Choice Eliminator 2 Add-On + Expeditions Update

Choice Eliminator Google Form Add-On

Choice Eliminator 2 will eliminate options from multiple-choice, dropdown, or checkbox types of question in a Google Form. Choice Eliminator 2 is great for signing up for time slots or having students choose topics without doubling up. Watch the video below for a quick tutorial or contact your digital learning specialist for help.

The basic work flow:

• Create your Google Form.
• Add the Choice Eliminator 2 add-on.
• Configure the Choice Eliminator 2 add-on to eliminate choices after a certain number of responses has been reached for a particular choice. 
• Use the response spreadsheet to see response data.

Update on District Google Expeditions Kits

We are very excited about how many of you are integrating Google Expeditions into your 4 C's lessons. The calendar has become a challenge and so to make sure the kit is where it is supposed to be on the correct days and times, we are asking that you contact your DLS to set up times. You will notice that you can see the calendar but only a DLS can schedule your expedition. Don't let this deter you! Look at the calendar and find a time, let your DLS know what day and time you would like and we will schedule it. Thank you for partnering with us!

#GoogleEDU Tuesday Tips + Google Forms

You can plan events, make a survey or poll, give students a quiz, or collect other information in an easy, streamlined way with Google Forms. You can create a new form from Google Drive or edit one from a preexisting template. Here are three examples and tutorials of ways to use Google Forms in your classroom.

Self Assessment Tutorial & Example

When grouping students for differentiated instruction, use Google Forms to have your students complete a formative self-assessment. This same process could be used to report progress on a long-term project or evaluate their attitude towards learning. 

Election Ballot & Example 

Instead of collecting paper ballots, use Google Forms to tally votes in real time and foster the habit of voting in your classroom. This process could be used for any election, poster contests, or to simply showcase democratic choice.

Logic Branching & Example

Google Forms allows teachers to create sections so that all of the questions are not all on one screen. In some circumstances, the questions do not apply for every student. If you are using a Google Form as a formative assessment you can direct students to a page with instruction on the topic if they get the question wrong or go to the next question if they get the question correct.



Google for Education has introduced, “Tuesday Tips,” a weekly spotlight on Google for Education tools. This is a fantastic new resource from Google for Education. These tips come in the form of a published Google Slide Deck (see links below). So far, they have released tips for Google Expeditions, Google Forms, and Google Classroom. 

Classroom Tips: https://goo.gl/WcJdpp
Expeditions Tips: https://goo.gl/sWtqWC 
Forms Tips: https://goo.gl/f36Hjz 

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).