With the start of a new school year, there are a TON of new updates coming to Google Workspace. If you have a chance, I encourage you to check out of the Google Workspace Updates blog for all sorts of updates that could benefit you in the classroom this year.

One update that I am personally excited about is image placeholders in Google Slides. In this update, users can create placeholders that allow pictures to be easily added to the presentation while maintaining the size of the placeholder. As an A-type personality, I love this ability to add some organization to shared slides with students!

Below, I will share a YouTube video and GIF of how to use this new feature:

Using Image Placeholders Step-by-Step

Step #1: Setting it Up

• Create a Presentation.
• Go to “Slide”.
• Select “Slide Theme”.
  • Note: This section used to be titled “Edit Master” but has recently been updated to “Slide Theme”.

Step #2: Selecting the Placeholder

• Select a Slide Layout.
• Go to “Insert”.
• Select “Placeholder” then “Image Placeholder”.

Step #3: Edit, as Needed

• Add more placeholders and/or edit the current one.

Step #4: Add Slide & Image

• Go to the Main Presentation.
• Select the Slide Layout.
• Add Images.

If you would like to hear me walk you through this process, step-by-step, please watch the YouTube video below:

As always, feel free to drop any questions, comments, or thoughts in the comment section below!

Recently, Google has begun launching Smart Chips which allows users to quickly hyperlink and preview Google Docs, Slides, Drawings, Calendar Events, and email addresses within Google Docs. I know what you are thinking – I can already hyperlink in a Google Doc! Well, Smart Chips are a bit different than the classic hyperlink. To be honest, I just couldn’t think of a better word than hyperlink to describe how Smart Chips operate.

To create a Smart Chip in Google Docs, it is super simple:

• Type the “@” symbol into the Google Doc.
• Start typing the name of the Doc, Slide, Drawing, calendar event, or email address.
• Select the appropriate item and you’re done!

Below, you will find a GIF and short video on how to create a Smart Chip in Google Docs. As you will see, it is super simple to create and can be a great way to organize materials in a Google Doc. The OCD person in me absolutely loves the organizational possibilities for the future!

Now that I have shared what I love about Smart Chips, I feel that I must share a disclaimer about this new feature that I will also reference in the video. Currently, I am struggling to get Smart Chips to work with all the documents that I would like to attach. I’m not sure if this is just a bug that needs to be worked out or a user error on my part, however, I cannot find some of the documents (whether Docs, Slides, Drawings, etc) that I want to link within my document. I have tried it every which way but it only gives me the top four options and sometimes these are not the options that I need to attach. Hopefully, Google will update this to increase the number of options you can select from or better refine their search algorithm for users.

GIF Tutorial:

Video Tutorial:

Have you used Smart Chips? What do you think and did you run into the same issues as I did? Share in the comments below!

Whether you work in elementary, middle, or high school…it’s that time of year! The time of year that we start planning for the transition for many of our students to new grade levels or even different schools. As a middle school Vice Principal, I’ve been reflecting on what a huge transition our 8th graders will be going through on top of an already strange school year. Despite the difficulties of this year, I feel our school site has done an amazing job getting to know our students and trying to find ways to support them from a distance. If we have two years of knowledge of our students, I truly feel it is our duty to help pass along this information to our feeder schools to continue to offer the SEL support that will help them succeed in high school.

Below, you will see a sample of a spreadsheet that I created for our administrators, counselors, and teachers to collaborate on about some of our most struggling students on campus. These struggles can range from academics, attendance, and behavior. The goal of this collaborative spreadsheet is to share information about these student’s struggles and what has been working for them in the previous school years. It is not a spreadsheet to “warn” the high schools of students with bad behavior or grades. It is a spreadsheet that is designed to share concerns and ways to continue support for the students as they move into high school.

If you decide to use this collaborative spreadsheet, I highly encourage you to frame the conversations around the things that the students do well, as much as where they struggle. I also encourage you to remember that the end result is to share information with the following grade levels that will support the student, rather than harm them. I hope you enjoy this spreadsheet and find it useful in supporting your students as they move on to new adventures!

(View) (Copy)

What have you tried in your classroom or at your school to support students as they transition into new grade levels and/or schools? Share in the comments below!

Guys – this has been a crazy year in education. Actually, crazy is an understatement. One word probably can’t even describe how many of our educators feel right now. Crazy, tiring, overwhelming, exhausting, heartbreaking, and so many more words can describe this year. However, I know that there are some AMAZING success stories out there – and I want to hear them!

I want to put together a blog post of amazing success stories that are occurring during distance learning and/or hybrid. In addition to this, I am selfishly hoping it will inspire me with more ideas to support the students, teachers, parents, and staff members at my own site. Perhaps you will find some great ideas in the next blog post, too!

So, please, (pretty please?) take this short survey – thank you, friends!

In April and May, I Heart EDU released a variety of professional development webinars to support teachers with distance learning. I’m so glad many of you were able to tune in to these videos and I hope to plan a couple more soon!

Today, I am sharing a webinar on Jamboard and Google Meet that I had previously not posted due to my summer hiatus. In this webinar, Rosalinda Jaimes shares how to use Jamboard and Google Meet to amplify learning during distance learning.

I’m ashamed to admit it – but I had never used Jamboard until this presentation! I’m so disappointed that I didn’t because this would have been an AMAZING tool in the Math classroom.

Below you will find the YouTube video and helpful links to get you going with Jamboard. Enjoy!

• Presentation
• Jamboard Product Page
• YouTube
• Tech Fairies Website
• What is Google Jamboard? Blog Post

Have you used Google Jamboard in the classroom? If so, share in the comments below!

Happy May everyone! As we continue in these strange times with stay-at-home orders, I EDU is planning to continue with monthly webinars. I know that a lot of my posts recently have been based on webinars, but stay tuned for more posts as I have normally shared in the past. (Unfortunately, I messed up my back a bit this month so a lot my regular posts have been temporarily put aside!)

If you are interested in these webinars, you can pop onto our YouTube Channel or Facebook Page at the time of the event OR use the link to create a Google Calendar invite in your own calendar! As a note, the Google Calendar invite will contain a link to the YouTube channels but not the exact videos, since those have not been generated yet. 🙂

Jamboard & Google Meet

Date: 5/12 @ 4:00 PM (PST)

Presenter: Rosalinda Jaimes

Links: YouTube | Facebook | Google Calendar

Description: Using Jamboard as an interactive whiteboard and collaboration space during distance learning.

Distance Learning & Student Voice with Flipgrid

Date: 5/19 @ 4:00 PM (PST)

Presenter: Melissa King

Links: YouTube | Facebook | Google Calendar

Description: How can we offer assignments that are engaging, rigorous, yet easy to use? Flipgrid! Now teachers and students can even screen record using Flipgrid. See how to create Fliphunts, design reading group challenges, and more!

5 Google Tips & Tricks You Didn’t Know About

Date: 5/21 @ 4:00 PM (PST)

Presenter: Meagan Kelly

Links: YouTube | Facebook | Google Calendar

Description: Join this quick and informative webinar on five GSuite for Education tips and tricks you’ve never seen before – unless you’re a Google Master!

Check-ins with Google Forms

Date: 5/26 @ 4:00 PM (PST)

Presenter: Mari Venturino

Links: YouTube | Facebook | Google Calendar

Description: Use Google Forms to check in with students, both during remote learning and when we transition back to the classroom. It’s a great way to build connections with students and establish a routine.

We hope to see you there!

As you may have noticed, I EDU has recently launched a series of webinars. Our first series occurred during the first two weeks of April and I am excited to share 2 more webinars from a variety of presenters for the rest of this month. If you are interested in these webinars, you can pop onto our YouTube Channel or Facebook Page at the time of the event OR sign up via the Google Form below for email updates and calendar invites.

Adobe Spark

Date: 4/20 @ 6:00 PM (PST)

Presenter: Jenn Calderon

Links: YouTube | Facebook

Description: Learn how to create diverse images, a simple webpage story or narrate a quick video. Adobe spark is a versatile platform where students can create powerful projects, with a few clicks of a button.

Self-Care During Distance Learning

Date: 4/22 @ 4:00 PM (PST)

Presenter: Meagan Kelly, Mari Venturino, Rosalinda Jaimes, Jenn Calderon, Melissa King

Links: YouTube | Facebook

Description: It’s amazing to see how educators are taking on distance learning with such passion and creativity for their students. However, distance learning and working from home can take a mental, emotional and physical toll on educators. Join us in this session to hear transparent talks about the ups and downs of distance learning and self-care strategies to stay mentally healthy.

Distance Learning Fun with Flipgrid

Date: 4/27 @ 3:00 PM (PST)

Presenter: Melissa King

Links: YouTube | Facebook

Description: How can we offer assignments that are engaging, rigorous, yet easy to use? Flipgrid! Now teachers and students can even screen record using Flipgrid. See how to create Fliphunts, design reading group challenges, and more!

If you are interested in signing up for any of these webinars, please sign up via the following Google Form:

When I was in the classroom, I was a HUGE fan of the flipped classroom instructional. In this webinar, I will walk you through the “how” of creating a flipped classroom but also the “why” – which is actually the most important part!

In this webinar, I covered the following topics:

• Recording a Google Slides presentation with Screencastify
• Uploading and editing in YouTube
• Sharing to your LMS
• Instructional strategies for successful implementation

Below, you will find some of the resources that were provided during the presentation:

• Presentation
• Screencastify
• EdPuzzle

Have you tried flipping the classroom? If so, share your tips and tricks below!

HyperDocs are an amazing way to support student learning during the distance learning adventure! In this webinar, Melissa King and Marilyn McAlister share some great tips and tricks for getting started, as well as some weekly plan templates for distance learning.

In this webinar, the following topics are covered:

• HyperDocs website and templates
• Creating a HyperDoc
• Free weekly plan templates for distance learning
• Daily 5 and inquiry projects

Below, you will find some of the FREE resources that were provided by Melissa and Marilyn:

• HyperDoc Templates & Website
• Melissa’s Blog, Kings Korner
• Melissa’s Freebies
• Marilyn’s Student Samples
• Marilyn’s Remote Learning Templates
• I Heart EDU HyperDoc Templates

We hope you are finding these webinars helpful! We have two more webinars set up for next week, so feel free to sign up using THIS Google Form.

In our recent webinar, Meet vs. Zoom, myself and Melissa King discussed many of the pros and cons to both Google Meet and Zoom. At the time, one of the cons for Google Meet was the teachers inability to keep students from joining a Google Meet without them. I had many teachers express to me concerns of students using Google Meet inappropriately on a Meet they had created while they were not yet and/or no longer in the meeting. Fortunately, this issue seems to have been very quickly resolved by Google and I am excited to share two ways to better secure your Google Meet.

Through these two methods, students will no longer be able to join a Google Meet without their teacher present. While I have tested these two methods out in my own district and found them to work, there is a possibility that this may have not rolled out in all districts at this time.

Here are a couple of important things I noticed when testing this out today:

• Students will no longer be able to join before and/or stay after with only the following two ways. I haven’t seen success via Google Calendars at this time.
• Students will go to a “waiting room” if the teacher is not present in the meeting. Once the teacher joins, they will be given the “join” button.
• Students can enter a Google Meet for any teacher present in a Google Meet, whether they were the original host or not.
• Anyone entering from outside of the district domain will always see the button “Ask to Join” when wishing to enter a Google Meet.

#1: Nicknamed Google Meet

The first way to secure your Google Meet is by creating a nicknamed chat via www.meet.google.com. In this menu, you will create a nickname for your Google Meet and will give that nickname to your students to enter.

I highly suggest that you give students the nickname only and have them enter through the Google Meet main menu. From what we have tested, even if the students copy the URL at the top, they still wouldn’t be able to enter the Google Meet without you. However, it’s just easier to give them the nickname each time!

Interested in watching it in action? Watch this amazing video by Eric Curts from Control Alt Achieve on YouTube:

#2: Google Classroom Meet Link

The second way to secure your Google Meet is by using the Google Meet URL from your Google Classroom. This is a new feature that just rolled out today (at least in my district) and is an amazing feature for teachers! Now, Google Classroom has a Google Meet link that you can turn on in your settings menu.

In the same way as the nicknamed meet, this should prevent students from joining before and/or staying after in your Google Meet. We tested it out in our district and found it to be already rolled out and active.

Interested in watching it in action? Watch this helpful video by Scott Wagner on YouTube:

I have to say that I am incredibly excited to see this feature available in Google Meet. Personally, I have some concerns about the privacy and security of Zoom and have a lot of comfort using Google Meet since it already exists within our school district’s domain. Therefore, I am excited to see this added bit of security available for our teachers, if they choose to use it.

I would love to hear about your distance learning experience in relation to Google Meet and/or Zoom below, so please share with us in the comments!