Chrome Extensions

Chrome Extensions

Chrome extensions are small software programs that can modify and enhance the functionality of the Chrome browser. You can find Chrome Extensions in the Chrome Web Store. There are many extensions available to improve your workflow. Here are some of our favorites:

• Save to Google Drive: The Save to Google Drive Chrome extension helps you save web content or browser screenshots to your Google Drive. - Imagine you find a great lesson plan - you can click the save to drive extension to send a screenshot of the webpage to your Google Drive.

• Clipboard History 2: The Clipboard History Chrome extension helps you to retrieve previously copied content. Imagine you are giving students digital feedback and you find that you find that you are repeating the same feedback - you can copy the content and then access any copied content in the clipboard history to use again. 

• Awesome Screenshot Capture and Annotate: The Awesome Screenshot Chrome extension helps you take screenshots and annotate them. You can save the annotated screenshots to your Google Drive. You can screenshot selected regions of your screen with this extension.

• Google Calendar: The Google Calendar Chrome extension is a button on your browser toolbar that you can click to see upcoming events from your Google Calendar and add events to your Google Calendar, without ever leaving your page. Imagine you need to check what time your next meeting begins or you need to quickly add a meeting with a student to your schedule - you can quickly add this event to your calendar without leaving your current page. 

• Google Tasks: The Google Tasks Chrome extension helps you easily add and manage your tasks from Chrome in one of three ways: 1) Simply type "t Your new task" into the Chrome Omnibar to add a task from whatever web page you're on. 2) Click the Tasks icon to add a task, see your tasks and task lists and mark a task as completed 3) Highlight text on any web page, right click and add that text to a new task.

• Bookmark Manager: The Bookmark Manager Chrome extension makes bookmarking easier with the smarts of Google Search and a new modern interface. With this extension you can utilize a one-click save feature and add images and notes to your bookmarks to make them more helpful. Also, Google will suggest a folder if it seems like it could be a fit. You can share bookmarks with your friends and family. This extension provides an improved search and your bookmarks will automatically be organized by topic, like “Tokyo” and “Photography,” but you can still organize them into folders yourself.

eduCanon + Favorite Chrome Extensions

eduCanon 

eduCanon is an online learning environment to build and share interactive video lessons with your students. You can begin with any YouTube, Vimeo, or TeacherTube video content (screencasts, Khan Academy, Minute Physics, TED, NOVA, etc.) and transform what is traditionally passive content into an active experience for students. At certain points in the video you can add a number of different questions to assess understanding of what they are watching. You can also monitor their responses in real-time and decide how to proceed with your lesson. Oh yeah, it's also free! Click here to give it a try.

My Favorite Chrome Extensions

Chrome extensions add exciting new functionality to your Chrome web browser and help you get things done. There are thousands of them out there so it's hard to know where to start! Here a few of my favorite that I use almost daily. 

Nimbus Screenshot - Capture Web page, a part of it or the whole browser window, edit screenshots and save the images to Local File or Google Drive.

Adblock Plus -  The free adblock tool for Chrome: Blocks annoying video ads on YouTube, Facebook ads, banners and much more.

Clipboard History - Roll back your clipboard! The product keeps a history of a content, which has been recently copied to the computer clipboard. By selecting any last copied text you automatically copy it into the clipboard again. You can also see the time every text was copied. Don't lose your information!

Tab resize - Split Screen made easy. Resize the current tab and tabs to the RIGHT into layouts on separate windows. With multi monitor support.

ShortenMe - Quickly shorten links with goo.gl, copy them to the clipboard, and generate QR codes

OneTab - Whenever you find yourself with too many tabs, click the OneTab icon to convert all of your tabs into a list. When you need to access the tabs again, you can either restore them individually or all at once.

TechSmith Snagit - Take a screenshot, screen capture, or screen video recording. Collaborate and show what you know. (works on Chromebooks too!)

Google Educator Certification

This week we are working on the Calendar lessons and taking the exam. Click here to find the lessons. Remember that you will have to pay $15 to take the exam and will reimbursed for the cost of all of your tests upon completing the certification. Cassie or Matt will be available from 4:00pm - 5:30pm in South Campus Media Center on Monday, January 5th to offer help on the course. You are not required to attend these help sessions and you can move through the modules at your own pace! Please email ahead if you plan on attending the help session.

10 Tips for Becoming A Google Educator