DISD Ed Tech News
May 9, 2016
My Maps in Google Drive: Create Interactive Maps
The integration of Google My Maps within Google Drive has made it simple for anyone to create interactive maps. Both teachers and students can use these maps to display content for reports or instruction. For every pin dropped on the map, information and pictures can be added. Since it is in Google Drive, the map can be shared and worked on collaboratively as well.
To access Google My Maps, click the New button in Drive, hover over More, and select Google My Maps.
- Add different layers
- Change icon color and shape
- Measure the distance between locations
- Draw lines or shapes
- Add driving, biking, or walking routes
Take a look at a few of the images below, and then try out Google My Maps for yourself!
Google also has a gallery of interactive maps where you can get some very good ideas at https://maps.google.com/gallery?hl=en-US.
For more detailed mini tutorials in print with pictures to help you get started using My Maps in the classroom visit the Google Maps Help and Google Maps for Education. There's even a section at the Google Maps for Education link where you can learn to use Google Street View to travel the world without leaving your classroom. You can explore the Grand Canyon, Amazon, Antarctica, and the Great Barrier Reef!
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Google Lit Trips - Reading the World
While Google Earth will work well on PCs but not on Chromebooks, you and/or your students can still produce similar products using Google's My Maps. To use Google Lit Trips you must register for a free account on their website and download Google Earth to your computer.
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Your Own Personal Google Coach Now Available Through Synergyse
You may have noticed a new icon in the upper right corner when you open Gmail or a Google Doc. That colorful round icon with the question mark in the center is Synergize, a built-in coach to help you with using Google Apps. Click on it and you will see a pop-out menu of available tutorials on questions you may have. These are available in both print and an auditory version where you can listen to the instructions while you practice on your computer. Synergize will become a built in part of every Google product now that Google has purchased the company. The App was "pushed" to all DISD users so that you can now begin using it when you have questions during your use of one of the Google Apps. Try it out and see how well it works for you! Below is the announcement from Google posted on Monday, May 2, 2016.
"When learning a new skill, it’s helpful and comforting to have a coach by your side, every step of the way. Whether it’s a golf instructor giving tips on your swing, or a parent sitting (calmly!) in the passenger seat while you learn to drive. The same is true when learning a new technology. That’s why we — and thousands of Google Apps customers — have been so excited about Synergyse."
"Synergyse built a virtual coach inside of the Google Apps interface, built on Google Cloud Platform. With voice and text interactive modules that are searchable by topic within our apps, Synergyse will help your users get up to speed quickly — including when new features are rolled out. The trainings are always up to date, thanks to the power of the cloud."
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Use the "Save as Doc" Add-On To Make Google Form Responses Easier to Read
One very nice solution for this problem is the add-on for Sheets called "Save as Doc". Teachers can then take the responses from a Google Form and put them into a readable format as a Google Doc. Viewing the responses to a form in a Google Sheet means that each student's responses are shown on a different line with each cell containing an answer to a question. The "Save as Doc" add-on for Google Sheets takes these rows one at a time and displays the same data vertically one line at a time in a question and answer format which is much easier to read.
To install the "Save as Doc" add-on you need to open a Google Sheet, either one that you already have in Drive or a new one, and click on Add-ons at the top of your sheet just under the title. Scroll down to find "Save as Doc" or search for "Save as Doc". You can also just go directly to this link. Click the "+Free" button to install the add-on.
Once you have the add-on installed you can use it on any spreadsheet by doing the following:
1) Select the rows and columns of data you want to turn into a Google Doc.
2) Click on Add-ons in the upper menu and then click on "Save as Doc", then "Start". The first time you use the add-on it may ask for permissions to view your Google Forms, etc. Click OK to give these permissions.
3) This will open a window on the right side of your Google Sheet and you can give the new Doc a name so you will recognize it.
4) Check Include Headings if you would like the column heading to appear above each item in the new Doc. This will put your questions above each answer on your Doc if you want them.
5) Check the box beside Add a pagebreak after each row to start a new page in the Google Doc for each row in the spreadsheet. This will put all the answers from each person on an individual page. Remember: we aren't doing this to print them, just so it's easier to read on your computer or device.
6) Click the Save as Doc button. When it is done you can click Open the Doc to view your new document. The responses from the Google Form will now be in an easy to read Google Doc.
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Respond Quickly with Google Drive Notifications in Google Chrome
Users can control which notifications they receive, on a per-device basis. This is really helpful when you are waiting on someone to share a file with you because you don't have to go back into your Google Drive frequently to see if it has been added. Just sit back and let Google notify you when the file is shared.
Users of Google Drive will now notice a message from Google in the bottom left of their document list when in Drive which will outline the benefits of the feature with a link to enable it.
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Resizing the Formula Bar for Easier Reading and Typing in Google Sheets
If you only have view or comment access to a shared spreadsheet it is often difficult to read the entire contents of a cell containing a large amount of text as well. With this launch, you can simply click the bottom of the function bar and drag it up or down to make it big enough to see everything within it.
Posted in Google Apps Updates - April 26, 2016
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UPCOMING TRAININGS FOR SPRING 2016
Remember - trainings are open to anyone who would like to attend! They are not just for teachers. You can pre-register for any of these trainings in Eduphoria.
If you would like to arrange a training on your campus or a personal one-on-one session please email Rhonda Artho at rhonda.artho@dumasisd.org.
May 2016
05/10/16 - Flipping with YouTube
05/17/16 - National Park Service Online Classroom Resources (including Teaching with Historic Places)
05/25/16 - Connected Classrooms and Global Digital Citizenship
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DAILY FREE AND SALE IOS APPS & KINDLE BOOKS
DISD Instructional Technology
Email: rhonda.artho@dumasisd.org
Website: http://dumasisd.org/about-education-instructional-technology
Location: DISD Teacher Training Center
Phone: 806-935-6461 1029