Chrome Extensions

Chrome Extensions are useful tools to add to your Chrome browser.

Using Chrome as your browser, go to your Chrome Store.

Once here you can find all kinds of great tools.  You can also personalise your Google Chrome page by choosing from a number of themes.  Go ahead and try them - you can easily change between any of them with a click.  

Here are some great extensions to add to your Chrome:

Synergyse Training - this extension is added to your Google Apps, so that anytime you are in a google app (document, spreadsheet, draw, presentation, forms) it will appear.  If you have any questions or need a tutorial on any aspect of the app, you can click on it.

 What is looks like when you search for it in the Google Store.

The icon on your Google app.

Some of the many tips provided.

Another excellent one that I use all the time is the URL shortener. Search for Google URL shortener extension in the Chrome Web Store.

This extension goes onto your toolbar.  When you want to share a url address and you don't want to have it looking like a long, convoluted line of letters, numbers, symbols, you can click on this extension and it provides a nice, short url for you to use. 

Those are just two of hundreds of extensions you can choose from.  There is one that changes anything on your screen to a different language.  One that reads what's on your screen out loud to you.  One that shows your calendar with one click.  One for twitter, pinterest, and other social media.  The list is endless.  Have fun exploring and if you come across any that are really useful, be sure to share!

Term One PD

In Term One 2014 the eLearning Team have provided numerous opportunities for PD for the staff.  On Teacher Only Day in January, we had a whole staff session providing differentiated PD for staff on Google Apps for Education.  Basic instruction in Google Docs and Gmail was available for those wanting to learn the basics.  A bit more advanced was available for those who were already familiar with the basics and were ready for more.  A session on how to set up a Google site and a blog was provided for teachers ready to explore using these tools for sharing their students' learning and classroom activities.

Throughout the term, extra PD has been provided on Friday mornings before school.  These sessions are run by the eLearning team each taking two weeks to share their knowledge on an area of eLearning.  Attendance at these PD sessions is voluntary and available to any staff who are interested. Also during the term there have been two after school sessions provided for teachers who would like to set up a google site and blog.

Notes and instructions for most of the sessions have been posted on this PD blog and can be found by searching the labels.

Creating Google Sites and Blogs with Cheryl

Teachers learnt how to set up their own google site with links to resources, websites, photo galleries and a class blog.  They have also learnt how to blog from their ipads, smart phones and computers.

Getting Googley with Ryan.  

Google basics and more.  Learning how to put our documents in folders, work within gmail, create google docs, presentations, draw and much more.

Going crazy with QR Codes with Sarah.  
Learning how to create QR codes and link them to websites such as Youtube movies, books, authors, theme etc.  The resources the teachers make are being collected on our Staff Disk to be shared with all of the staff.

Incredible iMovies with Rebekah
Teachers will learn how to use their iPads and the iMovie app to create exciting movies that document students' learning.  Once the teachers are familiar with how easy it is to make a movie, they will be able to share this with their students so that their students can produce their own movies to share their learning.  Movies can easily be uploaded to Youtube and shared with parents and the global community.  Linking our Youtube movies to a QR code will enable us to share our learning around the school.  We are excited about the potential available with this eLearning tool!

Going Green screen with Mellini
Our school has a green screen and video equipment that is currently used by the news team.  Any staff who are interested in trying it out with their students are welcome to attend this session to learn how to use the green screen for their own productions.

Adding photos to your Google Site using Picasa Web

On your Google Site where you have a photo gallery or photo album tab,  this is how you add a photo album that will look like these on my google site.  Some people do have trouble viewing these on an iPad or iPhone.  If anyone knows the fix for this please let me know.  They are viewable on computers and android devices.

Go to www.picasaweb.google.com .  If you are logged in with your google account, Picasa will open into your account.  You now need to make an album.  Choose 'upload photos' and create an album.  It is important to have the album set to share/view publicly.

Always look for a pencil to open the editing screen.






Select 'public' to make sure your students and parents can view the pictures.

Once the album is created, go back to your Google Site Photo Album page.  Click on the pencil to edit the page.  When you are in the typeable work area, give your photo album a title and then click 'insert' and go through the menu options to Google+ > Photo Album.  (this is where the magic begins!)

Your picasa web albums will show up and you just have to select which one you want and it will drop into your google site page.

Once your album is on your page you can edit the size and layout by looking for this toolbar below the album.  You must still be in the edit mode on your page.  Once you've clicked 'save' the album shows up.  To edit it you have to go back to the edit mode of the page by clicking the pencil.

Here are your options for your photo album size and layout. I have my new albums at extra-extra large and then change my old album to medium.

Good luck!  Have fun!  Shout out if you have any troubles or ask a buddy!

Google basics

Now that our school is officially using Google Apps for Education, with the first step being a change over to Gmail, some people have a few questions about things that are happening.  Here are a few quick tips for this stage.

1.  When someone sends me a link to a google doc, what do I do?  You simply click on the link and it will take you to the google doc.  If for some reason you are denied access, you need to do two things:  1. Check that you are indeed logged in with the school email address and not a personal gmail address. 2. If you're logged in correctly, then send a request for access.  This sends an email to the owner of the document who then needs to change the permissions so you can view and/or edit it.

2.  When I make changes on a google doc do I have to save it?  No, you don't have to do anything.  It automatically saves and anyone with access to the doc can view what you've added.

3.  What if I delete or mess up the doc?  No worries - you can go back to any stage of the document's life to retrieve it.

4.  I've closed the doc and closed my internet browser and have deleted the link from my email, but I want to get back to that document.  How do I find it?  In your internet address bar type in docs.google.com  This will link you directly to your google drive providing you're still logged in. (if not, just log in)   Down the left side you will see this. >>>>  If you click on 'My Drive' it will take you to anything that you have created and saved.  If you click on 'Shared with Me' it will take you to the files that people have shared with you, which is where you should find that document you are looking for.  'Starred' is for favourites, and 'Recent' is for things you've recently been working on.  The big red button with 'Create' is for you to create your own documents to share or to use for yourself.  You can make word documents, spread sheets, powerpoint presentations, forms.... but don't worry about all of those... if you want to have a play, try a document and then try to 'share' it with a friend and see what happens.

If you have any other questions email me or leave a comment below and I'll see if I can help you out!

.....and just so you know, there will be more PD on this early in 2014 at school.....

Sorting out Google

This week our school is moving over to Google Apps for Education.  Many teachers have already signed up, signed in and are well on their way.  For those who haven't, please shout out if you need help.

Here are a few tips for those who are navigating their way through this phase.

1.  If you have a current gmail account that you use for personal things (youtube, blogging, email) keep it and identify it somehow as personal (a family or hobby photo)

2.  If you have a current gmail account that you never, ever use, delete it!  Trust me, it will be easier in the long run and less confusing!

3.  When setting up your school google account make sure to do the Google Plus portion and set up your profile.  By doing this we will be able to use all of the features of Google in the future.

4.  Once you've got your profile built, you can view your profile anytime by clicking on your photo in the top right hand corner from any google page, and choosing 'view profile'.  This takes you to your home newsfeed page.

4.  Now you can begin adding to your circles.  If this is your only google account you may want to add friends to a 'Friends' circle, family to a 'Family' circle, etc.  You can 'create a new circle' by clicking on the blue link 'Create new circle' at the bottom of the circle's lists and type in 'Cockle Bay' and then another one for your team or whatever other groups you need.  One person can be in multiple groups.  By sorting your contacts into groups it will help you with sending emails, links, notices, sharing information, etc.

5.  If a staff member has more than one account, for example their personal and now their school account, I would suggest you add their school account to a 'CBS' list and their personal account to your 'Friends' list (or just remove their personal account).  This will help in each of us not getting too many emails, posts, notifications, etc and will help to keep our school and personal lives somewhat separate.

I think that's a good start for now..... the possibilities are endless and there is a lot to learn... don't despair, we will get there!