John R. Sowash is a former HS biology teacher and principal who helps teachers use technology to improve instruction.

10 links in podcast form: iphone? Click here | Android phone? Click here!​

1. ​Templates for Google Sites - Quickly create a Google Site by using one of 10 new templates. There’s even a student portfolio option!

2. ​New sharing for Google Drive files - The familiar “share” button is getting a facelift! Google is simplifying the sharing box to make it easier to use. Updates rolling out now.

3. Google Meet Updates - Google Meet has been getting regular updates. This month Meet got “Tile view” and was integrated directly with Google Classroom and Gmail​

4. ​5 extensions for Google Meet - If you want to make Meet a bit more “zoom-like” check out this list of Chrome extensions!

5. ​Virtual Meeting Whiteboard - this is a neat idea from Laura Cahill (@engageducate) for organizing video and resources using Google Slides.

6. ​25 Novel Hyperdocs - Karly Moura (@KarlyMoura) shared her collection of ELA hyperdocs over on the Ditch that Textbook blog. If you are doing a novel study, this is an awesome resource!

7. ​9 ways that Corona will improve education - this is a well thought out blog post from Tim Cavey that highlights some positive changes to K-12 education.

8. ​New life for old Chromebooks? - There is some evidence that Google may separate ChromeOS updates from Chrome browser updates. This would potentially allow Google to send updates to expired Chromebooks.

9. ​Chromebook tips podcast - Last week I enjoyed chatting Chromebooks on “The Suite Talk,” a podcast produced by Kim Mattina!

10. ​Get Google Certified This Summer - During the month of June I am organizing a virtual Google Certification Academy. By the end of the month, you will be a certified Google Educator!

11. ​All of my remote teaching resources - for the past two weeks I have been creating lots of new videos, blog posts, and podcast episodes to help teachers adjust to teaching online. Here’s everything I have created on one page.

12. ​Much needed updates to Google Meet - Google pushed out some critical updates to Google Meet that prevent students from kicking someone out of a meeting and reusing meeting links. These updates should be live for everyone by this time.

13. ​Auto translation now available for Android - The latest version of the Google Translate app can translate spoken and written text in real-time. The Android app will run on most Chromebook making it a great tool for anyone who teaches ESOL.

14. ​Google Groups is (finally) getting an update - Later this year Google Groups will receive a major visual refresh. IT admins can request early access to preview Groups ahead of the public launch later in 2020.

15. ​It’s now a LOT easier to work with images in Docs - you can now “fix” the position of an image in a document so that it doesn’t move as you adjust text elements.

16. ​New “shortcut” option for Google Drive - This update will make it easier to place a file in multiple locations, even a shared drive. This update is rolling out over the next few weeks.

17. ​“Flatten the curve” Scratch coding project - this simple simulation demonstrates the impact of social distancing. This example could be the basis of a CS project for middle or high school students.

18. ​Choice boards for at-home learning - Steve Wick (@WickEdTech) collected two really nice choice boards with ideas for elementary, middle, and high school classrooms.

19. ​Audience reactions in Google Meet - add Facebook-like reactions to your next Meet session by installing this simple Chrome extension.

20. ​Free virtual epidemiology course from Johns Hopkins - Interested in knowing the science behind tracking and predicting viral outbreaks? Johns Hopkins is offering a free beginner course on epidemiology through Coursera.

That’s exactly what Google Slides can do for you!

Google Slides is the only member of the Google Drive family that will let you work with text, audio, video, AND images.

Google Slides will help your students stay organized. Every slide represents a learning activity. Focus on one thing at a time.

By taking advantage of a neat add-on called “Slip-in-slide” you can instantly add a new activity to ALL of your student presentations...just like adding a new assignment to your Trapper Keeper!

I created an interactive notebook to illustrate the neat things you can do with Google Slides...take a look!

View my Google Slides "trapper keeper"

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for links, ideas, and updates all motnth long!

Teaching online is very different than teaching in a traditional classroom.

Here are five quick tips to help you make the transition.

1. Embrace routine and repetition

Consistency and routine are important when teaching online.

When students understand what they are being asked to do and can confidently use the tools that are required, the quality of their work will increase.

(Routine will also simplify your lesson planning.)

Consider establishing assignments that repeat on a weekly basis.

• Monday - Reading assignment

• Tuesday - Class Discussion

• Wednesday/Thursday - Creation project

• Friday - Assessment or reflection activity

This is just an example; find a routine that works for you.

Idea: Journaling is a great weekly assignment. Google Slides is ideal for journaling because it is easily expandible (just add a new slide each day!). This blog post has a journal template and tips for setting up a weekly assignment in Google Classroom.

2. Encourage connection and discussion

Nearly everyone is locked inside their homes right now. Most of our daily connections have been lost.

Whenever possible, provide opportunities for your students to connect and share with one another.

While your lessons probably won’t be as popular as the latest TikTok trend, giving students the opportunity to connect and share will increase their motivation to complete assignments.

Here are a few ideas for building engagement into your online course:

• Encourage class discussions in Google Classroom by using the “question” feature. You might ask students to watch a movie trailer and predict the major themes in the book you are reading.

• Use Google Slides as an “exhibit hall” for student work. Each student gets one slide to display their art project, website, video, etc. Use the speaker note section to provide encouragement, feedback, and suggestions. Here’s an example from a math course.

• Enable commenting on the “stream” page so that students can post and share. These posts provide students a much-needed outlet to connect with their classmates. This video should help!

If you are allowing students to post and reply to one another, make sure you set some guidelines for the responses. These are the guidelines I used in my online course.

3. Keep it simple!

Clarity and simplicity are essential when teaching online.

Every assignment must be carefully planned, explained, and assigned.

I would also recommend that you limit the number of tools that you use in your classroom.

Trying to teach students how to use WeVideo, Desmos, Screencastify, etc will be very challenging if you didn’t use the tool before your school closed.

Strip everything down to the essentials. You can add things in later as needed.

4. Slow down...the pacing is different

Teaching online will feel like you are teaching at half-speed.

It’s not you...everyone feels this way.

Adjust your expectations to prevent frustration for you and your students.

Focus on creating engaging assignments that really focus on your core objectives.

Quality is more important than quantity when teaching online.

5. LIVE lessons are a waste of time!

Online learning provides a tremendous amount of flexibility:

• You aren’t limited to a 55 minute class period

• You don’t have to teach the same thing 2-4 times a day.

• Your students can work when it is convenient for them.

LIVE lessons delivered with Google Meet or Zoom should be used sparingly. The primary benefit of connecting in real-time is interaction.

LIVE lessons with Zoom or Google Meet are NOT an effective use of time.

Here is a different approach:

• Pre-record your lesson using Screencastify.

• Post the video lesson to Google Classroom (you might ask a simple objective question to verify that they watched the video).

• Schedule an optional LIVE session to answer student questions related to the instructional video.

• Hold everyone accountable to the objectives covered in the lesson.

LIVE lessons eliminate the best feature of online learning - flexibility.

I'm here, ready to help!

I am currently working with several school districts to help implement online learning plans.

These district contracts allow me to continue providing free content and resources to invidual teachers like you!

I can provide your school with bulk licensing for my online courses, virtual training sessions, and support for crafting digital learning plans.