Pushing Chrome Apps to Students + RealTimeBoard Application

Pushing Chome Apps to Students with Google Play

Chrome Apps are web-based applications that run in the Chrome browser. Teachers can push these applications to students' Chromebooks by following these simple steps:

1. Go to Google Play for Education (play.google.com/edu). If you haven't logged into your isd624 Google account already, log in when prompted.

2. Click on "Chrome Apps" on the left side of the screen. The apps are broken down by subject area.

3. Click on the desired app and click "install."

4. Type the email of the student or group of students that you want to push the app out to. Click here to see a short video on finding pre-made groups for your classes. Your student groups should populate upon typing the name of your class(es).

There are many great content applications, but there are also general tools that you can explore! For example, you could push students the Google Keep application covered in last week's tips! Students find the applications that have been pushed to them by clicking the circle in the lower left corner of their Chromebook screen.

NOTE: Not all applications available in the Chrome Webstore are available to be pushed out to students through Google Play for Education. If there is an application you available in the Webstore that you wish to push to students, please submit a Bear Tech Ticket with this request. Google Extensions that are available in the Chrome Webstore add features to the Chrome Browser. They cannot be pushed from Google Play for Education. If you would like your students to have a specific Google Extension, please submit a Bear Tech Ticket. 

RealTimeBoard: A Chrome App for Collaboration

RealTimeBoard is a Chrome application currently available in the Chrome Webstore or at https://realtimeboard.com/app that serves as a collaboration space. You can add pictures, drawings, videos, sticky notes, Google Drive files and more on an endless whiteboard canvas. Watch the following video for a quick preview of this application:

Google Play for Edu + Simple Chromebook Shortcuts

Introducing Google Play for Education

White Bear Lake Schools now have access to the Google Play for Education Store. This means that teachers can send out specific Chrome and Android apps to groups of students.

Google Play for Education is an extension of Google Play designed for schools. Here educators can discover Android and Chrome apps approved by teachers for teachers, as well as educational videos and a collection of classic books for their classroom.

Teachers can search for approved apps by grade, subject and standard, including Common Core State Standards. Instant distribution lets educators bring apps directly to classrooms and schools.

See this presentation made by our own Nicky Lavalley for instructions on how to send apps to students.

Please contact Steve Asper (steve.asper@isd624.org) with any specific questions related to Google Play for Edu.

Useful Chromebook Shortcuts

Here is a handful of Chromebook shortcuts that Sunrise 8th graders think will save you time! To see a full menu of keyboard shortcuts open a Chromebook and press Ctrl + Alt + ?

The screencast was made by 8th grade students in the Tech Depot. Tech Depot is an advisory group at both Sunrise and Central middle school that assists with Chromebook repairs, troubleshooting, and shares their tech wisdom with students and staff.

As always, please contact Cassie Knutson (cassie.knutson@isd624.org) or myself (matt.skogen@isd624.org) with questions. We are available to meet with you one on one or in small groups to help make your innovative ideas a reality.