New Version of Google Sites

New Google Sites:

Google has rolled out a new version of its website creation tool--Google Sites. While additional features are still being developed, the new version already features a modern interface with drag and drop editing and responsive design that automatically reformats content to fit the device that is being used. This is great if users will be viewing your site on a tablet or phone.

Benefits to having students create their own web sites:

• increased student engagement.
• use of higher order thinking skills.
• authentic demonstration of learning. 
• student voice and choice.
• creation of a positive digital footprint.
• development of 21st century skills (communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking). 

Privacy settings:

You can choose to have your sites visible publically or just within your school's domain. Either way, this is a chance for your students to have a wider, authentic audience for their work.

Resources:

• Google help page for new sites
• 100 creative ideas for a website
• A short tutorial for using the new sites

Using Digital Timers in the Classroom

Using timers can help us and our students manage our time during the lesson and learning activities. They can also help gamify the learning activities to keep our students motivated. 

This article includes several great ideas for using timers to focus and motivate students of all ages:

HOW TO USE A TIMER IN THE CLASSROOM
http://eflmagazine.com/use-timer-classroom/

Here are some quick and fun options for digital timers:

Google Timer
Open Google and type timer plus the number of minutes in the search box.

YouTube
Search for and play a YouTube video that acts as a countdown clock.

Option: Insert Timer into Google Slides

      Play video within Slides

For Even More Timer Options . . . . 
http://www.online-stopwatch.com/classroom-timers/

 . . . and you can Google for even more options!

Digital Citizenship

Since it is election week, it is fitting to address the topic of citizenship and, in this case, digital citizenship.  

The qualities of being a good digital citizen are very much like the qualities of being a good citizen in general. 

This infographic and publication from ISTE does a great job comparing general citizenship to digital citizenship. The full publication provides deeper insight into each element.

In the spirit of election week, let's commit ourselves to helping our students to become better digital citizens!

Creating and Using Word Clouds

You and your students can create Word Clouds to quickly create visual representations of text. For example, this Word Cloud was created from the Digital Learning Team's Mission/Vision Statement. 

Ideas for Using Word Clouds

Evaluate Own Writing

Along with the visual cloud that illustrates the prominence of words that appear most frequently, the generators also provide a table indicating word counts. Students can generate a Word Cloud to see which words they are using most frequently in their constructed response or essay in Google Docs or responses to a discussion in Schoology. This can help them assess the variety of their word choices as well as their focus on the topic. 

Analyze Bias/Perspective in Other's Writings

Word Clouds are also a great way to analyze text for bias and perspective. For example, students can create a Word Cloud from three different news sources on the same news event to compare and contrast the stories for bias. This would also work for analyzing presidential candidates' speeches. As a teacher, you can use it to copy/paste student feedback comments from a class survey to quickly assess student mood/tone in your classroom.

Illustrate Text

Word Clouds also make great visual aids to add as images in documents and presentations for student projects and teacher instructional materials.

For more integration ideas 

170  Ways to Use Word Clouds in Every Classroom – by Michael Gorman
1000 Ideas About Word Clouds - Pinterest

Options for Creating Word Clouds

Option 1: Google Doc Add-On

In Google Docs, you can install and use the Word Cloud Generator Add On (see 1 min. video).

Note: See this 2 minute tutorial video for how to install Add-Ons.

Option 2: Word Cloud Generator App (website)

On the Chromebook or in the Chrome browser, you can install and use the App to create Word Clouds from websites, Google Docs and most PDF files.
Note: See this 2 minute tutorial video for how to install Chrome Apps.

Option 3: Tagul Website

The Tagul Website is another great source for creating Word Clouds that allows you to create much more visually attractive illustrations. See this video to learn how to create Word Clouds using this site.

Image Editing

Images add an element of interest to almost anything we create, but sometimes, the images we find are not quite right. Below are a couple image editing tools you can use to crop, filter, resize, etc.

Pixlr Editor  (https://pixlr.com/editor/) 

• This free online photo editor offers editing tools similar to Photoshop. It works great on a Chromebook too.
• Features range from simple cropping and sharpening to creating composite images, adding layers, combining several images, adding text, digital painting, etc.

Pixlr Express  (https://pixlr.com/express/)

• This is another free Pixlr product, but this one allows you to create simple collages of images. This works great on the Chromebook as well.
• Choose a layout, add images, adjust and create!

Google Slides & Docs

• Google Slides and Docs offers some nice built-in photo editing options.
• Toolbar options allow you to crop and rotate.
• Click the image options button to recolor and adjust transparency, brightness and contrast.

Bonus: a simple way to add text to an image

• Add an image to a Google Slide.
• Add a textbook over the image.

• Take a screenshot of your new image.

1. Mac: Command + Shift + 4 
2. PC: Snipping Tool
3. Chromebook: Control + Shift + Switch Window Button

New Name: Google Apps is Now G Suite

Last week Google renamed its Google Apps for Education to G Suite for Education. Their core services remain the same; the new name is intended to better reflect their mission.

"G Suite for Education is the same set of apps that you know and love—Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, Hangouts, and more— but designed with new intelligent features that make work easier and bring teachers and students together. Because we believe that when students and teachers break down silos and have collaborative tools for their classroom, amazing learning can happen." (Source: Google Blog)

The new name does come with a few new great features:

1. G Suite Training button
You will now see this new question mark in the upper right corner of your G Suite Apps. It's your personal trainer for the various Apps. You can click it at anytime to see quick tutorials on how to use the tools.

2. Natural Language Processing
You can now search your Drive "like you talk." For example, you can type "Show me slides Paul shared with me in October." You can click the suggestion to see those files.

3. Explore button
This feature was highlighted in last week's tech tip. You will see this new button in the lower right corner of Docs, Sheets and Slides. You can click this button to research the web and add content to Docs, quickly and easily design Slides, and analyze data in Sheets.

New "Explore" feature in Google Docs, Sheets and Slides

Google has added a new feature to Docs, Sheets and Slides to help users manipulate their documents more quickly and easily. In each of these three programs, simply click the "Explore" button to launch the Explore panel.

The Google Docs Blog states: "It's like having a researcher, analyst and designer by your side."

Docs--"Researcher"
Get quick access to search the web, find images and even locate files in your Drive.

Slides--"Designer"
Get design suggestions based on your content. Simply choose and apply a suggested format.

Sheets--"Analyst"
Get quick access to formatting templates, ask a data question and get formula suggestions.