GEG Communities
Newsletter
Issue No. 65 | Date: April 2, 2021
Thank you from the GEG Program
Thank you to all the awesome GEG Leaders who continued to submit articles for the newsletters. These newsletters will have a wider audience as they are now available for all your GEG members to read on the new public site. So it is now more important than ever for you to share stories with us that showcases the great work you are doing and also to tweet it out for your members to see. Submit your articles here please https://forms.gle/8RVKLfvZBw9HZevo6
Can we also ask that you tag @GEGProgram on all tweets you make about future events or feedback you get from members so that we can join in your celebrations and share your good work.
Keep Googling, keep smiling, keep safe.
Local Success Stories from GEGs
Indiana GEG launch new Inclusivity Captain
In order to ensure that the Indiana GEG continue to promote diversity and inclusivity among the GEG membership, they recently established the role of Inclusivity Captain. These captains actively coordinate INGEG opportunities for awareness and resources regarding those having physical/mental disabilities or belonging to minority groups.
One might notice that they have several people listed as captains in all categories. This is to promote continuous growth among the GEG, planting the seed for future leaders across the Indiana Google Educator Group. Mentored by INGEG leads and Google Innovators Nadine Gilkison #NYC19 and Kate Masterson #COL16, to again cultivate future leaders.
Link to the most recent INGEG event:
This is an exciting and vital role to announce for 2021. The new GEG Inclusivity Captains will be responsible for promoting diversity and ensuring that everyone from the education community is represented and supported by your GEG. We hope GEG leaders will appoint the Inclusivity captains as soon as possible. Please look out for the tweets and tag your new Inclusivity Captains to advertise the new role.
The Ministry of Education in Sudan e-learning initiative
The Ministry of Education in Sudan announced the beginning of a major initiative to train thousands of educators in e-learning using @GoogleForEdu tools with the GEG Sudan team responsible for implementation. The initiative aims to reach over 6000 educators with some training conducted on-site and some on-line.
The sessions will be totally free and support educators' teaching English as a second language and in using
e-learning tools.
If you feel you are able to volunteer to help, please use this form to signup
Thank you Google Educator Groups
A year ago, when our school buildings closed due to COVID, I was scrambling to figure out how to teach virtually. We were not a Google school and I had rarely used Google Workspace tools. A friend of mine, Heather White, recommended following GEG Global on Twitter and attending their free webinars. What I learned through the GEG was life-changing. Within weeks, I was certified in Google Level 1 and 2 and using Google Workspace in almost every aspect of virtual learning.
Since then, I have used Google Forms for hosting digital escapes and lessons with students, Google Earth and Google Trek for virtual field trips, used Google Classroom for my Girls Who Code Club, and use Google Sheets to track statistics in my school library. I was invited by Bonnie Chelette to help launch the GEG South Louisiana group, and have presented on numerous occasions with both GEG South Louisiana and GEG Louisiana.
Training and presenting with the Google Education Groups has made me a better educator. I now feel confident in teaching virtually, and have created innovative lessons in my school library. On March 22, 2021, it was announced by the School Library Journal that I am one of the 2021 SLJ School Librarians of the Year. I credit The GEGs for helping me “up my game” and feel confident in saying that if it wasn’t for The GEGs, I would not be the educator I am today. Thank you, Google Educator Groups!
Amanda Jones : 2021 SLJ School Librarian of the Year.
Photo credit: Kathryn and Travis Photography
Grow with Google Sites - GEG Ahmedabad & GEG Pune
GEG Ahmedabad and GEG Pune work collaboratively on GEG AP events every Saturday.
On March 20, 2021 the GEG AP event, Grow with Google Sites, delivered by Google Certified Educator Ms. Ritika Tyagi, had over 80 members attend. Ritika explained, in a very comprehensive way, how to create your own website using Google Sites and also shared many valuable examples of the types of Sites other educators have created for their classes and students. There were comments in the chat saying how useful the attendees found the session and the great examples motivated them to try it out as soon after the Meet. It was a very rewarding session for all those who attended.
GEG Leadership
Leading your GEGs
Spotlight on a GEG leader : Dr. Shahinaz
Each month we will be sharing a Spotlight on a GEG Leader or Captain. This month’s spotlight is all about Dr Shahinaz, the Leader of @GEG Sudan. Let’s find out a little about who she is and why she is an awesome GEG Leader.
How did you initially get involved in your local GEG?
I posted an announcement via my social accounts on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook about forming GEG Sudan. To gather new members I conducted a meetup explaining the responsibilities, roles, choosing captains and a co-leader and explained the benefits to member and leaders.
What do you feel you have personally gained from your involvement?.
I have gained many new friends and also expanded my knowledge and skills, taking me out of my comfort zone. I am learning with other communities to think outside the box.
What advice do you have for anyone thinking of becoming involved in their local GEG ?
I would advise everyone to share and care not just for their local communities but wider to thrive and grow.
What is your most memorable GEG moment?
The training I delivered face to face for the first time during this crazy time of the pandemic, targeting 30 trainees from district top managers with the assistance of my group GEG Sudan co-leaders Dr.Anwar and Ahmed Dawood and captains Dr.Nada Dr.Hamaza Ammar Imtithal and our brilliant IT support Abdallah.
So what is next?
I am looking forward to achieving my goal as the GEG SUDAN leader in our initiative to train more than 6000 educators, which has been approved by the Ministry of Education Sudan in a partnership with GEG SUDAN.
GEG Sudan can be found on Twitter and Facebook @GEGSUDAN
Introducing GEG Jeonbuk
This GEG team professes to have had a hard time figuring out the most effective way to get started and also the best way for the team to continue to learn. But their perseverance has paid off and they now have 3 leaders and 4 captains in place, who are the most dedicated and passionate people when it comes to using Google Workspace with students. They have already delivered an Edu Day in February “Edtech Catalogue” with 5 different sections delivered by amazing local educators.
I am sure we will be hearing a lot more from this new GEG. They can be found on Twitter @geg_jeonbuk
GEG Events
Bring your community together to collaborate
EG APAC CONTINUES TO MAKE WAVES
Maan De Guzman, GEG Ortigas, Philippines
After the massive success of December 2020’s GEG APAC Weekend, GEG APAC Leaders continue to collaborate and energize one another as they plan for their next big weekend event in July 2021.
While the 2021 GEG APAC Weekend is in planning, GEG Leaders across the Asia Pacific continue with the monthly GEG APAC call where initiatives and norms are discussed to foster collaboration across GEGs in the region. Current Initiatives are the Student Ambassador Event headed by Judy Kim of GEG Gyeonggi, South Korea and Sagun Dhungana of GEG Kathmandu, Nepal and the Student Voice Video/Podcast headed by Nathan Gildart of GEG Nagoya, Japan.
In between APAC calls, Asia Pacific GEG Leaders have also been busy organizing activities with the local GEGs and collaborating, the latest of which was Moonlight Sessions, the brain-child of Kunie Yamada of GEG Nagoya and hosted by Nate Gildart of GEG Nagoya. In attendance was Mimma Sayuti Mat Khalid of GEG Pataling Jaya, Malaysia, Sangeeta Gulati of GEG Delhi NCR, India, and Gary Garcia and Maan De Guzman of GEG Ortigas, Philippines.
Indeed, GEG APAC proves that when teachers get together, awesome things happen!
GEG Learn
Individual professional development opportunities
EDU in 90
Join Tim to catch up on the latest Google for Education updates! On this episode, hear news including product trainings, celebrations for Chrome’s tenth birthday, early access programs, and more.
Don’t miss an episode! See the full EDU in 90 series playlist at g.co/EDUin90
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LEARN MORE
Chrome 10th Birthday: https://bit.ly/2Ogqtwl
Product Training Series: https://bit.ly/3brlEt9
Learn with Google school stories: https://bit.ly/3kTfAwy
Early Access Programs: https://bit.ly/38ht6Vp