome Burg,  offer a complementary experience to accompany many pieces of literature read in schools.  The LIT trips download on Google Earth  and provide place markers that open to provide additional information about the location, study guides to accompany the book, and more. Jerome has recently started to create some 100% iPad compatible projects that open and display well in Google Earth on the iPad.

An easy way to get started with a project like this is to use Google Maps to present information.
Take a look at how this teacher presents pieces of informational text that that her 2nd graders will read and discuss.   Her website includes an interactive map that she created using Google Maps.  The map was then embedded on her website for students to access.  When working with middle schools students on the 5 Themes of Geography,  the teacher could create the original map and  share the map with students and have them create a placemarker with links to their presentation about each country.

For more information on how to create a Google Map you can learn more on this quick overview from Google or you can dive into the wealth of resources Dave Davidson has assembled on creating Google Maps.  The video tutorial below can walk you through each step.

Recently I have discovered the My Map Editor Apps  which will allow you to create maps from your iPad.

And for those of you who would prefer the view on Google Earth,  try creating your map in Google Map, then downloading the KMZ or click on View in Google Earth link from your map.

Google Presentation Tip - VermontFest 2012

Several new features have been added to Google Documents recently that now work in Google Presentation as well as other document.

ONE feature in particularly has allowed me to LET GO of PowerPoint for building slides.
This was the ability to use CTRL V  to paste from the Clipboard of your local computer into Google Presentation.

I frequently use the windows snipping tool  or CMD, CTRL, SHIFT 4 (select Screen Capture) to grab screenshots or pieces of the current screen.   On your local machine, it was a simple CTRL V to paste them unto a document.  This did not work when pasting in a cloud based application.  But recently it started to work within Google applications.  This saves the 5  steps of  (Insert,  Image, Browse, File Select) and also saves all those "rogue" screen shot files all over my desktop that are for one time use.

This was the one reason I frequently built slides in PowerPoint and then inserted them into my Google Presentation later.   (Note:  Make sure there are no selected text box or objects before you try CTRL V to paste your screenshot)

Presentation Slides make a convenient canvas for creating quick and easy graphics to use elsewhere. For example,   I used this Google Presentation to collaboratively create all the slides for last year's Project Ignite Recognition.  When we were finished collaborating on these slides, I downloaded the Google Presentation and added it to Voice Thread which automatically put each slide on a different page in my VoiceThread).


Finally if you want to really STRETCH your use of Google Presentation, consider using Google Presentation to Create Animations.

The Animate feature of Google Presentation allows you to turn your Google Presentation into a primitive animation studio or  set up slides to reveal features when you click.

1. Right click on a selected shape and select Animate

1. Open the Appear drop-down menu to choose how you’d like a selected shape to appear.
2. Click the On click menu to set the timing for the shape’s animation.
3. Adjust the speed of each shape’s animation by selecting a speed along the Slow, Medium or Fast spectrum.

Check out this AMAZING ANIMATION using a 450 slide Google Presentation

Okay, so maybe using Google as an Animation Tool is not the 'smartest' way to make an animation, but
the Animate feature can be used to add focus to your Google Presentation.

Hide or incrementally reveal certain parts of a slide as you speak about them is a technique that can help  increase understanding of the visuals you are are using to supplement a lesson  or presentation.

Learn more about Google Presentation  from the Google Apps Training Document or by watching  from Zorba Rose's 2012 Overview of Google Presentation.

Google Data/Charts to Google Doc

Google Data/Charts Power Tip - Vermont Fest 2012

Today's Tip

Using Google Forms, Spreadsheets and Documents for data collection and reporting. 

Why It Matters

The Process of Scientific Inquiry is to Collect, Graph, & Interpret Data. Google Forms, Spreadsheets and Documents are tools that allow us to quickly and easily move from process to inquiry analysis.

The feature that most people are unaware of is that when you copy a chart/graph it saves to a web clipboard which is recognized in a Google document. Watch the following video demo of using a Google form to collect data, a Google Spreadsheet to create a pivot table and chart then copying the data set and chart into a Google Document.

For more information on using Google Spreadsheets go to the Google Help site.

Google Form Tip - Vermont Fest 2012

Google Forms Power Tip - Vermont Fest 2012

Today's Tip

Using Google Forms as a Project Based Learning (PBL) Checklist

Why It Matters

Ever have trouble keeping track of the status of all your students on a project that has several phases?  Try using Google Forms as a project management tools for a PBL learning environment.

The feature that makes this even more powerful than ever is that Google Forms NOW allows individuals to edit a form response after they have submitted it. The modified response will not create a new entry, but modify the existing entry on the spreadsheet. These edits will be reflected in your spreadsheet and in your summary of responses.
Note: If you provide the option to edit a response, an individual can modify their response as many times as they like. This is only available in Google Apps Domains (not in public Google accounts)

When creating Form -- Check Allow Users to EDIT Responses

Provide Students with the link to the Project Management Form and ask them to add links or notes about their document progress as they proceed to the next steps.

Make sure you KEEP Email me my form results checked.  

The Form Spreadsheet Data can also be shared with the class so EVERYONE can have an overall picture of how the project is coming along.



Check out these Google Help Pages for more details about this feature.

Learn More About Google Forms

Learn Even More

Check out the Google Form Section of the Google APPS Training DOC for for more information about Google Forms.

Google Drive Tip - Vermont Fest 2012

Google Drive Power Tip - Vermont Fest 2012

Today's Tip

Enter Description of the Tip

Why It Matters

Enter WHY IT MATTERS

Enter Details of the Tip

Add a Video or Screen Shot

Below  put a Video and/OR Link to the TIP  or the BASICS of this  TOOL in General

Learn More About Google Drive

Learn Even More

Check out the Google Drive Help Page for more information about Google Drive 

Vermont Fest 2012

Elizabeth, Lisa, and Lucie will be sharing some of their favorite Power Tips at Vermont Fest.

Help us decide which tips to show you.