Google add-ons for writing

Google Docs offers a whole bunch of add-ons to explore that can support and enhance student writing and evaluation, or can just make it more efficient. Here are a few to check out:

First some simple ones that can add efficiency. One is called Change Case, and does exactly that. You can select a block of text and change it from ALL CAPS to Title Case to all lower case to Sentence case and back again. A potentially useful time saver.

Easy Accents is another time saver, especially for students or teachers writing in another language with a primarily Roman alphabet on a Chromebook (which makes simple keystroke combinations a little more difficult than on a laptop or computer). After launching the add-on, users have the accent or symbol they need right at hand as they write.

The Highlight Tool is more involved but also more powerful. Students can establish their own highlight colors and labels, have them on hand in a sidebar, and export them in a document either by color or by sequence. Teachers or collaborators can also share pre-established highlight colors for a group to use together for consistency. For example, teachers could create a set list of highlights labelled with key aspects of writing or research (e.g. thesis, evidence, counterargument, etc.). Students could self- or peer-evaluate using those highlights, export just the highlights into another document and submit it using Google Classroom.

To add, use or manage add-ons, go to the Add-ons menu in any Google Doc and go to Get add-ons (to see what's available) or Manage add-ons (to change or get rid of add-ons you don't use). Once added, you can start using any of your add-ons from that same menu. Enjoy!

Using Revision History to battle procrastination and cheating

Google Docs has a great tool called Revision History that can help teachers look out for the nefarious issue of cheating and the prosaic but pernicious issue of procrastination.
Revision History lets you click through all the changes in a document, along with a timestamp and the person that made the change. You can restore older versions of a document, or just see what changes or progress has been made (and if any large chunks of text were posted or if any other user made contributions). This can corroborate (or disprove) a student that claims to have been working really hard and but not making progress by demonstrating when they've accessed or modified the document.

It's easy to find.

The revision history is grouped into time periods but can be expanded to see individual changes. 

Eric Curts, a Google Education Trainer, has a more detailed post on avoiding and addressing cheating using Google Apps here: http://www.controlaltachieve.com/2016/01/student-cheating-google-apps.html

Gale Opposing Viewpoints database now at HHS!

If you are not yet using Gale Opposing Viewpoints with your classes for research and curriculum support, you may want to explore it. This is the first year that Homestead has subscribed to this database and it has a number of great features for both teachers and students.

Gale has a wide variety of content, from traditional reference to consumer-driven publications to more than 2000 academic journals.

The content is searchable by level, from easy-access (green) to general audience (yellow) up through academic content (red), which makes it accessible for students at a variety of achievement levels.

The content itself is easy to work with. All articles provide persistent links to content, an audio read-aloud feature, direct download to Google Drive, sharing to Google Classroom and a variety of annotation features. The coolest option is the ability to download annotated articles to Google Drive with the annotations intact.

Please explore this fantastic research tool with your students.
 

Make Google Drive work for you!

At HHS we are using Google Drive for two purposes, which can be hard to distinguish and lead to confusion.

Right-click on any doc
to locate in My Drive

First, we use it for its "original" purpose -- to store and access our Google Apps for Education tools (Docs, Sheets, etc.) online. All our Google documents are stored in "the cloud" and the best way to get to your Google documents is through a browser. BUT, we also use Google Drive as cloud storage for all our other kinds of files (Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, images, videos, etc.), the best ways to get to those is through the desktop app.  Here's how to decide which way to access and use your documents to make sure you are getting what you need how you need it.

Use a browser:

• When you want to open and/or use any Google file 
• When you want to share any kind of file, either by link or by person
• When you want to search for a file whose location you don't remember -- then use "Locate in My Drive" to find it
• When you need to find something that has been shared with you (before you move it to your Google Drive)

  

  Right-click on shared files
  to add to My Drive 

Use the desktop app:

• When you want to open and/or use any non-Google document
• When you are off-line

Some Google Drive tips no matter what you are using it for:

• When someone shares a file or folder with you, add it to your "My Drive" so that you can find it easily, and so you can access it through either a browser or the desktop app
• You can move shared folders around your own Drive but be careful not to move files or documents out of shared folders (or the other people won't be able to see them anymore)
• If you are using Google Classroom a lot, you may want to start converting your non-Google files to Google format to make student access easier
• Stick with using ONE BROWSER for your school Google account and nothing else (don't log in with multiple accounts) to minimize confusion

Here's a diagram of how the desktop app and the browser view communication:

GradeCam app for smartphones

All Homestead teachers have access to a GradeCam account, which allows you to create scantron-

esque multiple-choice assessments and use your document camera and/or the webcam on your laptop to grade (contact the library if you need help with your account).
GradeCam also has an app available for both iOS and Android phones and devices that does much the same. You can create new assignments, view previously created assignments and student results. You can also use the camera on your device to scan student assessments. You'll get a report of the questions missed by each student and can view a graph of student summary results
The app is slow and prone to some of the same issues as the web version, but it's still a helpful tool for grading assessments, especially as finals approach. Check out Gradecam for Android and for iOS.

Tech tools for quick responses

For teachers who are using either Chromebooks or all-class student devices, there are some easy-to-use tools that allow you to gauge the level of understanding in the room, solicit student responses anonymously, and create engaging quick quizzes, exit tickets and more.

GoSoapBox -- http://www.gosoapbox.com/  
GoSoapBox is a web-based clicker tool. Students can interact anonymously, but the teacher can see who said what. It features polls and quizzes, but also a “confusion barometer” to quickly take the pulse of the room. It is limited to 30 students per class (free version) so it may not accept all student participation but it is definitely worth some experimentation.



Socrative -- http://www.socrative.com/

Socrative is similar to GoSoapBox and Kahoot in offering quizzes and quick discussion questions. This used to be very geared toward iPad programs but has become much easier to use with Chromebooks, phones and other devices. You can see live results of student response or have them compete against each other with a Space Race. You can prepare quizzes, questions and materials ahead of time, but there’s also an Exit Ticket feature (which asks how well did you understand the subject, what you learned and a place to “answer the teacher’s question”) that can be used on the fly. 

Formative -- https://goformative.com/

This is a really flexible and interesting tool that allows a variety of responses, including “show your work” with drawing feature, and the ability to embed text, video, images and your own “whiteboard”. You can see a live view of student responses and quickly modify questions or response mechanisms. You can create classes to keep groups organized or just use it without preparation. .

AnswerGarden (https://answergarden.ch/) is another flexible tool that allows anonymous short answers to quick questions and creates a word cloud where the most frequently submitted words or phrases are the largest. A quick and easy way to gauge pre-knowledge or focus on review topics.

Try one of these tools in your classroom!

Managing devices in the classroom

Many teachers are using technology (either school- or student-owned) more and more in the classroom. Here are some recommendations and best practices from teachers on how to manage the devices and the classroom.

Set explicit expectations and processes around using devices.

• Establish a social contract around device use. When is it OK and not OK during your class? Don't leave it to chance. 
• Clarify the vocabulary you use (e.g. "lids closed" vs. "log off" vs. "devices away") so students understand what is expected of them at different points during class. 

For school-owned devices and shared carts: 

• Create a sense of value. Make sure students understand why you are using them in the classroom, what is to be gained from the use and what will happen if they are misused.
• Create a process for getting and replacing Chromebooks (or other devices). Don't have all students get them at once or replace them at once.
• Make sure the same student uses the same device each time (assign a number) to maximize "ownership " and minimize confusion if any damage takes place
• Have one student (a TA or trusted student) manage unplugging and plugging in the Chromebooks and passing them out to the class 
• Model responsible use as a teacher! No food and drink near the devices, don't stack devices or slide them across surfaces, etc.

 Classroom management tips

• Move around the room consistently so you can see what students are working on and minimize off-task behavior
• Teach from the back of the classroom as much as possible
• Change desk layout when using devices for ease of motion and line of sight
• Allow a moment for off-task behavior before using a new tool, especially one involving class collaboration
• Make sure the activity is necessary and engaging! Boring tasks will lead to off-task behavior with or without technology
• Establish logical consequences for undesirable behaviors (loss  of device privileges, clean the devices, etc.) Students can lose privileges to their own devices if they are misusing them during class time. 
• Use Ctrl-Shift-T to re-open closed tabs if students are using inappropriate sites or quickly close tabs when you approach
• Communicate what can be done when the class activity is completed

• For laptops/Chromebooks:
  Lids closed (but not logged off) when not active (For most devices, a "sleep" mode can be quickly revived with a simple login.)
• For phones: face down when not in use (if out)
• Devices flat on desk at all times when in use (not in laps or hands)

Plan ahead for possible issues

•  Appoint tech monitors in class to assist with common issues (students having difficulty logging in, device usability, etc.).  Login issues are usually related to typos in username/password!
• Allow students to help each other
• Use tech-savvy students as support tools
• Always have a backup plan for non-charged devices, non-working websites, network issues, other ideas