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!

Good reads

A couple of great articles I found on my Twitter feed

21 Characteristics of 21st Century Learners

The Benefits of Students Teaching Students Through Online Video

School Visits

Today some of our Board and staff visited Hobsonville Point Primary School and Hobsonville Point Secondary School.  It was exciting to see this beautiful, developing part of Auckland with with these two new innovative MLE schools.  The collaborative approach to teaching and planning among staff, plus the way planning is shared with students and parents was interesting for our staff to reflect on and challenge our thinking.   Click on the photo below to view some photos from our visit.

Finalist!!

I am excited to be a finalist in Interface Magazine's Best Class Blog category for my 2014 classroom blog, Mrs Nichol's Acorns.   I started this blog for the 2014 school year to share my Year One students' learning and the daily activities in our classroom. My personal inquiry this year was how to make the use of ICT purposeful in the classroom. I have used my classroom blog and this PD blog as part of my inquiry. It's been a great year of learning! 

Voting is open until 19 November, so please click on this link to go vote.  Thanks!