Because of a number of conferences and trainings in the last few weeks, we did not hold our normal monthly Google User Meeting. However, I still wanted to share out all of the new updates from the month, so I have included them below.
We will be back on track with live Google Hangout meetings at the end of April. The monthly meetings are hosted by the Google Educator Group of Ohio, but are open to anyone from any location. The purpose of these meetings is to:
- Connect Google-using educators
- Share the latest Google Apps news and features
- Provide tutorials, demonstrations, and how-to’s
- Share best practices of how Google Apps is being used within schools
- Ask questions and get answers
The video from the meeting is recorded and available for later viewing for those who cannot attend or connect live. See below for 17 new Google updates and 27 Google resources for your class from March 2019.
Agenda details
Upcoming Events
- EdCampCLE - Apr 13, 2019 - North Ridgeville, OH - Google Doc flyer
- ITIP Ohio Summit Featuring Google for Education - May 13-14, 2019 - Sandusky - www.itipohio.org
- CREATE Conference - June 6, 2019 - Anthony Wayne HS - createconference.net
- KEEP Academy - June 10-12, 2019 - Streetsboro High School
- APS3T - June 11-12, 2019 - Firestone CLC, Akron, Ohio
- Tech and Trek Conference - June 19-21, 2019 - Hiram College - https://www.ideastream.org/tech-and-trek-conference
- Mid-Ohio Road Show - August 8, 2019 - Bucyrus HS - Website
- SPARCC Tech Conference - August 9, 2019 - North Canton, OH - http://conference.apps.sparcc.org - Call for proposals due May 1st!
What's New in G Suite
March 2019
- 3/4/2019 - Google launching Chromebook App Hub later this year to help educators learn about Chromebook apps and activity ideas for schools - Resource Link
- 3/5/2019 - Create animated GIFs with Google's Data GIF Maker to compare data and tell stories - Resource Link
3/7/2019 - G Suite admins can now turn on Gmail Confidential Mode Beta - Resource Link - 3/7/2019 - Vault for Gmail now supports Gmail confidential messages and Jamboard files - Resource Link
- 3/12/2019 - Google Hangouts Meet getting picture-in-picture option to show your webcam when presenting your screen - Resource Link
- 3/12/2019 - Google rolling out on-device offline voice typing for Pixel phones (so far) - Resource Link
- 3/12/2019 - Google Lookout accessibility app now available for Pixel phones (so far) using AI to describe your surroundings - Resource Link
- 3/12/2019 - Google Drive is getting a new look on iOS and Android - Resource Link
- 3/13/2019 - Google adds Carmen Sandiego game to Google Earth - Resource Link
- 3/14/2019 - Google Launches Animated “Chromebook Simulator” Help Site - Resource Link, Resource Link
- 3/18/2019 - Google Drive Priority page coming out of Beta and rolling out to all users - Resource Link
- 3/18/2019 - Tasks getting options for date and time, and import from reminders - Resource Link
- 3/19/2019 - CS First adds two lessons in Spanish - Resource Link, Resource Link, Resource Link
- 3/19/2019 - New easier option rolling out to insert images into cells in Google Sheets - Resource Link
3/22/2019 - Chrome to begin warning users of Flash Player's depreciation starting in July - Resource Link - 3/26/2019 - Dynamic Gmail rolling out, allowing users to reply to and resolve Google Docs comments right inside an email thread - Resource Link
- 3/27/2019 - Google shutting down "Google Drive Plug-in for MS Office", being replaced by update to Drive File Stream - Resource Link
Show and Tell
- Google Instant Search Tools - Resource Link - 15 new interactive tools from Google instant searches including number spinners, an Earth Day quiz, a mindfulness exercise, and more.
- Screencastify Addon - Resource Link - New addon for Google Slides to easily insert videos you have recorded with Screencastify into your Slides.
- Background Removal Tools and Activities - Resource Link - Tools for students to remove the background from their pictures, then add themselves into different scenes and images for educational projects.
- Pi-Line Activity - Resource Link - Have student create a Pi-Line Skyline to learn about creating a bar graph and the digits of Pi, while being creative.
- Getting Started With Google Expeditions AR Tours - Resource link
Skip the Spreadsheet in Flippity.net - Resource link - How to Remove Duplicates in Google Sheets - Resource link
- Tweet Archiver - Resource Link - How to use If This Then That (IFTTT) to save a copy of all your tweets into a Google Sheet for easy access and searching
Google Graphing - Resource Link - - How to use Google Sheets to make scatterplots and find line of best fit.
- Tips and Tricks for Google Slides Picture Books - Resource Link - How students can use Google Slides to make their own picture books, including images, music, narration, and more.
- Tour Creator in the Elementary Classroom - Resource Link - How students can use Google Tour Creator to make interactive 360 degree presentations
- Class Roster - Resource Link - Extension to make a Google Sheets roster from the students in any of your Google Classrooms
- Become An Internet Search Master Google Slides Presentation - Resource Link
How to create barcodes using Google Sheets - Resource Link - Reading Strategies Randomizer - Resource Link - Google spreadsheet to randomly choose before, during, and after reading strategies for ELA or ELL classrooms, with links for more details on each strategy.
- Dr. Seuss Digital Listening Centers with Google Forms - Resource Link - Using Google Forms and embedded videos for students to listen to and respond to stories.
- Chromebook Trackpad Checklist - Resource Link - Infographic and checklist on how to use 1, 2, and 3-finger gestures on a Chromebook trackpad
- Beautiful Audio Editor - Resource Link - Free online audio tool for recording and editing audio, then save to Google Drive or as an MP3 or WAV file.
- 3 Google Slides Add-ons You Didn't Know You NEEDED! - Resource Link - How to use Flat Icon, Photo Slideshow, and Magic Rainbow Unicorns add-on for Slides
- 40 incredibly useful things you didn't know Google Search could do - Resource Link - Tips and tricks to get the most out of lesser known Google search options
- Choice Learning Interactive Hyperslides - Resource Link - How to use Google Slides to make self-paced lessons with student choice of topic
- Add your Screencastify videos directly in Google Slides with new add-on - Resource Link
- "Move to the Top" option added back to Classroom Stream - Resource Link
- The Hottest Chat App for Teens Is … Google Docs - Resource Link, Resource Link
- Research Templates - Resource Link - A collection of three Google Slides templates for student writing including templates for "Animal File Folder", "Who Would Win?", and "Non-fiction Magazine".
- Templates for Teachers - Resource Link - Large collection of Googley templates for student activities and teacher productivity.
- Tips to make your Google Docs more accessible - Resource Link
To see the schedule for upcoming Google User Group meetings visit:
To join the GEG Ohio email discussion list:
- Go to the GEG Ohio Google Group forum page at: https://groups.google.com/d/forum/gegohio
- Click the button labeled "Join group to post"
- Alternately you can send an email to gegohio+subscribe@googlegroups.com and then the "Join this Group" link you receive in the confirmation email.
If you have something to share and would like to join the Hangout for an upcoming meeting, send me an email to let me know at: ericcurts@gmail.com
cross posted at www.controlaltachieve.com
Eric Curts is an education trainer and consultant with over 20 years' experience throughout the U.S. He is an authorized Google Education Trainer and a Google Certified Innovator. Read his blog at www.controlaltachieve.com and follow him on Google+ and @ericcurts on Twitter.
