Power of the Device Agnostic Google Ecosystem for a School or District

Why emphasize Chrome? The video above sets the stage for the big picture of Chrome Browser as an operating system (OS) running within an OS. What this means in practical application is that to become really skilled at doing everything you can in the Chrome browser, its kind of like learning a whole new OS. For the “more experienced” teachers, you might relate to learning intricacies of Windows or Mac the first time, and how that allowed you to really become a proficient professional.

The awesome thing about this concept is that nearly all of what you learn with the Chromebooks for direct application with your students can be done by your fellow teachers with their devices and your students no matter what they use in other areas, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, or even Linux. It's about access for all, not a brand of hardware. The hardware does not matter as long as you have Chrome!

All of these tools are device agnostic so we can all be on the same page and move forward together. No excuses---everyone in your school can do this.

Connection to Core Philosophy: Nothing learned as part of the Trailblazers program will be exclusive to Trailblazers. Everything learned will be passed on for all teachers to utilize in the future. You are just blazing and smoothing the trail for the settlers to follow!

Logging Into Chrome on Windows or Apple Computers

This is done automatically for you on Chromebooks when you login to the device!

Why is this important on all other devices?

• Bookmarks follow you

• Web Apps and Extensions follow you

• Google Cast for Education requirement

• YouTube ready to go

How do I do this on my teacher desktop computer or tell my students to do this outside of my class if not on a Chromebook ?

• At the top right corner of the Chrome browser window, look for an icon of a plain silhouette indicating a generic profile

• After clicking on it and logging in, the icon changes to your name

• Chrome remembers you, so this does not have to be done each time you sign-in (re-entry only required if you change your District password)

Getting the Most Out of the Chrome Browser

Key Concepts and Features

• Pin Tab

• Moving Tabs Out and Back In

• Forward or Back - 2 finger swipe L/R OR just swipe touch screen

• Reopen Closed Tab

• History

• Incognito Window (only available for teachers)

• Find (Ctrl+F) EVERY STUDENT NEEDS TO KNOW THIS!

• Useful Omnibox Tools: Timer, Calculator, Define

Google "Chrome Web Store" for Apps & Extension

So, where do you find them? You can look in the Chrome Web Store for them, however , your PLN is going to be your best resource for finding vetted tools!

Apps Example

• Dell Activity Light

Extensions Examples

• Screencastify (http://screencastify.com/welcome) - Awesome screen recording tool with ability to add your web cam as a picture-in-picture, and save to G Drive or YouTube

• Cast for Education - Super screen sharing tool that allows your Google Classroom students (or your teacher Chromebook) to share what is on the screen to the projector

Themes

• Google Cast for Education - Share your computer's screen from one Chrome browser to another

• Google Tone - Share websites with a sound

• Share to Classroom - Quickly share information to Google Classroom

• Google Docs Quick Create - Quickly create a Google application

• Kami - Annotation tool - see below for more information on Kami

• CraftyText - Text display tool

• Grammarly - Grammar and spell check tool

• EquatIO - Math equation program/editor. Use this to create science/math questions in Google programs.

• Read Write - Reads, highlights screen easily

  • To get EquatIO and Read Write Free complete form on this page.

• LightShot - Tool to take screenshots

• URL Shortener - To make short URLs and QR codes fast

• QR Reader - To use the camera to read a QR code

• Screencastify - Allows you to record 5 minutes of your screen for free. Allows picture in picture and records your voice.

Kami - (from Michael Kanusky- Thank you Michael!)

when the students open up the PDF file that you want them to edit using Kami, they need to follow these steps (pending they have the Kami extension installed on their Chromebook):

1) Click on the pdf

2) Choose the option "Open Using Kami"

3) If it is the first time they are using it, they will have to sign in by clicking "Sign in with Google"; otherwise, it will take them right to the pdf file with the Kami program

4) The student will click anywhere within the document and they will be able to edit the pdf file using the "T" or "A" to type or write using their finger on the screen to write if it is a touchscreen

5) When they are done and want to send it to you, they will click on the file button to download

6) They will choose "Google Drive" and "Annotations on Top"

7) Then it is saved to their Google Drive and they can email it to you

I know that is a lot of steps; however, I have a great Youtube video link that will walk the parents through all of the steps I just explained here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye0JnZjG7k0