Google Tips: Searching & Gmail

TIPS for searching and using Gmail

Google never ceases to amaze me. I have been a Google user for at least 5 years and Google is always changing - adding new tools, updating its look, and staying a step ahead of everything else. Despite the continual transformation of Google, it is never difficult to use! This week I learned so much about refining my Google searching experience and keeping my Gmail account organized. Below are some tips and tricks I learned:

Tips for Searching with Google

 #1: Translate 

- Google makes translating a word or phrase SO simple. All you have to do is go to Google Translate here. Choose the language of origin for the word/phrase (or let it auto detect the language), then choose the language you want it to be translated into, hit enter and BOOM! That's it! Obviously, it won't be perfect. If you are in a pinch, this will definitely suffice!

 #2: Calculate 

- Have a tough math problem you need solved? Don't have a calculator handy? Have no fear, Google Calculator is here! Insert your problem and hit the "=" sign and that's it!

 #3: Research with Google Books 

- Have you ever needed to find a good book for research or just to read? Well Google Books is an excellent and easy tool to use when searching for the perfect piece of literature. Go to Google books here and type in a topic of your choice. If I searched "World War II" it would bring up a list of books related to this topic. I could select a book of interest and actually preview parts of the book. If I were researching I could use small excerpts from the text and easily create a citation. I can add books to my library that I might want to purchase. I could also share a shelf in my library with students - that way they could see a specific list of suggested reading material on a given topic!   

Check out this tutorial on using Google Books in Education

 #4: You can use Google Custom Search to create your own search database! 

If you are going to have your students do some research in your class create your own search database for them to work with. This is such an amazing tool because it alleviates the problem of students using Wiki's, personal blogs, untrusted .com's and more. Instead of just having them type their topic into the Google search bar, you can actually embed your customized search onto your teacher blog/website! When they type in a topic, they should bring up the website that you added to your custom search. How cool is that?!

Check out my custom search on Genetics!

If you would like more information on how to create your own custom search go here. 

Tips for upgrading your Gmail experience 

 #1: Gmail Tabs 
Get your Gmail emails organized NOW! I can tell you that I am not someone who filters through my emails multiple times a day. This can be troublesome because now I have a TON of emails that are clogging up my inbox and it is very difficult to find a specific email that I want to read. My Gmail experience was totally changed when I realized that it has a feature called "tabs" which automatically sorts your emails into different categories such as: social groups, promotions, your primary email, and forums. If I am out shopping and I want to find that email from BeautyBrands that had the 20% off coupon, all I have to do is click the "promotions" tab and I can see all of the emails I receive with promotions. It makes it so much quicker and easier to find what I'm looking for! Follow the link here to find out more about enabling Gmail Tabs. 

 #2: Preview your Emails 
I have been used to my Outlook setup for work and the ability to preview my emails while still viewing a list of emails in my inbox. When I started my Gmail account it didn't have quite the same look. This week I learned how to enable the "preview" feature on my Gmail! It is quite simple and it makes my email viewing experience much easier (for me that is). To add this feature to your Gmail, check out the instructions below (courtesy of About Tech.com):

1. Click the "Settings" gear in Gmail.

2. Select "Settings" from the menu that appears.

3. Go to the "Labs" category.

4. Type "preview pane" under Search for a lab:

5. Make sure "Enable" is selected under "Preview Pane."

6. Click "Save Changes."

Hopefully these tips and tricks help you streamline your Google searching and Gmail experiences. They have certainly done that for me! Stay tuned for more amazing information about Google!

Mrs. Adkins

Google Chrome

What's so cool about Chrome?

After many years of using the Internet, I have tried nearly all the different web browsers. From the likes of Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and of course Google Chrome. There are a variety of options for digital citizens to browse the web. You may find yourself asking: what makes Google Chrome superior to its companions? What's all the hype about Chrome? Should I just bite the bullet and download it?

To make your decision a bit easier, here are some of the benefits that I have found from being a "Chrome crony."

Simplified surfing

- Searching the web is SO much easier with Chrome. The browser offers many different search filters to help you get the search results that you want. Search filters include: web, images, videos, apps, news, books, shopping, flights, and more. Google Scholar is an excellent tool that refines your search to academic articles, journals, and websites. 

Easily Customizable

- If you don't have a Google account, make one. Click here to sign up for Google. Once you've done this you will be able to customize your Chrome experience! I have my Chrome browser open up with tabs that I frequently visit (like my school's online gradebook and school district website). I also love to pin bookmarks to the Chrome browser so that I can easily access other websites that I view on a regular basis. Since I have a Google account, my browser shows me notifications for emails, messages, and more. 

One Stop Shop

- If you have a Google account, Chrome is the only way to go. Stop using Internet Explorer and Firefox. Why not open one application and see everything? Email, videos, documents, messages, pictures: Chrome has it all! I can open my Chrome and see everything I need and access great applications (Google Docs, Google Drive, Google Hangouts, etc.) 

Convinced? Click here to download the Google Chrome browser on your desktop!

Check out the video below for more benefits of using Google Chrome!

Happy surfing!

Mrs. Adkins

A Connected Educator

The End of My Journey

Today marks the final day in my journey to become a Connected Educator. Wow - I have learned so much about integrating technology into my science classroom in just 7 weeks. From using Diigo to Symbaloo; the amount of Web 2.0 educational tools is vast. There are so many different tricks and hidden tools that some very familiar programs have to offer. In my final week I explored even more tools that Google offers; it is crazy!

The many faces of Google:

Ñ     A dictionary -- Simply type “Define: [insert word]” and Google will define the word for you as well as provide you with resources/websites related to that word!

Ñ     A flight tracker -- Type in the airline name and flight number that you want to track. Google will show you the status of this flight!

Ñ     A calculator -- Simply type in a problem into the Google search bar and press “enter”. Google will solve your problem!

Ñ     A translator -- In the Google search bar type “Google Translator”. Type in the word(s) you want translated and Google will automatically detect the language. Then select the language you want the word(s) translated into. Then press “enter” and it will translate! You can also have Google pronounce the word(s). WAY COOL!

Ñ     AND SO MUCH MORE!

Final thoughts….

The Internet has an abundance of tools that can easily be integrated into any classroom. For any educator who is tentative about trying them out, it will take some time to learn the ins and outs of each tool. However, it will get easier over time! http://www.YouTube.com has excellent tutorials on almost any tool and any problem you might encounter. Check out this video about “Becoming A Connected Educator.”

Although my Baker course has come to an end. My journey as a Connected Educator will continue on. I look forward to sharing more tips/tricks/tools with you!

-        Mrs. Adkins

Social Media and Social Networking: Pros and Cons

What’s all the BUZZ about Social Media in the Classroom?

This week I explored Pinterest, SymbalooEDU, and the PROS and CONS of using social media and social networking sites in education.

Pinterest is definitely an old friend of mine - this week gave me an excuse to make a new board and “pin”. If you haven’t ever been on Pinterest, my advice would be to proceed with caution. Not because it is bad, but because it can be addicting (which is an understatement). There are SO many fantastic educational tools that can be found on Pinterest. Simply search for anything you want (ex: classroom organization, science foldables, annotating books, group work, etc.) Create a board and all you have to do is search and pin away. Like I said, proceed with caution. Using Pinterest may cause obsessive “pinning.”

SymbalooEDU was a new tool that I was introduced to this week. Essentially it allows you to create Webmixes that compile a variety of different media and websites into one place. This tool would be fantastic to use for an Internet scavenger hunt or a research project. You add icons on the Webmixes and you insert links to the different resources you want your students to access. I created a Webmix that would help my students learn about the Nervous System - check it out! http://edu.symbaloo.com/shared/AAAAA3OmJYUAA41_WCZAow==

Lasty, my Connected Educator class explored the pros and cons of using social media in the classroom. To enlighten you on how social media can be used in the classroom, check out these videos.

Social media gets a lot of negative coverage in the news. We hear often of teachers inappropriately contacting students and students using social media for cyberbullying. Viewers see this and panic when they hear that social media is used in schools. Their minds are drawn back to what they heard on the news, yet the poor choices of some do not represent the majority of educators who properly use this technology! Like always - education is the key to acceptance and understanding. People need to be educated on how teachers are using technology appropriately and positively to enhance the learning of their students. In my opinion, social media/networking offers a wide variety of benefits: making learning relevant and exciting, providing students more access to resources, collaborating for learning, and so much more. Teachers and students also need to be educated on social media. Teachers especially need to make sure they know how to use the sites and monitor student work and conversations. Students need to know social media and Internet etiquette. With all of these in place - learning will have no limits!

Hopefully this gave you some food for thought! Don't be so quick to judge social media. It has the potential to boost learning exponentially. 

Mrs. Adkins

Tools for Saving Time and Keeping Organized

Keep Track of Time and Stay Organized: Digitally

Time Management and Organization are two, very important qualities of successful classrooms. Some of the traditional tools work, but are quickly becoming out-dated. This week in my Connected Educator class, our focus was finding digital tools for time management and organization. Each of these tools will help bring the out-dated methods into the 21st Century. Check them out!

Remind

Remind (formerly known as Remind101) is one of my "go-to" digital organizational tools. I love the fact that it connects me to my students and parents through text message. The entire application is run online, so I don't have to worry about sharing my personal phone number with anyone. The website generates a special code for each class that I create and I can provide the code to students and parents in each group. This helps me keep track of everything and make sure I am sending the right message to the right group of people. The application allows me to send simple messages, files (I prefer sending PDF's), and pictures. You can create your reminder and schedule it to send out a specific time. I like to do this in the morning and set the reminder to send out at the end of the school day. This feature is extra convenient because I don't have to be sitting at my computer the moment school is over, it just sends it out at the time I selected. All-in-all, this a fantastic, easy tool that can be used for a wide-variety of purposes. Teachers, coaches, parents, study-groups and many more use this to help them stay organized, digitally! PLUS IT'S FREE!

Check out this tutorial on how to use Remind.

SignUp Genius

SignUp Genius is exactly what it sounds like: a Genius way to SignUp for various events. This website allows you to create a group/event and times for participants to sign-up for. This organizational tool keeps everything in one place and makes it easy for you to keep track of multiple events, see who is helping out, and times that you need more support. There are so many different ways you could use this: fundraisers, community service projects, concessions stands, carpools, parent volunteers in elementary classrooms, field trip volunteers, and so much more. 

Check out this Tutorial to see how you could use this digital organizational tool!

Timers from SmartExchange

If you have a SmartBoard and you haven't explored SmartExchange yet, this is the place to go! There are so many tools for both organization and time management. One of my favorite ways to use my SmartBoard is for the various timers it has. The SmartExchange offers a variety of different timers that you can download and use in the classroom. I love the traffic light because it not only keeps time, it provides my students with an easily recognizable visual for how much time remains. I use the timers when I have my students working in stations, centers, or small groups. It can also be used to keep track of time for OTB activities. There are so many different uses for the timers. Follow the link above to check out the variety of timers and other tools SmartExchange has to offer!

As always, I hope you continue to join me on my journey to become a Connected Educator. Stay tuned for more updates, tools, and information about using technology in the classroom and beyond!

-Mrs. Adkins

All Things Google

All Things GOOGLE

Google. Where do I begin? In my opinion, Google has transformed the way we use the Internet. It has transformed the way our schools operate. It will transform the way I teach. You ask why I say "will" in reference to teaching? I am admittedly no expert in Google, yet I am not a novice. I am merely proficient working towards mastery. I can easily maneuver my way around Google Drive like most can. I want to use it in my classroom more; I will continue to learn more about it as I continue my journey to become a Connected Educator.

This week I focused on Google and all it has to offer. From Drive, to Docs, to Slides, and beyond, this digital collaboration tool has SO many totally awesome features that I could go on and on and on about each of them for days! Lucky for you, I will only share a few of the tools that I dabbled in for week 4 of my journey.

TOOL #1: Google Forms

This tool is an easy way for you to create questionnaires, surveys, or polls. There are different question formats that you can choose from such as: multiple choice, true/false, amount of time, fill in the blank, short answer, rating scales, and longer responses. Google Forms offers different, attractive templates or themes that you can choose from. These templates/themes enhance the overall appearance of your Form.

This week I created my own survey. My survey topic was the Interactive Science Notebook that I use in my classroom. My plan is to use this survey with my students at the end of the school year. Take a look at my Google Form by following this link. ---> ISN Survey

TOOL #2: Google Drawings

As a collaborative project, my Connected Educator peers and I were assigned to explore one of the features of Google. I was assigned to investigate Google Drawings. This feature is fairly comparable to the classic Paint application. Users can create drawings and insert text, images, and links. One of the BEST features of any of the Google tools is the fact that work can be completed collaboratively. There are so many ways that Drawings can be integrated into the 21st Century classroom. I love that it is easy to use, save, and edit!

Check out this quick video to learn more about Google Drawings.

TOOL #3: Google Drive

Drive is the heart and soul of the collection of features that Google has to offer. What is so absolutely amazing about it is the fact that all of your work can be completed and saved digitally. There is no need to worry about hard drive issues, lack of memory space, or purchasing expensive software. Everything is in one place! I love the fact that you can share your work with others, collaborate on the work with peers, and organize your items into folders. Being the somewhat creative person that I am, it bugs me beyond belief when online tools do not have fonts, themes, backgrounds, etc. Google Drive exceeds my expectations in this area. 

If I were to rate Google on a scale of 1 - 10 (1=Not worth my time; 10=Amazing; Mind Blown) I would emphatically give it a 10+. If you haven't joined in on the Google bandwagon, you must do that immediately. No joke; do it now! It will change your life. I can't wait until it transforms my classroom. I used to be nervous about it, but I am slowly getting the hang of it. 

-Mrs. Adkins

p.s. During this week I was introduced to a website called Tinyurl.com. This is also an awesome tool because it allows you to take insanely long URL's and make them tiny. Literally!

You could go from trying to type this ---> https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1sui26TV2HqyYyaYfa_w4a--Z9ojWHJ9gR_qjYF4VcEE/viewform 

...to easily typing this ---> tinyurl.com/ISNsurvey

Again, MIND BLOWN!

Learning Management Systems

"A Tale of Two Systems"

This week was focused on getting to know a new learning management system: Schoology. Being a long-time user of Edmodo, I never thought twice about finding a different site. Over the past 5 years I have grown to become a master of using Edmodo in my classroom. It has helped me, my students, and my professional peers tremendously. Edmodo has been my "go-to" for assessment, polls, providing access to classroom resources, and small-group discussions. My students have been very receptive of using this system in my classroom. 

As you know, I am working on adding more tools to my teaching toolbox. My Connected Educator course had me exploring Schoology and Edmodo this week. I was tasked with evaluating both LMS'. 

The question became: Edmodo or Schoology? Immediately, my response was to remain with Edmodo. After further examining, I was really attracted to all that Schoology has to offer. Here are some thoughts I had about both learning management systems:

EDMODO:

Pros - Edmodo has an extremely user-friendly interface. The website is easy to navigate from chats, groups, small-groups, assessments, grades, etc. As an educator, it is very simple to post messages with links or assignments and send the message to more than one group. There are a lot of resources that can be accessed from the Spotlight section. It is very simple to access the different courses that I teach and professional groups that I belong to. Making quizzes/tests are simple. The ability to moderate posts is also a great way to make sure that students are posting academically relevant content.

Cons - Although this LMS has been fully adopted by the school district, there are a few drawbacks. Edmodo has a great tool called "Snapshot", which allows educators to connect assignments/content with Common Core standards. This seems great, but unfortunately Edmodo does not have any connections to science or social studies standards. Another con about Edmodo is that I have run into many issues with students trying to complete the quizzes or tests. Oftentimes I will have a student say that the quiz will "freeze" or it won't record any of the questions as being answered. This can be very frustrating and worrisome for my students. This isn't an isolated issue - I've had these same issues occur on multiple occasions. At this point, you would think that these kinks would have been reported and fixed. 

SCHOOLOGY:

Pros - All-in-all, Edmodo and Schoology have a lot of similarities. They offer many of the same features such as assessments, media, links, resources, etc. One of the BIGGEST pros about Schoology (this is what actually made me second guess using Edmodo) was the fact that I have the ability to connect assignments and assessments to Next Generation Science Standards! Edmodo ONLY has ELA and math correlations. I think this was a fantastic advantage that Schoology has and it would be the main reason I would switch from Edmodo.

Cons - After looking through this LMS for a while, I found that the homepage wasn't quite as user-friendly as Edmodo. There are a lot of different icons to represent the different types of media/resources. It would definitely take some getting used to! I also ran into some loading errors -- also known as the swirling ring of death. In an effort to try and start a discussion, I clicked "done" and Schoology had one of the "loading circles" just twirl and twirl and twirl and twirl...you get the picture. I had to restart my browser a few times before it would appear on my classroom's homepage. One of the biggest drawbacks is the fact that this website is not adopted by my district. The Blue Valley School District is well established with Edmodo and it wouldn't be easy to switch to Schoology. Parents and students are very familiar with the ins-and-outs of Edmodo and I think it would be a bit frustrating for all if I suddenly abandoned Edmodo for Schoology. 

After a lot of thought and reflection I will remain with Edmodo. If my district ever makes the switch to Schoology, I will most definitely join in! This week was a great learning experience for me. For now, I think that it is a draw between Edmodo and Schoology. 

Like always - keep checking in with me as I continue on my journey to become a Connected Educator!

-Mrs. Adkins