Google Calendar Tips + Iorad

Teachers are busy. It’s hard to keep it all straight between I.E.P. meetings, after school activities, and students requesting help outside of class (not including doctors appointments, your kids soccer practice, or social gatherings). Fortunately, Google has a couple of handy features to make our lives a bit easier. 

Daily agenda
This is especially handy for people that, like me, are creatures of routine. The daily agenda automates an email at a 5 a.m. everyday. It is set up on a per-calendar basis, so you only configure it for the calendars you want to include and the events from all your selected calendars will be collated into one daily agenda email.

To do that follow these steps (or try this interactive created with iorad):

1. Open up Google Calendar
2. Click on the gear icon
3. Click Settings
4. Click on the calendar you want to configure (in the left pane) and then scroll down to the General notification section. 
5. In this section, click on the drop-down for Daily agenda and select Email

Event notifications
You can add event notifications to each calendar, in the form of notifications or emails (notifications are desktop pop ups). Personally, I use them both, because it never hurts to have multiple reminders. On my most important calendars, I set them up so that an email will come through an hour before an event and a notification will popup ten minutes before an event. 

To do that follow these steps (or try this interactive created with iorad):

1. Open up your Google Calendar
2. Click on the Gear icon
3. Click Settings
4. Select the calendar to be configured
5. Scroll down to Event notifications
6. Click the drop-down and select the type of notification you want to set
7. Configure the time associated with the alert

Iorad, while in beta, is a free tool that requires a sign-up and a Java plug-in. It is set up specifically to capture screens and video demonstrations, then annotate them with easy-to-grasp tools.

You can either capture a single window and annotate it with text, arrows, and other common image editing tools, or grab a video of everything you do inside a window to demonstrate mouse actions or multi-step processes. When you're done clicking about, Iorad automatically adds arrow pointers and highlights to provide a template for explaining your process. It might take a bit to get used to, but it is potentially game changing when you consider the applications for student centered learning in your classroom setting. 

To get the Iorad Chrome extension click here. For support using this tool, contact your DLS. 

Alternatives to Flash + The New Google Calendar

Find Alternatives to Flash Websites and Applications

The Chrome browser is progressing towards not supporting Flash in favor of supporting HTML5. This means that websites and applications that run on Flash will not function well or at all on the Chromebooks. Please begin finding alternatives to these websites and applications. You may also contact the publisher of the content and request that they switch to HTML5. Your DLS will also support you in finding solutions.

Google provided this statement:

Adobe Flash Player played a pivotal role in the adoption of video, gaming and animation on the web. Today, sites typically use technologies like HTML5, giving you improved security, reduced power consumption and faster page load times. Going forward, Chrome will de-emphasize Flash in favor of HTML5.

For the full statement, click here.

The New Google Calendar

A fresh look and new features have arrived to Google Calendar to help you manage your time more efficiently and get more done. Click here to learn more about the new layout and features or watch this video!

Finding Calendars in New Calendar

You can add resource calendars (like the GOOGLE EXPEDITIONS calendar) in your Google Calendar. Here are 4 simple steps:

1. Select the “+” to “add other calendars”. 
2. Select “Browse resource.” 
3. Choose your school or “Other.” 
4. Select the calendar you wish to add.

Google Calendar Integration in Classroom + Google Expeditions + Adding People to Schoology Groups

Google Calendar Integration in Classroom 

With Google Classroom's new feature you can now see any assignment that you post to the Stream in a calendar view. Click here to get some directions on how to make sure your calendars are setup. If you already use a shared Google Calendar with your classes, you can learn how to transfer events from one calendar to another here.

The great thing about having your assignments sync to a Google Calendar is that the calendar can now be shared in other places like Schoology. This makes it easy for you to post assignments in Classroom for students and still be able to let parents see what is happening in your class within Schoology. Watch this video for instructions on how to embed your Classroom calendar on your Schoology page. 

Help Bring Virtual Reality Field Trips to White Bear

Google just announced it's new Expeditions program that will bring virtual reality (VR) field trips to schools free of charge. Their program facilitators come to schools with VR headsets and all of the other tools required for teachers to lead kids on over 100 immersive learning experiences. 

Unfortunately, Minnesota is not on their initial list of locations that the Expeditions team will be visiting but if we can create enough buzz about it here in White Bear we can get their attention. If you are interested in taking your students on a virtual field trip sign up here to get our district noticed. 

In the meantime, you can learn more about VR technology and do some exploring of your own with the relatively inexpensive Google Cardboard viewers and almost any smartphone.

Manually Adding People to Courses or Groups in Schoology

All of your Schoology courses sync rosters with your courses in Skyward so that you do not have to manually enter students if they join your class or delete them out if they leave. However, there may be times when you want to add someone to your class roster or invite them to be part of a group. 

When adding new members to a course or group you must first select the building that they are associated with before searching for their name. This will help ensure that you add the right person.

 

Join the Technology and Leadership Cohort

White Bear Lake Area Schools, in collaboration with Hamline University invite you to apply to join the 2015-2016 Technology & Leadership Cohort.

Starting October 27, 2015, ~30 teachers will begin White Bear’s third Cohort, focused on improving leadership and technology skills through four blended courses.  Teachers will also earn 15 inexpensive graduate credits and a Technology & Leadership Certificate through Hamline.

The focus of these classes will be to enhance practice of integrating technology into White Bear Lake’s curriculum as well as build leadership skills in teachers in the field of technology and learning.  The Cohort will give you the opportunity to collaborate with WBLAS colleagues from different grade levels and buildings.  The Cohort will be taught in a blended format with all face to face meetings being held Tuesday (one exception) afternoon/evenings once month (on average).