Searching Google Drive

Many of you already know the basic search feature in Google Drive. And usually we use it when we are frantically looking for a document we needed yesterday and cannot find. But did you know you can filter your search?

When in Google Drive, go to the far right side of the search window, and you'll see a drop down arrow. Gotta love drop downs, there's always more options! Click on it and you can filter your search (see image below) Choose what type of file, what the file opens in, or who owns it.

Google Drive Search/Filter Options

Now I can't take credit for this little discovery, I was still randomly searching until Todd Segar pointed this out. AND...AND....AND....you can filter your gmail search as well:

Gmail Search Options

Oh Thank You Google Gods for helping me find things when I am most frantic (which is most days!) Happy Googling!!

Folders in Gmail

As we transition from Outlook to Gmail more and more as a district, the most often asked question is "Can I create folders in Gmail like I did in Outlook to organize my emails?" Well, yes and no.

What Google has done, instead of allowing you to create folders, they let you create labels, their version of folders. The video below does a great job and walking you through step by step.



This is a HUGE step for me to move away from Outlook and use Gmail more as my primary email. Happy Organizing!

New Share Window in Google

For those of you that share your Google Documents A LOT, you've probably noticed the share window looks a little bit different, especially if you are are GAFE school. When you click on the Share button, Google now is keeping you within your domain (for me that's the Fairmont Area Schools group, see below) HINT: if you don't see this, click on the green circle in the top right.

Now while sharing with the people within Fairmont Area Schools is all fine and dandy, many times I want my information to be available to anyone with the link and internet access. That used to be a visible option. To get there, click on People at Fairmont Area Schools (or whatever your window shows as your domain) and you'll get more options, but most important you see More at the bottom of your list. Click on that.

 

You should get a screen like the one below, look familiar??

 Now I can choose my normal settings (Anyone with a link, can view) and save it and continue.

 

Screen Capture Ideas

As the staff in my building continue to build their technology skills, I'm reminded repeatedly of two important points: 1) there is always more than one way to "skin a cat" and 2) an old dog and always learn new tricks.

This week's discussion has centered around screen capture.  It has been asked of the staff to show they have mastered different pieces of our technology expectation list. In a perfect world I'd be able to work one on one with everyone, but we all know that's not where we are. So the staff are asked to find alternative and creative ways to share their accomplishments. The most convenient way is to share a Google Doc with screen shots.

I have mistakenly assumed that most people have done this. I could not have been more wrong! And through discussions, I'm finding more ways to do what I have been doing for a long time. So here are some "new" tips from the old dog on screen capture for a PC.


1.  Capturing an Image

If you simply want to capture the entire screen, hit the Print Screen button, usually in the upper right of your keyboard. If you only want to capture the active window, hit Alt + Print Screen.  There will be no indication you've got it, this is where trust comes in.

2.  Open Google Doc

For what the staff is being asked to do, simply go to your Google Document and Paste (Ctrl + V) the image in the document. Once you have pasted it, you can resize the image, change the text wrapping  (to Wrap Text, see picture below) so you can click and drag the picture around, and crop the image if you are only looking for portions of the screen shot.

No while I did some searching I also found a new way to capture the screen. My PC at school has something called a Snipping Tool. (Click on All Programs > Accessories > Snipping Tool.)

This tool allows you to draw a box around the area you want to capture, starting in the top left, clicking and holding to the bottom right. When you release the mouse, a window opens for you to edit and save the image.


This image is now on your computer (or the server if at school) and can be inserted into a Google document.


No matter what method you use, these or another one you might know of, the bottom line is they get the job done and allow the user to show what's happening on their screen.

Clearly to Clean your Web Page

Many times educators find great articles on the web they want to share with classes, but don't always have technology access during the class time. Yes, there are still situations where printing (for some of you that's the worst word I can say) and distributing is the best option to reach the most students.

If this is you, the go to the Google Apps store and download the Clearly extension. Why you ask? Most websites are filled with advertisements and extras that can mess up the look of the printed page (see the screen below).

When you apply the Clearly extension, you get a much cleaner look to your page, not advertisements, and larger print size (for those of us that need that.)

On the right side of your screen you'll have options to print, highlight text, and even clip the article to Evernote if you use it (which is a blog for another day).

When I know I want to keep an article, but not all the extras, Clearly is clearly the way to go!!

Reflecting on Being an Online/Blended Instructor

WOW! While the past 8 weeks seem to have flown by, when I look back at all the work we did I’m not exactly sure how I did it! This is the first time that I have truly been an online student. I’ve done a few projects here and there, but this was complete immersion of the online community for me. What an eye-opening experience. And to self-evaluate? I don’t even know where to begin.

When I look at myself as a learner, I would say I’m not cut out for 100% online learning. I’m so glad I took this course, but I want some interaction with people, I want some face to face conversations. Versions of this communication can take place in the online environment, but I’m not sure it would be enough for me. And I find myself teaching that way. I find it easier to verbally explain things to a student, then type up separate instructions to have them decipher. If I were to teach an online course, i definitely would incorporate videos of myself explaining work, assignments, expectations. Some students comprehend better (myself included) by hearing and listening. Skype and Hangouts activities to get to know one another would be a must. These “fun” sessions could be simply playing a game, telling about stories about ourselves, sharing with one another. This is what I felt was lacking in the class (not that there was a lot of extra time for it) and I would want to include it in my own courses. I know I would find myself going overboard making sure students felt the connection with each other and myself.

Using technology is a strength of mine. I’m comfortable trying new things and encouraging students to try new things. Because I have not taught a true online course, I don’t know what the requirements are for a student in regards to technology. What are they required to have? Do I get to determine that? Is it determined by the online school or school district hosting the course? As wonderful as technology can be, and how much it can add to a course, it can also be a hinderance if it’s not working or compatible. For the immediate future, I plan to implement many of my learned skills into my hybrid course in the hopes of converting it into a blended and/or flipped class. Small steps, but do each step well, that’s my motto.

As an instructor, this experience have been invaluable. I saw a quote that said “if YOUR job is to tell me how to do MY job, you have to have done my job at one point”. The same is true for online instructors. Had I not been a student myself, I would have a harder time relating to frustrations, time management skills needed, online collaboration, discussion techniques, etc. Experiencing it all first hand gives me insight into questions or concerns my students may have. I’ll be able to help advise and coach them as they complete work, relating back to my own course experience.

As I review the iNACOL standards for online teaching, I feel my strength lies in Standard B: The online teacher understands and is able to use a range of technologies, both existing and emerging, that effectively support student learning and engagement in the online environment. Technology is at the core of most of what I teach, I comfortable with it, excited about it, and encouraging of my students to try new ones. I am most unsure about Standard I: The online teacher demonstrates competency is using data from assessments and other data sources to modify content and to guide student learning. I understand what this entails, but I worry I will not do justice to my students because of the lack of face to face interaction. This fear may be derivative of my lack of experience in this area, but it is also not an area where "trial and error" will be an acceptable learning tool. I need to have some solid techniques and proven strategies to use so I can appropriately guide student learning. I'm going to have to work extremely hard to develop relationships with other online instructors so I can collaborate and improve my own teaching.

Just like technology, online instructions will continue to change. To stay current I am going to have to find other instructors to collaborate with, continue seeking out courses when I can learn new and emerging technologies, and keep on top of changes in the laws. Like a traditional instructor, my education in continual, but won't happen in the traditional ways. I hope to encourage some of my colleagues to take this course and start venturing into the online teaching world. The more the merrier! Any Fairmont Cardinals reading this? Want to jump in with me?

The Roles of an Online Facilitator

As I have been progressing through my online course (teaching me to be an online facilitator) I'm developing a greater appreciation and respect for those instructors doing this full-time, and to the extent we are learning about. This week we were asked to look at 4 roles an online facilitator has and evaluate them. Below is what I've come up with:

Four Roles of an Online Teacher

Social Director, Program Manager, Technician, Instructor

List the Four Roles of an Online Teacher from Your Weakest to Strongest	What Skills Do I Need to Gain or Strengthen?	How I Will Gain The Skills?
Social Director	Collaboration with other online instructors to get ideas/projects for successful community building Continually implement new projects into the course to develop community throughout the course Encourage interactivity and participation among students	Start with a welcoming, introductory activity Encourage interactions among students throughout the course by providing opportunities to work together and collaborate
Instructor	Facilitate learning without giving students a direct route to get there, allow students to find their way Provide timely/personal feedback to students	Establish a realistic “turn around time” for grading work or providing feedback. This needs to be soon enough to give adequate feedback to students while at the same time not overwhelm me with work
Program Manager	Develop a well designed course with a smooth flow from one unit to the next Establish a workable/doable time frame for assignments to be due and allow enough time for students to complete work and not feel overwhelmed Provide time management tips to help students with large projects	Work through some of the projects (simulations) I will have my students do so I have a better understanding of the time it will take Provide due date steps to break up work for units, not everything due on one day
Technician	Use common technologies that students and myself are used to Use a variety of text tools to provide information (video, audio, text, etc.) Do not always try to introduce new things (required new things) when something is working well, use new technologies sporadically Allow students to use the technologies they are comfortable with, even though I may not be familiar with, as long as the ultimate learning goal is met Provide basic FAQ’s or How-To’s for students to address basic needs	Continue my own technical learning so I can stay on top of new programs/Web 2.0 tools Continue to develop my PLN on Twitter and elsewhere to have some "go-to" people for questions or ideas

My idea of online instruction before taking this class and now are so drastically different! It's not that I didn't think online teaching was easy, but I did not realize all the requirements and laws that are now affecting it. I have a few blended courses I had looked on as being a pretty good start to moving to online. Boy, do I have some work to do this summer!