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Using AI in Google Workspace for Education
Artificial IntelligenceChromebooksGoogle Tips and Tricks

An AI-Powered Google Workspace

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

If you’re following the top education technology trends, then you know that Artificial Intelligence is what is on everyone’s lips. The big question for a lot of educators is “How is Google, your favorite solution partner, using AI to impact the classroom?” While skeptical about yet another technology, Google’s latest updates have me intrigued. Let’s dive into how these innovations change the game for teachers and students alike. At the end, you will also find a table organizing updates to Google Workspace for Education.

Gemini AI in Google Docs side panel via Google Workspace Updates
Gemini AI in Google Docs side panel via Google Workspace Updates

What Are Google’s New AI Tools for Education?

You may already know about Google’s AI offering, Gemini. One question is how this AI tool fits into the Google Workspace for Education ecosystem. Some may see it as a new digital teaching assistant. In this way, it lessens the workload that keeps you from working with students.

Let’s take a look at some of the ideas shared in recent weeks.

Image via Google
Image source: Google

Streamlining Teaching Tasks

These are some of the AI assistants in Google Docs (source). Remember that you can always turn these features off to skip using them.

  • Write in Docs. Get Gemini to generate an outline for a lesson plan or activities for learning.
  • Organize in Sheets. A tough aspect of working with numbers is sorting and organizing data. Google has made that pretty easy (source).
  • Visualize in Slides. You can use Gemini in Google Slides to do quite a bit including creating images, generating new slides, and writing/rewriting content. You can also summarize a presentation. What’s more, your new slides get a nice design assist from Gemini.
  • Create videos in Google Vids. Create AI-enhanced videos using Google Vids. Watch this video for an overview.

But that’s not all. Google is also rolling out AI-powered classroom management tools.

AI-Powered Google Classroom

Google Classroom has a lot of power for a simple, easy-to-understand tool. But with the addition of AI, it now allows the generation of practice sets and tailored learning experiences.

  • In-the-Moment Assistance. Gemini checks if content is inappropriate for learners. It also fact checks responses to fact-based questions students may pose.
  • Practice Sets. Need to craft some retrieval practice questions (entry/exit tickets, anyone)? Google makes it easy to generate practice questions and gives students real-time feedback. And you can now “import images, like graphs, charts or photos, into practice sets using files from Google Drive or directly from [your] computer” (source).
  • Adaptive learning experiences. Classroom and AI bring learners one step closer to personalized learning paths. It involves giving students customized resources and activities that work to address their specific needs when learning (source).

Tools to help do the following via Chromebooks are also available:

  • Text to speech
  • Using customizable fonts
  • Summarizing and translating content

Although not all new, Reading Mode and Smart Select make Chromebooks a bit more usable (source).

Ways to Use These AI Tools

These features open up a world of possibilities:

  • Plan lessons faster.
  • Grade quicker.
  • Make lively slideshows.
  • Help struggling students directly.
  • Adapt content for all learners.
  • Create time for individual talks.

Note: Administrators have control over these AI features. Student data won’t train AI models or feed advertising bots.

Try these tools to save time, boost creativity, and take back time you can spend on students.

AI-Powered Google Workspace for Education: New Features

Here is a table organizing some of the new features announced recently. While efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, please do not hesitate to leave corrections/additions in the comments below. The data is current as of June 24, 2024.

Accessibility and Fonts

FeatureAvailabilityEdition/Add-on Required
New handwriting fontsLater this yearGoogle Workspace for Education

Admin Console and Security

FeatureAvailabilityEdition/Add-on Required
Context-aware access for mobile devicesNow availableAdmin console
Multi-party approval in Admin consoleNow availableAdmin console

AI and Gemini

FeatureAvailabilityEdition/Add-on Required
Gemini for teen studentsComing soonFree, but requires admin activation

Chromebook Features

FeatureAvailabilityEdition/Add-on Required
Gemini in Chromebook PlusComing soonChromebook Plus devices
Google Task and Calendar integrationsRolling out in coming weeksNot specified
New accessibility features for ChromebooksVarious timelinesChromebook devices

Google Classroom

FeatureAvailabilityEdition/Add-on Required
AI-suggested questions for science videosAvailable now (English)Not specified
Gemini in Classroom (pilot)Coming soonNot specified
New Classroom add-onsLaunchingNot specified
Read Along in ClassroomAvailable globallyNot specified
SIS integration with Google ClassroomComing soonFor select SIS partners

Google Meet and Chat

FeatureAvailabilityEdition/Add-on Required
Google Meet LTIComing weeksFor Canvas and PowerSchool Schoology Learning users
New Chat settings for studentsComing monthsAdmin console

Google Vids

FeatureAvailabilityEdition/Add-on Required
Google Vids (with generative AI)Not specifiedGemini for Google Workspace add-on
Google Vids (without generative AI)Later this yearGoogle Workspace for Education Plus

Other Integrations

FeatureAvailabilityEdition/Add-on Required
Assignments LTI 1.3Coming weeksFor PowerSchool Schoology Learning
Expanded app licensing programComing soonNot specified

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ChromebooksContent CreationTEKS

Artful Analytics with DrawCharts

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’ve always felt a bit envious of those with a natural talent for drawing. My artistic skills are lacking and I struggle with color coordination. My attempts at drawing often result in unrecognizable shapes. The allure of a simple sketch or a grand painting is undeniable. Combining this allure with graph data could be powerful. But how to do it? Enter DrawCharts, an AI-powered tool that revolutionizes graphs as hand-drawn sketches.

Did You Know?

You can now generate and load your files into ChatGPT Plus. Connect your Google or Microsoft cloud storage. Then, turn ChatGPT Plus loose to make graphs.

Learn more now; sign up for the TCEA ChatGPT for Educators course.

How Does DrawCharts Work?

DrawCharts is a game-changer for anyone who wants to create engaging and fun visuals. You don’t need advanced artistic skills. The platform allows you to generate eye-catching charts and visuals and you can export your creations in a variety of formats, such as:

  • PNG
  • JPEG
  • SVG

Here’s a sample creation:

You can see the design screen below, which is simple:

Arranged into a Data and Design page, you can see several features are Pro only. These paid features include a CSV file import and removing the watermark. There are several hand-drawn styles that can make the graph visually appealing.

Why Use DrawCharts?

Instead of relying on pre-made graphics, you can now create a unique visual. This visual chart maker tool allows you to:

  • Illustrate stories,
  • Create informative charts for your projects, and
  • See how powerful hand-drawn sketches can be

What’s more, it can inspire you to make your own hand-drawn graphs with their prototype.

Can Students Use It?

Since you don’t need to have an account to use the free version, students can use it as well. Then they can snap a screenshot of the graph with a tool like Lightshot or use the built-in export to PNG or JPG image format. This makes it an ideal tool for Chromebooks or web browser-centric machines.

Some TEKS correlations appear below:

Math

Grade LevelTEKS Focus AreaSuggested Use of DrawCharts
Grade 6Ratios and Proportional RelationshipsCreate bar charts to compare ratios and proportions in different contexts.
Grade 7Probability and StatisticsUse pie charts and histograms to represent data distributions and probabilities.
Grade 8Linear Equations and FunctionsDevelop line charts to visualize linear relationships and functions.
Algebra IQuadratic FunctionsUse scatter plots to represent quadratic data and fit quadratic models.
GeometryGeometric RelationshipsCreate diagrams to illustrate geometric proofs and theorems.
Algebra IIPolynomial FunctionsDevelop bar and line charts to compare polynomial functions and their properties.
PrecalculusTrigonometric FunctionsUse polar charts to represent trigonometric functions and their transformations.

Science

Grade LevelTEKS Focus AreaSuggested Use of DrawCharts
Grade 6Earth and Space ScienceCreate interactive timelines of geological events and visual representations of the rock cycle.
Grade 7Life ScienceUse flowcharts to illustrate the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
Grade 8Physical ScienceDevelop charts to compare and contrast different types of chemical reactions.
BiologyGenetics and EvolutionCreate pedigree charts and Punnett squares to visualize genetic inheritance patterns.
ChemistryChemical ReactionsUse bar charts to represent reaction rates under different conditions.
PhysicsForces and MotionDevelop vector diagrams to illustrate forces acting on an object.
Environmental ScienceEcosystems and BiodiversityUse pie charts to show species distribution and bar charts for population studies.

Social Studies/History

Grade LevelTEKS Focus AreaSuggested Use of DrawCharts
Grade 6World Cultures and GeographyCreate map charts to show cultural regions and migration patterns.
Grade 7Texas HistoryDevelop timelines to illustrate key events in Texas history.
Grade 8U.S. History to 1877Use flowcharts to depict the causes and effects of major historical events like the American Revolution.
High SchoolWorld HistoryCreate comparative charts to analyze different civilizations and their contributions.
High SchoolU.S. GovernmentUse organizational charts to illustrate the structure of the U.S. government.
High SchoolEconomicsDevelop bar and line charts to represent economic data and trends.

Sample Science Lesson Plan for Ninth Grade Biology

Lesson Plan ComponentDetails
ObjectivesStudents will understand the structure and function of cells and viruses. Students will learn to create and interpret various types of biological charts and diagrams using DrawCharts. Students will be able to compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.Students will investigate cellular processes such as homeostasis and transport of molecules.
PrerequisitesBasic understanding of cell biology.Familiarity with using computers and web applications.
Duration2 class periods (90 minutes each)
MaterialsComputers with internet accessAccess to DrawCharts (https://drawcharts.xyz)Biology textbooksProjector and screenHandouts with instructions for using DrawCharts
IntroductionBegin the lesson by discussing the importance of visual aids in understanding biological concepts. Explain how charts and diagrams can help in visualizing complex processes and structures. Introduce DrawCharts as a tool that can be used to create these visual aids easily and effectively.
GlossaryProkaryotic Cell: A cell without a nucleus or other membrane-bound organelles.
Eukaryotic Cell: A cell with a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.
Homeostasis: The ability of an organism to maintain a stable internal environment.
Cell Membrane: The semipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell.
Virus: A small infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism.
ReferencesTexas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Science, High School Biology [12][13]Biology Lesson Plans – The Learning Hypothesis [2]8 Lesson Plan Template Resources for Biology Teachers – Biology Junction [1]Visible Biology – 3D Visual Guide to Biological Processes [9]
Applicable TEKS for 9th Grade BiologyB.4.A: Compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, including their complexity, and compare and contrast scientific explanations for cellular complexity.B.5.B: Compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, including their complexity, and compare and contrast scientific explanations for cellular complexity.B.5.C: Investigate homeostasis through the cellular transport of molecules.B.5.D: Compare the structures of viruses to cells and explain how viruses spread and cause disease.

Final Thoughts

Use DrawCharts to make professional-looking visuals without advanced skills. Give it a spin and see how it can transform your content. And don’t forget to let your students explore it, too. Surprise yourself with your creativity.

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countdown timers
ChromebooksClassroom Management

A Countdown Timer for Every Occasion

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Keeping track of time can be a full-time job for some students in a group. Why not make that job easier with a countdown timer? Even as an adult, when leading workshop sessions and classroom activities, one app is close at hand for me: either the iPhone Stopwatch or a Google time keeper. Let’s take a look at several free timer options you can use in the classroom. FREE is the key word for all time trackers on this list. Paid countdown timer solutions abound, like CountingDownTo or CountDownKings, but this list will give you quite a bang at no cost.

Hot Tip: Video Countdown Timers

Running a slide show and need an embedded counter? Give these YouTube videos a spin. You can insert them into your slide deck and play them as videos. Whether it’s a 5 minute Mario Roller Coaster Countdown with Music, a simple 5-min timer, these are easy to use. Younger students may prefer this minion timer with…farts. There are many more of differing lengths.

1. Aftel.net

Koos Looijesteijn (@koos@octodon.social) created Aftel. It comes with a wealth of features! This countdown timer is adjustable, even after you start it. Need more or less time added to the count? Click on the plus or minus symbols. Need to pause the count? Use the PAUSE button or RESET to start over. This countdown timer is so well thought out that it will soon become your favorite.

countdown timers

Although it comes in stock grey, you can adjust the colors and make the background flash, play sounds, and enable dynamic background colors. What’s more, you can start with a green background, then when a quarter of the total time elapses, it switches to orange. When a tenth of the time remains, Aftel will switch to red. While more features are present, it also stops your device from dimming or locking the screen. This can be a lifesaver in a workshop or class setting where you are walking the room.

Try Aftel

2. Online Stopwatch

Online Stopwatch brings you their countdown timer. This colorful countdown timer offers full-screen mode, advertisements (ugh!), and numbered buttons. You can SET and CLEAR time presets. It also features a PAUSE button to make halting time easy peasy.

countdown timers

The only issue with this timer? Banner ads appear on the screen when you first arrive at the site. What’s more, a banner ad continues to appear when the full-screen countdown timer is at work.

Try Online Stopwatch

3. Live Countdown Timer with Animations

Wish you had something interesting happening on the screen during your countdown? Some may see this as a distraction, but Time and Date’s countdown timer offers animations:

countdown timers

Once you select the theme from the thumbnails shown, you can customize components. Those components include Countdown Title, Month/Day/Year, Hour:Minute:Second, and Event Location. What’s more, you can detail the font style as well.

countdown timers

This makes counting down to a date far in the future easy. Take a look at this birthday countdown:

countdown timers

This timer offers popular countdowns, too. Those include a countdown to the New Year, to an eclipse, or for a season (e.g. fall). This makes this timer one of the most versatile. While banner/side advertisements are present, full-screen mode eliminates most. You are also able to share links to timers on social media.

Try Timers with Animation

4. Tick Counter

Tick Counter offers countdowns to dates or time periods. It also makes it easy to load a background of your choice and change the color of the timer name, border, and digits.

countdown timers

After you make your countdown timer, you will be able to share a link to it. What’s more, an embed code allows you to place it on a website. Instructions for other types of websites and platforms are available.

countdown timers
Try Tick Counter

Various Web-Based Timers

As you might imagine, there are many timers that offer a wide variety of features. Here are a few of my favorites. Be aware that most, if not all, have advertisements. You will have to decide what is appropriate for your teaching and learning situation.

countdown timers
  • Toy Theater’s Timer. This timer allows you to specify the shape of your timer. Shapes can be any geometric shape you choose, each a different color.
  • Egg Timer. With no built-in ads, this timer offers preset times for 5, 10, 15, 30 minutes. It also offers a few customization options.
  • Dayspedia. This website offers a stopwatch, online clock, timer online, and countdown timer. Other features appear on the website.
  • User-Configurable Countdown Timer. This timer from Harvey Mudd College is a javascript that runs in your browser. This means you could save it the HTML page for offline use.

While there are many other timers available for free, these are a few that jumped out at me.

Chrome Extension Timers

Let’s take a look at some Chrome Browser Countdown Extensions. Here are a few you can try:

Of course, you can always rely on Google Search’s built-in timer in a pinch. Or if all you have is your smartphone, ask Siri to set a timer or open the clock app (works on Android) to set a timer. I hope you find one (or more) from this list that serves you well!

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AccessibilityAdobeChromebooksGoogle Tips and Tricks

Five Big Google Announcements From June 2023

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Wish you could stop students from copying from ChatGPT and other AI tools? Google might have an answer for that if students are doing it on a Chromebook. Let’s explore this and a few other big announcements made by Google, including:

  • Google Classroom enhancements
  • Stop AI plagiarism
  • Improved accessibility
  • Google Meet’s paired tiles, Q&A, and polling
  • Google app licensing management

Let’s take a closer look at these updates. May you find the emergence of long-awaited features exciting!

#1 – Google Classroom Enhancements

Analytics. Wish you could leverage Google Analytics-style graphs and information for student work? Then you will love the announcement of Google Classroom’s new analytics features.

Gif showing several new analytics features in Google Classroom recently announced by Google.

These provide insight into student performance and engagement. What’s more, they address the following:

  • Assignment completion
  • Average grade
  • Active students
  • Missing assignments
  • Growth and loss for courses

That’s a pretty incredible analytics update. The analytics features will be launched in the coming months and are currently being evaluated.

Temporary Class Access. What’s more, Google made the announcement that Classroom now has the option to visit a class with temporary class access. That is, any of the following can now have temporary access without needing to be a co-teacher:

  • Principals
  • Department heads
  • School counselors
  • Curriculum leaders
  • Administrative assistants
  • Coaches and mentors
  • IT admins

In addition, trusted educators visiting a class can do the following:

  • Share links to class templates
  • Import content into classes
  • Plan, organize, and analyze assignments and grades
  • Choose grading scales to align with the district’s grading system
  • Disable submissions after the due date*
  • Make comments more engaging*

These features will be available to select Google Workspace for Education editions, including Teaching and Learning Upgrade and Education Plus, and must be enabled by administrators.

*All Google Workspace for Education editions will have access to asterisked features shown.

#2 – Stop Student Copying from AI

Ready to stop plagiarism and AI-assisted learning before it happens? Google announced that it’s adding ChromeOS data controls that allow Google Admins to:

  • Prevent copying and pasting from AI-based tools
  • Stop screen capture, sharing, and printing efforts
  • Disable cameras and microphones when not in use
  • Turn on an electronic privacy screen when viewing content

These features make it easy for school technology staff to enact restrictions. Some ways to identify when restrictions are enacted include:

  • Data source
  • Destination
  • User access

There are system requirements. ChromeOS devices must be on version 103 or later. What’s more, they must be in user or managed guest session mode. These ChromeOS updates have profound implications for device management in schools. Google provides some example scenarios and rules online at Google Support for you to explore.

#3 – Improved Accessibility

Google reiterated its commitment to accessibility with new releases and improvements. These releases improve viewing in the browser and read alouds for Adobe Portable Document Format (PDFs).

Image showing Google's announcement of an image to text feature available in the Chrome Browser.

Now, you can also take advantage of improvements on:

  • Google Reading Mode. This is now available for Chrome browsers on all devices. Reading mode makes text larger, changes the font, and eliminates distractions.
  • Image to Text Conversion in PDFs. This ensures screen readers can convert images in a PDF to text. Then, the screen reader can read the text aloud.

These changes will become available in the coming months.

#4 – Google Meet’s Paired Tiles, Q&A, and Polling

Have two people presenting in a virtual meeting? Will there be a translator or a sign-language interpreter? You can now “Ask to pair the tiles” so that the tiles appear together. If one of you speaks, both tiles are highlighted.

Image of four people in a Google Meet.

There was also a Google announcement of new question and answers (Q&A) and polling features that will be available for livestreams. Additionally, for schools with the Education Plus option, the limit is now set to 1,000 attendees.

#5 – Google App Licensing Management

In a move sure to please finance department superintendents, Google announced streamlined app purchasing. That is, Google Admins for schools can now buy apps from developers directly. Locate these available apps in the Google for Education App Hub.

The Google for Education App Hub makes it easy to access apps that work with Google for Education tools. App licensing “can be provisioned and managed within the Google Admin Console.”

Image of Adobe Express showing app licensing options.

Source: Adobe Express at the Google for Education App Hub

What’s available? Explore the Hub, but you won’t want to miss these offerings:

Any one of these alone would be amazing, but to have easy access is wonderful. Also, these are now available at no cost (FREE!):

  • Adobe Express for Education. It’s free for schools using Chromebooks across the U.S.
  • Figma. This is already free for all K-12 schools in the U.S. who use Chromebooks.

I hope these Google Announcements benefit you, your school, and your students. Once you give them a try, let us know what you think in the comments.

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AndroidAppleChromebooksGoogle Tips and TricksMicrosoft Tips and TricksTechnical SupportWindows

Digital Spring Cleaning Made Simple

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

As the end of the year comes up, you may be looking with trepidation at the folders and files on your device. What do you need to keep for the long run? What do you need to throw away or wipe in a secure manner to ensure no one can find it? Wait, what about those errant accounts you created in online ed tech spaces but no longer need? These can be tough questions. Let’s work our way through them.

Four Digital Cleaning Steps to Consider First

These days, digital spring cleaning seems easy. You can always take the easy way and do this:

  1. Dump all your files and folders into a 2022-2023 folder
  2. Move all your emails from your email inbox. I like to organize mine by year. Everything from 2022, goes in a 2022 folder. Everything from 2023, in a 2023 folder, etc.
  3. Delete videos and photos you don’t want to keep.
  4. Make a list of accounts you made with your email, then scroll to the bottom of each email and click “Unsubscribe.”

Will this process take time? Yes, it will. Consider getting rid of what you don’t need to keep. The problem is, sometimes everything seems worth keeping. So pretend you are going on a trip, and you can’t take everything. Keep only what you will need and dump the rest at Goodwill (or in this case, delete/wipe it).

File Management and Organization

Image of MuCommander File Management
MuCommander File Manager

Too many folders and files? Dealing with over twenty folders on your screen can be daunting. You may want to learn how to use a file manager (you can put it on your portable hard drive or flash drive). That way, it’s a tool you always have available. Tools include:

Both tools allow you to move files from one place to another (e.g. hard drive to USB portable hard drive). You get a bird’s eye view of your files, folders, and digital storage spaces. These file managers make it easy to copy, move, delete, and rename files and folders. Moving forward, take some time every day to sort and organize files and folders to make it easier at the year’s end.

Digital Backup Solutions

Have a lot of data stored in Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive, but you’re not sure how to move it? Let’s take a look at these different storage ecosystems one at a time.

Google Drive user? Use tools like Google Drive Cleaner to remove duplicate files. No need to backup duplicate files. Once cleaned out, you can try one of the following options depending on your needs:

Are you a Microsoft OneDrive user? You can simply download your OneDrive files and folders to your USB hard drive.

If neither of these approaches seems appealing, try CloudHQ.net and MultCloud. Each offers wizards, or help, to assist you in copying or moving data from one space to another. They do have trial plans, so you can use them and then leave them when done.

Wipe Sensitive Data, Don’t Just Delete It!

Safeguard sensitive data by wiping it in a secure manner. Do you really need to keep a copy of top secret student or staff information on your device? If no, then wipe it.

Wiping is different than deleting a file. The latter involves a process where you drag files/folders to a trash can or recycle bin. But all this does is hide the file. Bad actors can still recover it. They can use free tools like Disk Drill, Data Recovery, Recuva, and/or KA Undelete (recommended).

Wiping a file or folder makes it unrecoverable. On a Mac, choose to use a free tool such as Permanent Eraser. On Windows, you have a variety of options. Those options (my favorites have asterisks) include:

If your hard drive is a solid-state drive (SSD), recovery may still be possible, and these wipe tools may not work as well. For those hard drives, whole disk encryption is the preferred option.

Want to Learn More?

Not sure how to use these different tools? Sign up for the TCEA Cybersecurity for Educators: Data Guardian online, self-paced course. You’ll learn all about these tools and how to use them to safeguard sensitive data in your care.

Prevent Unauthorized Access, Encrypt It

Have sensitive data you have to share with others or keep for reference? Make sure to encrypt it and decrypt it when needed, then encrypt it again. In that way, you ensure your data will be inaccessible to strangers. My favorite file encryption tool is Keka or 7zip on Mac and Windows, respectively. For Chromebooks, I rely on FileLock.org.

Additional free encryption tools that work on Mac and Windows include:

Remember, a data breach is as simple as someone stealing a USB flash drive with sensitive data on it. And if it’s not encrypted, you must report it in most states.

Cleaning Digital Accounts

You may have signed up for a few dozen online accounts this past year. Each may still be generating emails and burying you in unwanted mail. One way to stop those emails is to unsubscribe from each. If your school or district relies on a service like Clever or Identity Automation, you may be stuck. It will determine what accounts you continue to have and need for your job.

If you signed up for demo accounts or email lists with your work email account, you may need to visit each account and delete it. This process varies by website, so take your time and do one per day.

More Tips for Digital Spring Cleaning

Want some more tips on digital cleaning? Here are some other TCEA blog entries that may provide more information:

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ANTON
ChromebooksContent AreasCurricular StandardsELAREnglish Language ArtsForeign LanguageMathMathematicsMusicReadingSpanishTEKS

ANTON: Free Digital Activities and Games for K-8 Students

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

ANTON is at first glance, a German-based free learning app now available in the United States. The system works on a variety of devices, including Chromebooks. With over 200 interactive exercises for students in grades K-8, you can make your free account now.

“As a teacher, this app is excellent! Easy to use with scaffolded exercises to progress students through a variety of standards and skills. Visually it is not overwhelming while still engaging and has games. I love the multiple response types and organization of content. I highly recommend this app for continued support across learning standards.”

– U.S. Teacher

That’s 200+ exercises for each school subject, from math to language arts to science, and more. Plus, there is multi-language content aligned to state standards, including Texas.

image of Anton app features

Let’s dig a little into Anton to learn more about it.

ANTON login processes
Overview of New Account Creation Process for a Teacher

Wait, What About Student Privacy?

Worried about creating an account and compromising student privacy? No worries, teachers and students can create accounts without giving out personal information. If you’re a teacher, you can create a classroom and assign exercises to your class. You can even check student progress. It also appears that Anton does not use login authorization through popular services. Those services include Google, Facebook, etc.

What’s more, ANTON meets the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). It also adheres to European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). And, more important for some, it is free from advertising. All data is deleted after 12 months of no use (unless you have an ANTON-Plus school contract).

ANTON getting started quick guide for teachers

When I signed up for an account, I provided an email and a password. I did not see an option to skip providing my email address or school location. Students would be asked to provide a nickname, a school, and at which subject they would like to start. Students who are at least 16 years of age may enter their email address or mobile phone number in the Settings of the app.

Screenshot by author with permission of publisher

Aligned to Texas Standards

ANTON is also aligned to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. Here’s a quick example as an animated GIF:

Here’s a short video overview (updated):

A Short Introduction

“This app has everything. For a free app, it teaches and lets your student practice and then test what they learned,” said one teacher. You can get started with a free teacher account, choosing from human or monster avatars. Once you create your class, students can connect and start to work inside ANTON. It works as a learning management system, allowing teachers to track student progress. These features make grading and offering feedback easy. This video provides a quick overview of the login process:

You can find more relevant videos about how to use and navigate ANTON online. Here are a few you can explore right away:

Don’t be afraid to explore. Get started now.

Anton grade 1 math activity with subject menu

Grades and Subjects Available

“I like the way ANTON breaks down a lesson into very small steps but builds the lesson back up with more info with each step taken making it easier to understand the concept,” said a classroom teacher. There are a lot of amazing subjects you can access in Anton. Each is replete with instructional activities that include images and sound, like this science activity for grades 3-5:

ANTON example science activity

Here’s a quick video tutorial:

Subjects addressed for K-8 include:

  • English/Language Arts: reading, phonics, the alphabet, grammar, and more.
  • Math: numbers, counting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and geometry.
  • Science: plants, animals, the solar system, and more.
  • Music: instruments, melody, rhythm, and reading music.

Of course, Spanish and other languages are included, as is social studies.

ANTON example social studies activity

ANTON Games

Love to share games with your students? ANTON offers quite a few. Every time students finish a lesson, they earn a gold coin. These coins can “buy” games that students can play. A few games from the long list include:

  • Hidden
  • Sports: Long Jump
  • Astro Bang
  • Avatar Superstar
  • Bat Cave
  • Block Puzzle

There are many more games in ANTON that students can play. Of course, they can only do so after completing an exercise.

What can you do with ANTON infographic

Is It ALL Free?

While ANTON appears to offer a lot of value at no cost, you can choose to use ANTON-Plus, a paid service. This paid service offers additional functions. In the Terms of Service, you can read:

2.8 Schools can purchase an ANTON school license and thus unlock additional functions that improve their use in school. In addition to the ANTON school license, schools can also activate ANTON-Plus for all school students and teachers.

A teacher could adapt the use of the free activities for the classroom, as well as assign them to students. Given that the activities range from K-6, the content is easy to work through.

best practice for ELL in ANTON graphic

“Intuitive app, easy to use, and creative exercises for easy understanding and learning,” reported one educator. ANTON is also available via the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and/or Amazon Appstore. If you need a cross-platform app that works in the browser, ANTON meets your needs there as well.

Try it for yourself and then watch the fun and learning begin!

This blog entry was updated with new content on 10/14/2024.

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ClassQuiz
AssessmentChromebooksContent AreasEducational ResearchELARInstructional CoachingMathematicsReading

ClassQuiz: A Free Tool Supporting High-Effect Size Instructional Strategies

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Educators are buzzing around a new Kahoot and Quizziz-like tool available at no cost. This quiz website offers a host of features, the most important being that it doesn’t collect data. If you’ve used other quiz tools, you know data is collected about you and your students for their own use. ClassQuiz asserts that, unlike these other quiz tools, it doesn’t send information to third parties.

Let’s take a closer look at ClassQuiz to see what it can do. You will also see how it aligns with evidence-based instructional strategies as well as see new research updates about those strategies.

Screenshot by author

Git ClassQuiz

Unlike it’s commercial, closed-source competitors, ClassQuiz offers a GitHub website. That means that you could, if you chose, set up ClassQuiz internally in your own server farm. The benefit? You would have sensitive data under organizational control. This is like hosting your own WordPress or Moodle installation.

What Is ClassQuiz?

ClassQuiz works in a simple way. It allows you to take three primary actions:

  • Create a quiz that allows the insertion of pictures/images
  • Explore and find quizzes others have created
  • Import quizzes from Kahoot! that you can then edit in ClassQuiz

As you might imagine, this import option gives you access to the content in a more established tool. Once the quiz has been set up, students select responses, view results, and see a leaderboard.

Screenshot by author

What Security Safeguards Does ClassQuiz Offer?

ClassQuiz boasts of the following features that safeguard student data:

  • No tracking
  • Self-hosting
  • Cost-free
  • Multilingual
  • Dark mode
  • Save quizzes
  • Save quiz results
  • Community-driven

Hot to Get a ClassQuiz Account

Getting an account is easy. Click on the Register button at the top left of the screen, then fill in your desired information, as shown below:

Screenshot by author

You will need to confirm your email address via an email in your inbox. Using your school district or organization email? Be sure to allow emails from classquiz@mawoka.eu.

Once you have a registered account, you can log in and get access to options that include create, import, results, settings, explore, and search.

How to Import a Kahoot!

You can import a Kahoot! by selecting Import, then pasting the link (a.k.a. URL) to a Kahoot! quiz into the box. To keep it simple, I found a Technology and Robots with Star Wars quiz on Kahoot. Note that I did not create the Kahoot! quiz, but I was still able to import it into ClassQuiz.

Screenshot by author

Here’s what the import process looks like in ClassQuiz:

Screenshot by author

And once complete, the imported quiz appears in ClassQuiz ready to be edited, if needed:

Screenshot by author

Two Strategies to Use with Digital Quiz Tools

Tools like Kahoot, Quizziz, and ClassQuiz offer educators access to digital quiz tools. Each of these tools can be useful for teachers and students. That’s because, when used in alignment with research, they can impact student achievement. How? Through the use of high-effect size instructional strategies.

Did You Know?

“When repetition leads to long-term memories, there are physical changes in the brain. Brain memories disappear very quickly unless they are repeated. Our brains are made up of billions of nerve cells or neurons, all connected together. We form memories when some of these pathways become strengthened by being repeatedly used. (Source: Mike Bell, The Fundamentals of Teaching)

Two powerful strategies can inform our use of quiz tools, like ClassQuiz. Those include:

  • Rehearsal (d=0.73). This is a high-effect size strategy that accelerates student learning. It refers to mental techniques designed to help us remember information.
    • It includes memorizing information through repetition. It can involve repeating information upon seeing a visual cue (like images or flashcards).
    • What’s more, team competition as a rehearsal strategy works. That is, the teacher asks questions requiring rehearsed information. Students answer on their own to gain points for their team. (Learn more!)
  • Retrieval Practice (d=0.46) is often referred to as Practice Testing.
    • It is a way to support long-term information retention. It also assists learners in increasing access to the “to-be-remembered” information (source).
    • This strategy can strengthen learning. It does so when the teacher or student draws out information through a variety of approaches. The information is “pulled out” of students’ brains when they are prompted to retrieve it. Example approaches include flashcards and low-stakes quizzes.

With these two strategies in mind, you can approach the use of ClassQuiz to see how effective it is.

If the rehearsal strategy relies on repetition through the viewing of visual cues, how does ClassQuiz work? You can create flashcards in ClassQuiz that feature images. Then, students can select responses to match.

Retrieval practice (or practice testing) relies on students retrieving information from their minds on cue. Low-stakes quizzes, entry/exit cards (a.k.a. bell ringers) work well in ClassQuiz.

Screenshot by author

Shocking Research Update

A new study published in “Psychological Science in the Public Interest“ provides evidence that these strategies are ineffective:

  • Re-reading
  • Highlighting
  • Mnemonics

Pretty shocking, no? If those strategies are ineffective, what strategies are MOST effective?

Whenever you see these three strategies, think of this diagram:

Created by author as adapted from a workshop presentation

Leverage ClassQuiz for Effective Learning

Don’t be afraid to leverage ClassQuiz. It can enhance student use of effective learning strategies. This includes strategies like retrieval practice and rehearsal. Teaching students to engage in distributed and interleaved practice amplifies strategies’ effect. It can ensure long-term information retention beyond re-reading and highlighting.

Feature Image Source

Screenshot by author, ClassQuiz

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ChromebooksGoogle Tips and Tricks

Google Drive Bingo: Explore 25 Google Drive Tips

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

One of my favorite Google tools? Google Drive. It’s a phenomenal mixing board for getting things done, saving files, and more. If you have a Google Workspace for Education account, Google Drive is where you start and end. In some ways, it’s the Alpha and Omega of cloud storage. Let’s explore some ways Google Drive is so amazing, and play bingo, too.

Get your Virtual Bingo Card with additional tips at the end of this post!

To get you started, here are some of my essential Google Drive tips. I’ve followed them up with some extras you may appreciate. Each tip comes with a resource link, either to a video or a blog entry. Ready to get started?

Grab your Bingo Dauber

Here are a few of the Google Drive tips featured in your virtual Bingo card. How many of them can you check off your list? Get your ink dauber and worksheet, and let’s get started. Sing out when you get four corners, cover all blocks, or get a straight line, ok?

1. Color code your files.

Wish you had an easy way to call your attention to your own folders in Google Drive? I don’t know about you, but I love relying on colored folders (e.g., green, red, blue, purple) when working with paper. I do the same digitally with Google Drive, adjusting the colors as needed. Just right click on the file name and select “Change color.”

2. Convert all Drive uploads to work with Docs.

When you know how much space you have allocated for Microsoft Office documents (XLS, PPT, DOC), this option makes sense. Instead of using your precious Google Drive space, have Google Drive automatically convert MS Office documents to Google Docs. You’ll save space, which is important because space, even in Google Drive, can cost you money.

Look for the Settings icon, a gear cog, in the top right-hand corner of your Google Drive screen.

3. Use emojis or special characters (! # @ ^) to change the sort order of folders and files in your Drive.

You can easily add emojis and special characters to the front of your folder title or filename. When you do this, you change the sort order of the folders and/or files.

Copy-n-paste emojis from Emoji Copy-Paste

This allows you to emphasize that certain files come first no matter what their title is.

4. Organize your Google Drive with workspaces for easy access.

It’s so easy to add several files that are relevant to a common topic or purpose. When you group those files as a Workspace, they become easier to find. That’s a lifesaver in cloud storage where it can be easy to misplace items.

5. Adjust the view of your Google Drive by switching from grid to list view.

Want to see image thumbnails? Use grid view to get a preview of the images that you may have stored in Google Drive. Want an alphabetical list based on the title of a file? Use list view to get that sortable list of filenames.

Click the button shown to switch between grid and list view. The list view button (not shown) appears in the same place as the Grid button (shown).

6. Add a description and hashtag to a Google Drive file to make it easier to find.

Some folks put things in Google Drive, and absent a way to organize files (I organize by year, never deeper than two folder levels), they lose their marbles. Er, I meant to say, they lose their files and lose their marbles as a result. You can right-click and add a description to any Google Drive file. Add hashtags and they may help you find things more easily.

What’s more, you can see the file’s activity from the right panel that pops up. You can also open the file and view Activity Dashboard via Tools.

7. Refine a search by date, type, owner, word search, and more.

Make it easy for yourself to find files. If you’re not using hashtags in descriptions, then use Google Drive’s search options. You can narrow the search results if you use the search options available.

8. Show the file location for a shortcut.

Wish you knew where the file a shortcut links to is located? Right-click the file shortcut to see its actual file location. Another tip to keep in mind?

This next tip is a bonus tip, not included in Google Drive Virtual Bingo Card.

9. Easily open a file’s home folder from the open file.

It’s so easy to do a Google Drive search, find a file, open it, but then still not know where it is. To find the location of the original file, open the file from the search results. Then look for the small folder next to the document title. Click the arrow next to the folder. It will allow you to open the folder where the file resides. To find the file, look for it in alphabetical order.

10. Organize and move items inside Google Drive.

There are three different ways to move items in Google Drive. Let’s discuss two of them in this tip (more later).

The first involves using the left sidebar. Navigate to the file(s) you want to move in the main screen, select them (shift or ctrl click works), then click and drag them to the folder in the left sidebar where you want the file(s) to reside.

The second approach is to right-click and choose “Move to” to relocate files to a preferred location.

11. Use keyboard commands to copy and move files.

A new feature for those of using Chrome or Chromium browsers is using the shortcut Ctrl-C (copy) to copy several files. You can also move files using Ctrl-X in this manner. Once you have copied/cut files, go to your desired folder destination. Then, press Ctrl-V to paste the file(s) in.

12. Use keyboard shortcuts to create content.

Did you know you can create content using keyboard shortcuts? In Google Drive, you can use the following keyboard shortcuts to create new documents:

  • Shift – T to make a Google Doc
  • Shift – P for Google Slides
  • Shift – S for Google Sheets

These documents come up as untitled, blank documents in whatever folder you happen to be in when you create them.

13. Create a Google Drive-based photo album.

Do you like storing photos in Google Drive? It’s an easy place to drop images off your phone. You can even set it up so that images get placed there via Google Forms, or you can share a Google Drive folder with others. Then, they can place images and media files in a shared collaborative space. Using Google Drive and Google Sites, you can even create a website photo album!

Read the blog article.

If you simply want to use pictures from a Google Drive folder in a Slides presentation, try this approach. Use the Photos to Slide Chrome add-on. It makes it easy to select the images you want to use, then shuffle slides to arrange pictures. You can import up to 1,000 images at a time and sort them by time, filename, or description.

14. Remove duplicate files.

Need to remove duplicate files, but you’re not sure where they might be? Sometimes, when you drag and drop, your finger slips, and who knows where those copies went. The Google Drive Cleaner is my go-to solution for removing duplicates.

15. Set up a Shared Drive to assign to the team.

If you’ve worked with Google Documents, you know what a pain it is when someone leaves. What happens is the Google Admin deletes that user’s account. Even if everyone said that they “got” the files, there’s always one missing. To make sure that critical files for a team don’t go missing, put them in a Google Shared drive. That way, they belong to the team, not to one person.

Want More? Time for Google Drive Bingo

Looking for extra tips? Be sure to play Google Bingo. Get your card here for 10 additional Google Drive tips.

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Computational Thinking
AndroidChromebooksCoding/Computer ScienceiOS Tips and TricksMathematicsMicrosoftProfessional LearningSTEM/STEAMTCEA CertificationsUncategorizedWriting

TCEA Announces All-New Scratch Computational Thinking Course

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Make coding more than a programmer’s tool. Teachers can now learn how to use Scratch, a block coding tool, across the curriculum! This course allows you to learn how to use Scratch to teach computational thinking. Teachers can use it to present, animate, and gamify their lessons. The online, self-paced course (Scratch Computational Thinking) is available through TCEA.

An infographic with an orange cartoon cat and a talk bubble with a red heart and TCEA Scratch course logo. Behind the cat is a screenshot of Scratch code. To the right of the cat is information on cost, course structure, and what is included with enrollment. Above the cat is the title "TCEA's Scratch Computational Thinking" with a brief course description.

What Is TCEA?

If you don’t know us, we’re a nonprofit education association. Our mission? Advancing teaching and learning through the use of technology. Improving education with teachers and ensuring student success is our goal!

What You’ll Learn in the Scratch Course

Participants in the Scratch course watch videos to learn how to create animations, make mathematical instructional resources, and create games. And the course shows teachers how to pose and solve computational thinking problems.

TCEA Course Developer James Abela says that teachers will make lessons that encourage literacy and writing. Abela assisted in the launch of the Raspberry Pi at Cambridge, and he is also the course developer of TCEA’s Swift Programming course.

Abela says he loves teaching computer science, and with this course, teachers can take first steps into coding. “You will be able to create interactive animations. Teachers can support learning across all subjects!” he says.

Screenshot showing the block palette, code area, and stage in Scratch.
Image Source: Scratch Wiki

What Are the Scratch Course Details?

Once you complete the course, you will be able to create learning experiences for students with Scratch. “You can click things together just like Lego, so it’s a great way to get things started. It enables us to teach real models like the input process and output model,” says Abela.

The course includes five modules:

  • Module 1: Getting Started with Scratch
  • Module 2: Sequence
  • Module 3: Selection
  • Module 4: Iteration (Repetition)
  • Module 5: Interactivity

Enrolling in the course gets you a free TCEA membership, and once completed, you receive 12 CPE credits, and a digital badge. What’s more, you’ll get a digital certificate of completion! Course access lasts for one full year from a your date of enrollment in the course.

What Are the Scratch Course Prerequisites and Requirements?

This course is for teachers of students ages 7 – 14 and is an introductory course to computational thinking using Scratch. More sophisticated techniques shown here are suitable for older students. Scratch is also featured in Harvard’s CS50 course, which shows learning Scratch can benefit adult learners.

How To Sign Up

The course is available for $39, but for groups of 10 or more, the price is discounted to $34 per person. Contact Miguel Guhlin (mguhlin@tcea.org) for pricing quotes for 10 or more people. Large groups can also pay via TCEA Credit Card Authorization Form. Interested? Go ahead, enroll now!

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"Panel from Diego Rivera's mural at Unity House, depicting the growing conflict over slavery that eventually led to the Civil War. Also included are references to the Mexican War and the discovery of gold in California. Important figures include Henry Da" by Kheel Center, Cornell University Library is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
ChromebooksCommunicationDigital CitizenshipWeb 2.0 Tool

Openverse: An Open Source Creative Commons Search Tool

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Looking for images, photos, and audio that won’t get you into trouble with the copyright police? If you read Dr. Cynthia Piña’s blog on Intellectual Property 101, you would have found a host of great solutions. One offering in that blog entry, Creative Commons (CC) Search, changed its name. CC Search is now called Openverse, joining Wordpress as an open source project.

Source: “Saturn’s Rings in Ultraviolet Light” by NASA Goddard Photo and Video is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

A Managed Commons for Media

Wordpress acquired CC Search in 2021. Openverse, the revised label under Wordpress, offers more than 600 million creative works. This library of photos, images, and audio are available for you to use at no cost. All images are Creative Commons licensed, or in the public domain. Dr. Piña explains:

Creative Commons is a kind of license that is open and flexible. This means that media licensed under Creative Commons is more available to share and reproduce by others…. Public domain refers to materials or works that do not have copyright protection.

Alluding to The Tragedy of the Commons, Word Press’s Matt Mullenweg says this:

Word Art generated sheep with words, "Tragedy of the Unregulated Commons"
Word Art generated sheep with words, “Tragedy of the Unregulated Commons”

“…the canonical example is as a shared field in a town, and it doesn’t belong to anyone, so anyone can use it. And when too many farmers took their sheep there, they would overeat the grass, and then there was no more grass left because it was being overutilized, and there was no one owning the field to say, Hey, we need to practice a more sustainable amount of sheep….

The idea is like a shared resource that gets overused and then disappears. With software, we have the opportunity to have the opposite. A wealth of comments where every person using the thing actually has the opportunity to make it a little bit better.”

The Tragedy of the Commons has seen some pushback on the main concept. In the 1980s, revisions suggested this wording:

“Under conditions of overpopulation, freedom in an unmanaged commons brings ruin to all.”

For those who want access to media they can use for a short-term project, Openverse offers a solution. A managed commons that anyone can find and use without fear.

Filters available in Openverse to narrow search results

Revisiting Boolean Logic

Even with the right filters, finding the right image to use can be difficult. Using Openverse to find content seems obvious. You go to the Openverse.org website, then type in what you are looking for. That said, you can take advantage of Boolean logic. You may be familiar with AND, OR, NOT but Openverse gives you more search options.

Openverse.org, a great media search tool for adult professionals, not so much for K-12 children, who may encounter inappropriate content.

You can combine keywords or search terms. These operators make it easier to find what you are looking for. More options are available online in this tutorial.

  • + signifies AND operation
  • | signifies OR operation
  • – negates a single token
  • * at the end of a term signifies a prefix query
  • ( and ) signify precedence
  • ~N after a word signifies edit distance (fuzziness)

You can put phrases in quotation marks. Here are some examples:

classroom+teacher

This search should yield any images that include a classroom AND a teacher. As you can see from the screenshot below, the search isn’t that strict.

student|teacher

This combination shows images that include a student OR a teacher, but not always both.

classroom -desk

Searches for a classroom, and does not show a desk.

In spite of the near misses, Boolean searches and operators can be helpful. You can see that below in the revised search:

classroom AND teacher -empty

See classrooms that have a teacher in them but are not empty.

Sound on Openverse

Looking for amazing sounds? You’ll find amazing tunes, songs, and more in Openverse’s search results. The Sound of Some captivated my ear. Search on music and you may not be able to lay your headphones aside.

And, who knows what wings this poetry may give your imagination.

“Poetry: a poem by liber” by liber(the poet); is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Finding amazing images that don’t violate copyright, and suit your needs, can make work easier. Isn’t that worth a little logic?

Feature Image Source

“Panel from Diego Rivera’s mural at Unity House, depicting the growing conflict over slavery that eventually led to the Civil War. Also included are references to the Mexican War and the discovery of gold in California. Important figures include Henry Da” by Kheel Center, Cornell University Library is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

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