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Google Tips and Tricks

Lasso in the New Year with Our Google Resource Roundup

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

Lasso in the New Year with our annual Google resource roundup. The roundup consists of fantastic Google resources from 2018 that you might have missed on our blog. We have featured many remarkable posts on topics such as Google Classroom updates, Google Drive organizational tips, and so much more. In addition, remember the 2016 Google Resource Roundup and the 2017 Google Resource Roundup offer even more phenomenal Google blog posts.

Add-Ons

Android

Calendar

Chrome

Chromebooks

Chrome Extensions

Classroom

Docs

  • Five Google Docs Hacks – Explore five Google Docs hacks that will transform your Google Docs experience into a positive one.

Drawing

Drive

Earth

File Stream

Forms

Gmail

Home | Assistant

Photos

Sheets

Sites

Slides

Tour Builder

Various Google Tools

YouTube

As we move into 2019, don’t forget to stay tuned to more fabulous posts on our 2018 EdTech’s Must-Read K-12 IT Blog! You can even join our email list to ensure the hottest new content gets delivered to your inbox.

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awards
Announcements/Important Dates

TCEA Educator Award and Scholarship Winners Announced

by Joe Vasquez
written by Joe Vasquez

On February 6, TCEA honored its Educator Award and Scholarship recipients at a ceremony during the 2018 TCEA Convention & Exposition. These incredible educators were chosen based on their efforts to advance teaching and learning through technology.

TCEA Scholarships

The TCEA scholarships are awarded each year to deserving educators and college students seeking to further their knowledge of technology education. With these scholarships, TCEA encourages the acquisition of technology and teaching skills and supports the professional growth of both practicing and pre-service educators. This year’s winners are listed below:

Robert E. Knight Professional Scholarship
Sarah McManus, Henderson ISD, Texas A&M University

Jeri Hodges Leadership Scholarship
Jan Hodge, Crowley ISD
Cori Coburn-Shiflett, Georgetown ISD

TCEA Educator Awards

TCEA recognizes exemplary educators for their tireless efforts to enhance technology throughout their classrooms, libraries, campuses, and districts. Winners of the awards received engraved plaques and $1,000 each from TCEA. The finalists in each category received plaques and $500 each. The High Impact Teacher of the Year recipient will also be nominated for the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Outstanding Teacher award. The finalists, with winners in bold, are listed below:

High Impact Teacher of the Year
Jamie Jo Keeter-Morgan, Wichita Falls ISD
Lynn Koresh, Edgewood Campus School (recipient)
Valerie Satterwhite, Round Rock ISD

Library Media Specialist of the Year
Heather Aston, Coppell ISD
Annie Colvin, Lockhart ISD
Trela Weesner, Lewisville ISD (recipient)

Technical Support Person of the Year
Javier Aguilar, East Fort Worth Montessori Academy
Sherri Forrest, Prestonwood Christian Academy (recipient)
Paul McGuire, Clyde Consolidated ISD

Instructional Technology Specialist of the Year
Elizabeth Benno, Lovejoy ISD (recipient)
Bradford Harris, Aldine ISD
Tisha Poncio, Celina ISD

District or Campus Administrator of the Year
Dr. Kyle Heath, Cleburne ISD (recipient)
Amber Teamann, Wylie ISD

Technology Administrator of the Year
Kyle Ivey, Central ISD (recipient)

School Board of the Year
Cleburne ISD

Making IT Happen Award
Mark Simmons, Sabine Pass ISD (recipient)

Congratulations to this year’s Educator Award and Scholarship winners!

On behalf of TCEA, let me extend my warmest congratulations to this year’s winners and finalists. They represent the very best in education, and their innovative use of technology in their classrooms and schools is genuinely creating learning without limits. We wish them all continued success for the future.

 

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Google Tips and Tricks

Be More Productive with Google Drive in 2018

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

If you are looking to be more productive with Google Drive in 2018, then you’ll definitely want to use some of the tips listed below. I use Google Drive every day, which means that I am always looking for ways to do things faster and easier. Google Drive has some features that are not as apparent as some of its core functionalities. I have listed five of the handiest Google Drive tips that you should take advantage of, if you don’t already.

1. Save Images and Web Pages Directly to Google Drive

There are times when I need to share images or entire pages with my colleagues via Google Drive. In the past, I would save the image and then upload it to Drive. This can be a very tedious process. However, thanks to the Save to Google Drive Chrome Extension, you can now simply right-click on an image and then click “Save Image to Google Drive”. If you want to save a web page, simply go to the web page you want to save and click on the Save to Google Drive extension, located in the upper right-hand corner of your Chrome browser.

2. Quickly Access your Files in Google Drive

This is one of the newest features added to Google Drive. It lets you quickly access the files that you have recently worked on. Once you turn it on, you’ll find a line of your recent files right in front of you on the top of the Folders section just like the image below.

To turn it on, open your Google Drive Settings by clicking on the Gear icon in the top right-hand corner.  Scroll to Settings and find the Suggestions section. Next, click the box for “Make relevant files handy when you need them.” Refresh your page in order to see the changes. Now you can quickly access your recently modified files.

3. Filter Your Searches

If you want to quickly find a file in your Google Drive, you can always search your Drive. But did you know that you can filter your search results by clicking on the not-so-visible drop-down button on the right edge of the Search box? Once you click the arrow, you will see a panel of search options. You can filter by file type, date modified, and owner. If you need to find shared files, you can filter the same by looking for the name of the person you’ve share the file with.

4. Take Advantage of Google Drive Templates

Google Drive templates are an underused feature that has the potential to make your life much easier. There is no use recreating the wheel if you don’t have to. Google has a gallery of templates you can use. There is also a Chrome app for the Drive Template Gallery that you can install. You can even create your own templates and/or access templates created by others within your domain. If you are unable to access the templates, then your G Suite Admin must enable access to public templates.

If you are looking for even more templates, Lori Gracey has written a few blogs about where to find some great ones. Be sure to check out Free Templates for PowerPoint/Google Slides, More Free Presentation Templates, and Google Templates for Students.

5. Attach Google Drive Files Quickly in Gmail

This is one of the simplest Google Drive tips that I often take advantage of, but many people don’t know about. If you need to quickly email a document from your Google Drive, don’t download the file and send it as an attachment. Simply look at the bottom of your Gmail’s compose window. There you will find a little Google Drive icon. When you click on it, your Google Drive files will appear. Find the document you want to send and insert it. You can insert it as either an attachment or as a link contained within the email. It’s so simple and easy!

 

It’s clear that there are a number of ways to be more productive with Google Drive in 2018. These are just a few tips that have helped me be more efficient. I encourage you to try one (or all of them). If you have some other tips you would like to add to this list, drop them in the comment below and let us know.

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Educational Trends

Three Ed Tech Predictions for 2018

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

I’ve dusted off my crystal ball again and am looking into it to see what’s coming for educational technology this next year. (If you want to check my accuracy, here are my predictions for 2017. How did I do?)

Artificial Intelligence Comes Into Its Own2018 predictions

We’ve seen the beginnings of the AI movement with the Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple’s Siri, all of whom utilize machine-learning technology in order to get smarter. But it’s nothing compared to what’s coming in 2018. Machine learning is defined as:

An application of artificial intelligence (AI) that provides systems the ability to automatically learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed. Machine learning focuses on the development of computer programs that can access data and use it learn for themselves (source).

Machine learning should have great interest to us in the education world since it involves learning and computer programming. We won’t see any AI devices taking over the world any time soon, but we will begin to rely on them more and more. Already, we see doctors using AI to diagnose illnesses, Netflix and Pandora using predictive technology to make recommendations, and driverless vehicles. The power of thinking machines to take over more of the daily grind of our lives will increase in 2018. And while we won’t see a huge increase in AI in schools yet, vendors will begin to develop products that use artificial intelligence to help diagnose and prescribe for specific student learning needs. (By the way, if you’ve heard the myth that AI will eventually replace teachers, you can stop worrying. Artificial intelligence is great for helping with data, but not with relationships. And that’s what good teaching comes down to.)

More Things Are Connected to the Internet

We will see a huge growth in the devices that can be connected to the Internet in 2018. The Internet of Things (IOT), soon to be called the Internet of Everything, has tremendous possibilities for schools with the potential of big cost savings over time. Monitoring sensors will be attached to almost anything, from HVAC systems to buses to doors and windows. They can be used to take attendance, track payments in the cafeteria, monitor student engagement and access of resources, and more. The resulting data coming in from all of these devices will require new ways of thinking, as well as a strong need for additional broadband and storage on our school networks.

2018 predictions

Computer Programming Becomes Even More Important

The automation of many jobs across our country and the world will increase in 2018. The McKinsey Global Institute published a report in 2018 predictionsNovember 2017 about automation and jobs, sketching out different paths the technology might take and its effect on workers, by job category in several countries. One key finding: Up to one third of the American work force will have to switch to new occupations by 2030, in about a dozen years.

What will this mean for education? It will be mean that one of the high-growth fields to prepare our students for will be computer programming and robotics. (Someone has to program and repair all of those robots!) More and more schools will add robotics programs to their offerings, beginning in primary school. All students will be encouraged to take programming/computer science courses and participate in activities such as the Hour of Code school wide. And that will mean that programming will be more important to all educators as well. Districts will need to ramp up their professional development to meet the demand for this skill set.

One Bonus Prediction

My crystal ball gave me one extra prediction for 2018. Educators will continue to do amazing things for all students with little resources and even less time. They will continue to make a difference in the lives of the people they come into contact with each day, working to the make the world a better place and to achieve learning without limits. And I think that’s a prediction that we can all be sure will come true!

 

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Submit your proposal for the TCEA Convention & Exposition today!
Announcements/Important Dates

TCEA Convention & Exposition Call for Proposals Is Now Open!

by Susan Meyer
written by Susan Meyer

At the TCEA Convention & Exposition, thousands of educators gather each year to discover the latest tools, tips, best practices, and resources for integrating technology in the classroom and engaging students. They consider our convention a must-attend event year after year because they get to hear from a diverse range of experts on all topics of educational technology. Are you the next expert ready to increase your reach and share your knowledge with an audience of thousands? Whether you’re a Google guru, an ace at Adobe, a STEM specialist, or just a general ed tech expert, we encourage educators from all levels and specialties to submit a proposal.

We’re excited to announce that the call for proposals is now open and will close on May 31. Your proposal will be carefully reviewed by a crack team of TCEA members, and all presenters will receive acceptance or regret notifications by July 2017.

Types of Presentations

Not all presentations are created equal. Choose the type that best suits the content you’re presenting.

Presentation Sessions: The classic 50- or 90-minute presentation with handouts. Successful presenters often share proven strategies from their wealth of personal experience or research projects focused on technology-based instruction. Know that the availability of 90-minute presentations is limited.

PC Hands-on Workshops: These 90-minute, 3-hour, or 6-hour sessions allow participants to get hands-on with the technology. Offering PC computers with internet browsers and WIN OS for all participants, presenters must provide any additional software needed.

BYOD Workshops: These 90-minute, 3-hour, or 6-hour workshops are intended to give attendees hands-on experience with a PC, mobile, or other platform which they provide themselves. Presenters are expected to provide supporting materials.

Panel Presentation: These 3-5 person panels share their expertise on a common theme through discussion and allow attendees to hear multiple viewpoints on a topic. Panels are 50 or 90 minutes in length. TCEA encourages you to create diverse panels featuring experts from a variety of locations, districts, and job titles.

Poster Sessions: These informal sessions are held in an open-area and allow presenters to engage one-on-one or in small groups with interested attendees. Sessions are grouped together by topic (such as STEM or makerspaces). Each presenter is provided with a six-foot table, monitor, and board to which you can attach flyers or supplemental material. Poster sessions last for two hours.

Presentation Topic Strands

To help you narrow the focus of your vast experience, here are the categories to adhere to. Each presentation should align with one of the following strands:

  • 1:1, District Supported Devices, BYOT (Implementation and Management)
  • Leadership and CTO (Advocacy and Educational Policy, Administration, Assessment and Accountability, Funding, Technology Planning and Evaluation)
  • Online and Blended Learning (Global Connections, Virtual Classrooms, Flipped Classrooms)
  • Library Media (Information Literacy, Library Services, and Media Integration)
  • Professional Development (Professional Development Strategies, Models, and Deployment)
  • Pedagogy and Instructional Design (Technology Integration, Best Practices, Strategies, Project- and Problem-Based Learning, Makerspaces, Learning Environments)
  • Special Populations (GT, ELL/Migrant/Bilingual, Special Needs)
  • Technical Support (Infrastructure, Network Services, Software/Hardware, and Informational Technology)
  • Technology Applications and CTE Courses (Coding, Computer Science, BIMM, STEM, STEAM, etc.)

If you’re interested in sharing your expertise with thousands of innovative educators at the TCEA Convention & Exposition, you can learn more about the selection process and things to consider when submitting a proposal here.

Are you ready to take the next step and create a proposal for the TCEA Convention & Exposition?

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