Time Saving Tech Tips

Time Saving Chrome Browser Tips

Need to roll a dice? Type "roll a dice" into the Omnibox (address bar) of a Chrome browser.

Need to flip a coin? Type "flip a coin" into the Omnibox of a Chrome browser.

Need a timer? Type "timer" into the Omnibox of a Chrome browser.

Need a calculator? Type "calculator" into the Omnibox of a Chrome browser.

Need a conversion calculator? Type "conversion calculator" into the Omnibox of a Chrome browser.

Need to check the status of a flight? Just type the flight number into the Omnibox of a Chrome browser.

Also check out https://www.google.com/flights/ to find the flights!

Need to define a word? Type "define (+ word you need to define)" (i.e. define chemistry) into the Omnibox of a Chrome browser.

Check out David Pogue's Ted Talk for some other great, simple, time saving technology tips.

Google Educator Certification

This week we are working on the Drive lessons and taking the exam. Click here to find the basic Drive lessons and here to find the advanced Drive lessons. You may find the training on Docs helpful as well. You can navigate to this training on the left side of the page. Remember that you will have to pay $15 to take the exam and will reimbursed for the cost of all of your exams upon completing the certification. If you need any help, please email Cassie or Matt!

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

Booktrack Classroom + Google Drive for your Desktop

Booktrack Classroom

Transform reading and writing in your classroom with Booktrack Classroom. With Booktrack Classroom you can take a piece of writing and add soundtracks and sound effects to create a complete experience for your readers. You can also read a number of books from the Booktrack Classroom bookshelf that have soundtracks already completed. Try this tool to increase engagement, comprehension, and enjoyment in reading and writing! Click here to check out a video.

Google Drive for your Desktop

Google announced that they are providing Google for Education accounts free unlimited storage. If you are still using your home drive, now is a great time to take advantage of Google Drive’s storage, syncing and sharing features.

Google Drive for your PC is an application that installs a folder on your computer with automatic syncing to your Google Drive on the web (White Bear Apps). It allows you to drag and drop files from your home and shared folders to Google Drive and gives you 24/7 access to Google Drive from your computer, even when internet connection is interrupted.

Click here for instructions to install Google Drive for your desktop!

Google Educator Certification

Join Cassie and Matt in becoming Google Educators! This certification includes completing 6 modules (4 required and 2 elective) that explore Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Sites, Chrome, and Chromebooks. After each module you need to take an exam to demonstrate your understanding. The exams are $15.00 each. Upon passing all 6 exams you will be reimbursed $90.00 for the cost of the exams by the technology department.

This week we are working on the Gmail lessons and taking the exam. Click here to find the lessons. Cassie and Matt will be available from 4:00pm - 5:30pm at South Campus on Monday, December 15th to offer help on the basics course. You are not required to attend these help sessions and you can move through the modules at your own pace!

If you are interested in this opportunity but have not yet signed up, please complete your registration here.

Upon completion of the 6 modules and exams you can submit for reimbursement here.

Google Educator Certification + Chromebook Tips

Google Educator Certification

Join Cassie and Matt in becoming Google Educators! This certification includes completing 6 modules (4 required and 2 elective) that explore Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Sites, Chrome, and Chromebooks. After each module you need to take an exam to demonstrate your understanding. The exams are $15.00 each. Upon passing all 6 exams you will be reimbursed $90.00 for the cost of the exams by the technology department.

This week we are working on the Basic lessons and taking the exam. Click here to find the lessons. This module is not required for certification but will provide a good starting point before we start working on the more complex courses. Cassie and Matt will be available from 4:00pm - 5:30pm at South Campus on Monday, November 24th and Monday, December 1st to offer help on the basics course. You are not required to attend these help sessions and you can move through the modules at your own pace!

If you are interested in this opportunity but have not yet signed up, please complete your registration here.

Chromebook Tips

This ThingLink has a great overview of Google Chrome features, Chromebook shortcuts and a few Chrome web apps for education. For those unfamiliar with ThinkLink, it is a great tool that teachers or students could use to link information about a topic in a visually appealing way. Think of it like an interactive poster. Create your own at thinglink.com.

Google Educator Certification + kidPicker Application

Google Educator Certification Opportunity

Join Cassie and Matt in becoming Google Educators! This certification includes completing 6 modules (4 required and 2 elective) that explore Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Sites, Chrome, and Chromebooks. Click here for additional details. After each module you need to take an exam to demonstrate your understanding. The exams are $15.00 each. Upon passing all 6 exams you will be reimbursed $90.00 for the cost of the exams by the technology department.

Cassie and Matt will be completing a module every two weeks. The module's materials will be sent out via tech tips. Cassie and Matt will be available from 4:00pm - 5:30pm at South Campus on Mondays according to the following schedule to help with the current module. You are not required to attend these help sessions and you can move through the modules at your own pace!

If you are interested please sign up here as this opportunity is currently limited to 25 staff members!

Schedule:

• Beginning Tuesday, November 18th - Learn the Basics Module* + Exam
• Help on Monday, November 24th or Monday, December 1st
• *The basics module and exam are not part of the certification described above, but are helpful to complete prior. The basics exam is free.
• Beginning Tuesday, December 2nd - Gmail Module + Exam
• Help on Monday, December 15th
• Beginning Tuesday, December 16th - Calendar Module + Exam
• Help on Monday, January 5th
• Beginning Tuesday, January 6th - Drive Module + Exam
• Help on Monday, January 12th
• Beginning Tuesday, January 20th - Sites Module + Exam
• Help on Monday, January 26th or Monday, February 2nd
• Beginning Tuesday, February 3rd - Elective Module I* + Exam
• Help on Monday, February 9th
• *Cassie and Matt will likely do Chrome as the elective module. 
• Beginning Tuesday February 17th - Elective Module II* + Exam
• Help on Monday, February 23rd
• *Cassie and Matt will likely do Chromebooks as the elective module. 

KidPicker Application

kidPicker is a tool that equitably randomizes the student selection process, allowing a teacher to maximize the spread of students selected on the same day. It also tracks simple teacher scorings (1,2,3) in a Google Spreadsheet. 

Check out these instructions to get started!