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Chromebooks and Google – Useful add-ons and extensions
1. The first one is actually a Google Chrome extension called Print Friendly and PDF – This will allow you to remove all the crud from web pages and then save it as a PDF or print. It will also allow you to remove images if you want pure, unadulterated text.
2. The second one is ideal if you want to do knowledge tests with simple answers. If you produce your test or quiz using Google Forms there is a Google Sheets add-on called Flubaroo. Although it sounds like some dodgy Australian weight loss programme it will automatically mark a set of answers, highlight questions where students have gaps in their knowledge and produce percentages. Then, if you want, it will e-mail students their marks and show their correct and incorrect answers. It does have the option to mark open text answers but I wouldn’t advise doing essays on it!
3. Most of these add-ons or extensions originate from the US, however, the Super Quiz add-on for Google sheets has been developed in the UK by a Maths teacher. It will do pretty much what flubaroo does but has the added bonus of taking the students marks and then giving them personalised feedback and targets based on how they did. This one I only came across last week and I will be giving it a full test shortly.
4. Thirdly with essays and longer pieces of written work in mind and if you can handle the initial setting up the Doctopus add on will manage and organise the distribution and collection of online projects and longer written assignments.
5. Another extension on that works with links with Doctopus is Goobric. This will allow you to mark longer written text, allocate marks against a rubric you created and give feedback to the students.
Finally, Google Classroom is gradually making improvements to the way it operates and if you haven’t had a recent look then I would advise you too. It will now collect student answers and you can do limited numerical scoring online and add a simple comment. The beauty of it is that is quicker than wading through books or paper. It also keeps a record of the class scores that you can add your own tracking documents with relative ease.
I hope this will be of help. If you find any other useful add-ons or extensions please let me know.
Dave Chambers
Here is a link to a Goobric layout covering all aspects of the AO’s for KS3 geography.
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