Google Apps Update Alert - Inbox

Expanding the Inbox by Gmail early adopter program for work Posted: 28 May 2015 12:14 PM PDT Earlier today, we announced that Inbox by Gmail is now open to all consumers—no invitation required. We also announced several new features for Inbox like undo send and signatures. In addition, while we’re still in the early stages of bringing Inbox to work, we’ve expanded the Inbox early adopter program—announced earlier this year—so any Google Apps for Work customer who wants to join can do so. We want to build an Inbox that changes the way people get things done at work by collaborating with Apps for Work customers to bring Inbox to work, and we encourage Apps for Work customers interested in the early adopter program to get involved by joining the Inbox early adopter community. Notes: If you use Vault, you should carefully evaluate how existing domain rules work with Inbox before enabling Inbox for your domain. The early adopter program is currently not available for Google Apps for Education or Google Apps for Government customers.  Check out the Help Center for more details on the Inbox early adopter program. Release track: Rapid release and Scheduled release For more information: Help Center

The Power is within Chrome!

At the annual From My Classroom To Yours Conference at the SRI & ETTC, Stockton University, in Galloway, NJ, I presented on Google Chrome.  The presentation is called, 'The Power is within Chrome!'  It was an overwhelming turn out.    I wanted to share my presentation with you on my blog.  I hope you find it helpful.  Enjoy!

Here is the link to it too!

Tech Tip Tuesday: Managing Multiple Google Accounts

This video credit is from +Kasey Bell from Shakeuplearning.com. 

Today, I would like to share a short video with you on how to manage multiple Google accounts using the Google Chrome browser.  As a Technology Integration Coach, I have a lot of people asking my questions about logging into the Chrome and the purpose for it.  In this short video, Kasey demonstrates all of these concerns and much more. I hope you find it helpful.  

https://youtu.be/vnYFZSBmNR4

What's the Buzz about Google Classroom?

At the annual From My Classroom To Yours Conference at the SRI & ETTC in Galloway, NJ, I presented on 'What's the Buzz about Google Classroom?'  It was an overwhelming turn out.  There was so much demand for it, that I had to present it twice!  I wanted to share my presentation with you on my blog.  I hope you find it helpful.  Enjoy!

Here is the link to it too!

Tech Tip Tuesday: All Things Google!

Here is my presentation on All Things Google, from ParentCamp.  It includes many search tips and tricks and descriptions of other non-commonly used apps.  I hope you find it helpful!  Enjoy!

Google Apps Update Alert

PDF viewer and performance improvements for the Google Drive app for Android Posted: 13 May 2015 01:04 PM PDT A new version of the Google Drive app for Android is coming to Google Play this week. New features include: PDF Viewer enhancement: see completed form data Performance and interface improvements Release track: Rapid release and Scheduled release (gradual rollout) For more information: Get the latest Google Drive app on Google Play Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted Launch release calendar Get these product update alerts by email Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Mobile image and table insertion on the Google Docs and Slides apps Posted: 13 May 2015 11:59 AM PDT New versions of the Google Docs and Slides apps for Android and iOS are now available on Google Play and the App Store. New features include: Docs Insert images Slides Insert, crop and mask images Insert and manipulate tables All of today’s improvements to Docs and Slides will remain available when you’re offline. You’ll just need the updated mobile apps. Release track: Rapid release and Scheduled release For more information: Get the latest Docs and Slides apps on Google Play and the App Store (Docs | Slides) Help Center: Docs Help Center: Slides Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted Launch release calendar Get these product update alerts by email Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Changes to Drive folder and page URL structure Posted: 13 May 2015 11:13 AM PDT To improve overall performance, we’re moving from using hash marks (#) to using the HTML5 History API in Google Drive. This means that moving forward, Google Drive folder and page URLs will no longer include hash marks (for example, https://drive.google.com/drive/#folders/ABC will become https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ABC and https://drive.google.com/drive/#starred will become https://drive.google.com/drive/starred). Links to Drive folder and page URLs containing hash marks will continue to work indefinitely, but this change could impact any Google Apps admins or employees who parse Drive folder or page URLs specifically for the “#” symbol or who use Chrome extensions that employ the old-style URLs for Drive navigation. This change is currently live for Rapid release domains; the rollout to Scheduled release domains is planned for June 9th. Release track:  Live on Rapid release, with Scheduled release to follow on June 9th Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted Launch release calendar Get these product update alerts by email Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Tech Tip Tuesday: Advanced Tools using Google Forms

If you use Google Forms to creating quizzes and online assessments, there are many advanced features of using Forms that may be help you enhance the features of the assessment or grade it.  

I will list 3 tips that will provide you with more functionality with Google Forms. Note:  be sure you are comfortable with Google Forms and Add-ons.

1.  The first tip is to install the (gmath) for Forms add-on.  It will allow you to insert mathematical expressions, graphs, and a statistical display directly into your Google Form as an image.

For example, if I wanted to include a mathematical expression in my quiz, I would select the following options from the add-ons menu:

• Select 'Add-ons' from the menu
• Select '(gmath) for Forms' from the drop down menu
• Select 'Math expressions'
• scroll down to the 'Prebuilt formatting area' and click on the type of expression you want to enter
• then go to the 'LaTex' box and add your values into the expression.
• the expression will be displayed, click on 'Insert' to add it as an image to your Google Form.

2.  The second tip is to insert a section header item in the Google Form to include a small reading passage for your quiz.  After you insert the section header, you can the reading passage in the description area, as shown below.  Then you can add questions that correspond to the reading passage.

3.  The last tip is to password protect your quiz.  The purpose of providing a password is to allow you to make the link available for the Google Form, without worrying about students completing it prior to or after the lesson.  

You can easily set a password by adding a text question, click on 'advanced settings', and check off 'data validation' in the question, as shown below. Next, be sure to select 'Regular expression' as your data validation type and select 'Matches' then type the desired password and error message.  

I found these options to be beneficial when implementing different types of questions and content into an online assessment using Google Forms. 

Teacher Appreciation Week and the Bammy Awards

I am truly honored that I was nominated for a #BammyAward for School Technologist. It truly takes a "team" to be successful at your career and in life! I will never forgot how I felt reading all of the wonderful and kind comments my co-workers, friends, and family wrote about me.  The love and support was overwhelming, and for me after reading the comments, I feel I already am a winner!  I am truly thankful and I can never thank everyone enough!

There are so many dedicated, and amazing individuals nominated for a BammyAward.  However, everyone who works with children, in my opinion, are amazing and deserves a BammyAward!  We have the hardest, most challenging, most rewarding, and most important job in the world, which is to make a difference in student's lives and prepare them for the real world!

As Teacher Appreciation Week ends, think about all of the teachers who influenced you when you were younger, and how they affected you and made a difference in your life.  Reflect on the your challenges, achievements, and thank a teacher for your accomplishments!    Be sure to 'Pay it Forward' to someone else!

Please cast your vote for me for School Technologist and vote for other amazing people who are making a difference in education. Voting ends on May 15th.  The winners for each category will be revealed on June 30, 2015

Finally, please support my coworker Amy Carter who is nominated for a BammyAward in the Special Needs category.  She is a middle school special education teacher who teaches the Scholastic Read 180 program to her students.  She was recently recognized by Scholastic as a top teacher in the country for implementing the Read 180 program.  Click here to read more about Amy Carter.  

Again, thank you for your support!

Google Apps Update Alert!

Create, edit, and grade assignments on the go with new Classroom mobile app features Posted: 06 May 2015 09:57 AM PDT In January, we launched a Classroom mobile app for iOS and Android, because we knew that students were increasingly relying on mobile devices to get homework done on the go. That app has now been downloaded more than 2.5 million times. This functionality isn’t just useful for students, however. We’ve heard from teachers that they also want to be able to keep track of their classes no matter where they are or what device they’re on. Today, we’re making that even easier with several new features. Teachers can now: Create and edit assignments on the go, make copies of attachments, and attach new photos to assignments.  Grade assignments from their phones or tablets, and add private comments for students. Snap pictures to create assignments, so whiteboard photos and class notes can be posted to the stream for students who are absent and/or assigned to the class for a deeper dive. Release track: Rapid release and Scheduled release More information: Help Center: Get the classroom app Google for Education blog post Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted Launch release calendar Get these product update alerts by email Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Google Apps Update Alert!

Introducing Google+ Collections, a new way to group posts by topic Posted: 04 May 2015 12:38 PM PDT Today, we’re announcing Google+ Collections, a new way to group posts by topic. Every collection is a focused set of posts on a particular topic, providing an easy way for people using Google+ to organize their interests and focus areas. For Google Apps customers, collections could be used for communicating to a project team or organizing an event, allowing followers to easily access all relevant posts in one location. Each collection can be shared publicly, privately, or with a custom set of people. Once you create your first collection, your profile will display a new tab where other people can find and follow your collections. Posts in collections you follow will appear in your Home stream, with a link to easily jump right into the collection so you can get to similar content from that author. Collections is available on Android and the web starting today, with iOS coming later. Release track: Rapid release and Scheduled release For more information: Help Center Get the latest Google+ Android app on Google Play Google+ announcement Note: all launches are applicable to all Google Apps editions unless otherwise noted