Education Technology

Google's OneBox, the search/URL/etc box in Chrome and search bars has been updated. You have been able to enter a conversion, say 5kg into pounds, in the box and get an answer, but now it's interactive where you can easily change the number and units in the results box itself.

I entered "5kg = ? pounds"

You can click on the "Mass" to bring up a drop down menu of different measurements, including temperature, velocity, volume, and more and clicking on "kg" or "pound" brings up a drop down menu to change the units.

This is a great resource for students and teachers needing a quick and easy conversion calculator anywhere.

iGoogle, Google's customizable start page, is shutting down and will not be available after November 1, 2013. Google has decided that iGoogle has outlived it's usefulness with the new apps and technologies that are now available. All of your data in your Google product widgets will still be there in the original product, like Gmail, Google Calendar, etc. Other gadgets you use probably have a way for you to export your data to another service and many of the gadgets exist as stand alone apps now.

I have used iGoogle for many years as my start page but have noticed that lately I am really only using it for the Google Reader. I have all of  my Google apps, and other apps that I use throughout the day, either launch in their own tabs when I start up Chrome, or they are on my Chrome homepage. I really don't need iGoogle anymore when on my own computers. As for having a place to go when on a shared computer, I'm setting up all of my links to my apps and services in an Evernote note for quick access and linking and I might make a Google Site with all the links and add any gadgets.

Some other alternatives to iGoogle include:

Symbaloo - recommended by Richard Byrne at Free Technology for Teachers

Create your own Wiki or Google Site with links to all of your apps.

Use an Evernote note, as I mentioned above, to have links to all of your apps and resources.

NetVibes and Protopage - from Life Hacker





Related:

Google for Education Resources

Evernote for Education Resources

181 Google Tricks that will save you time in School - updated is an article that has, as it's title suggests, some great tricks for using different Google apps and resources in education.
Presentation on Google for Educators

Why I use Google's Products as an Educator (and how)Google Groups - connect, share, communicate, discuss - great for education

Google's I/O conference is this week and they have made some big announcements. Here's a summary and some places you can find more information.


1. Google Docs offline now available - edit and create Google Docs offline and they will be synced with your Docs account once you have an internet connection.

2. Chrome Browser exits beta and is available for all Android 4.0 devices and is available for iOS. Use the worlds most used browser on your Android and Apple devices.

3. Project Glass demo - Project Glass is a new project uses glasses and

4. Google+ Events - events planning and social networking combined

5. Jelly Bean - Android 4.1 - newest version of Android with some cool new features, including a new notification center.

6. Nexus 7 - new Google branded 7" Android Tablet

7. Google Maps ability to save maps for use offline - great when you have no signal, like in a subway.

8. Google Now - voice control and widgets that show you information based on your location

9. 3D buildings in Google Earth - fun and educational

10. Lots of updates to existing Google and Android apps (like Docs, Google+, Hangouts on Air, Chrome, and more)

11.  Pinterest for Android - popular app officially comes to Android

12. Nexus Q - streams audio and video from the cloud to your TV and Stereo, and is controlled by your Android phone or tablet. It's also built in the USA. You can also have your friends stream their content through your Q.

13. Google Drive released for iOS - access all your files on your Apple device.



Pretty exciting stuff, much of which will benefit educators and students with the updates. New devices for use in education, updates to already great apps, and more Google apps available for Apple devices. Very cool.

I'm jealous of those attending. While the tickets were $900, you got to attend a great conference, see a great opening keynote that many said was the best they've ever seen, and you get a swag bag with the Nexus Q, Chromebox, Nexus Phone and Nexus 7 tablet. Pretty cool.

In related news, my CR-48 beta Chromebook got updated to Chrome v 20 today and it's awesome. It was surprising because the CR-48's weren't originally supposed to get the update.





Resources:

Android Central - great resource for Android and Google
http://www.androidcentral.com/google-io-2012-day-one-round

The Official Google Blog 


The Verge - great resources for all things technology 
http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/27/3121011/google-i-o-highlights-news-2012-nexus-7-nexus-q



Related:

Google for Education Resources

Android for Education Resources

Google Chromebooks and Chrome OS revisited - great for education

Google announced today that Google Docs now works offline, so you can create an edit files without a internet connection. All your work will be saved locally and then updated with Docs when you get a connection again.

This is great news and makes Docs even more useful, allowing use without an internet connection.



Learn more about Google's many apps and resources for Education here.


Related:

Google Resources for Education

Why I use Google's apps and products as an Educator

Google is having a lot of announcements today at the Google I/O conference with lots of updates and new products. (Go to Android Central to get updates on all the news).

But yesterday they announced something that is a great resource for educators and students alike. "Power Searching with Google" is a free, online community based course that helps participants learn how to do better searches and use some of the cool features of Google, such as using the search box as a calculator and finding data right from the search box itself.



The course contains six 50-minute classes, interactive activities to practice your new skills, community integration and connections with Google Groups, Google+, and Hangouts on Air (with search experts) and Googlers will be available to help. You can even get a printable Certificate of Completion upon passing the post course assessment.

Lessons will be released daily starting on July 10th and participants can take them on their own schedule during a 2 week window.

Registration is open from June 26, 2012 to July 16, 2012. We recommend that you register before the first class is released on July 10, 2012!
New classes will become available Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday starting on July 10, 2012 and ending on July 19, 2012.
Course-related activities will end on July 23, 2012.

Teachers can take the course and then share what they learn with their students next school year.

You can also go to the Google Inside Search page for other tips and help with better searching that can be used by students and educators.


Source: Official Google Blog

Related:

Lots more great, free resources from Google (especially for education)

Google has a new project it is a part of: The Endangered Languages Project: Supporting language preservation through technology and collaboration that is pretty cool. The Endangered Languages Project, is a website for people to find and share the most up-to-date and comprehensive information about endangered languages. It is a way to try to preserve over 3000 languages that are on the verge of becoming extinct. Preserving these languages, and the cultures that go with them, is an important project.

The project is working to make recordings of people speaking the languages, as well as documenting as much as possible about the languages. Through the site, people can upload and access research, advice, information, resources, manuscripts, videos, audio and more.

This is a great resource for our world, and also for teachers and students to use to learn about these languages and cultures, as well as contribute to the project.

Here's more about it: http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/

Google is a very powerful tool. You can find pretty much anything online these days. The trick is knowing how to find exactly what you are looking for.

Here is an interactive infographic with some great tips for better internet searching (specifically with Google).






Related:

Google - free posters with search tips for teachers

Google Chrome is my browser of choice. It is fast, secure, easy to use, full of features, and works great with all of the Google apps I use. I also use Chrome OS, which is an operating system based on the Chrome Browser. Chrome has great features and extensions that can make your online experience better and more productive.

Here are some great resources I just learned about for using Google Chrome:

10 Google Chrome Tips for Students - tips for using the address bar (onmibox) for different purposes, better search, and using extensions. 

KanBan2Go is a free productivity and organizing app I learned about from Richard Byrne at Free Technology for Teachers. kanban2go is a visual, online task management service. It's simple and easy to use and accessible online from computer, tablet or smartphone (mobile site, not app).


There is a To Do list that is where you put the tasks in the order of priority. The In Progress board is for the tasks that you are actively working on and the Done board is for the completed tasks. This is all done in a visual manner instead of just text and priority codes.



You can collaborate with others on the tasks and sync your tasks with Google Calendar, iCal, Outlook, Evernote and share your boards through email or on Twitter. This is a great resource for teachers, administrators, and students to use to organize themselves and to do collaborative planning on projects.

Here's a video about kanban2go:



Kanban is a Japanese word that means billboard. Companies use Kanban boards to organize, communicate, prioritize and manage what they do. United Technologies uses Kanban's as part of it's ACE (Achieving Competitive Excellence) program and I used it when I worked at Pratt & Whitney and Sikorsky. Using Kanban's allowed us to work more efficiently, be better organized, let everyone know what was going on and where, and keep things working. We also used Kanban cards to create efficient workflows of parts, supplies, and materials throughout the plant.

This method can also be used in education - label things, create boards that communicate better to staff and students, and much more.

You can read more about Kanban here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanban
Education and Personal Kanban it’s a Win Win Situation

Google Blockly is a visual, web based, programming language that works by having users drag blocks of commands and programming together to build their application. It is a great way to learn about programming because the blocks will only fit where the commands would work, like a puzzle. There is no need to memorize terms or worrying about brackets and formatting. You can also export your blockly code as real code to use.

It is still in preview, with demo's available for practice and to give feedback to Google on how it works.




I'm hoping this goes live soon as I think it is a great learning resource for learning how to program. I'd love to use it to learn and refresh my programming skills, seeing as how I only know some HTML. I have taken courses and used BASIC, Visual BASIC, Pascal and Fortran. I'd love to learn how to make apps though and think that teaching students how to make apps is a great idea for education.



Related:

Free computer science resources for teachers and students
Google Code University - free computer science classesLearning HTML Code - some resources to get started

SlidePresenter is an online presentation service. It has a free account that is full-featured and the service allows you to create videos that are synced with PowerPoint presentations. It is similar to Knovio.

SlidePresenter can be used to create presentations for use by educators in the classroom that can then be reviewed by students at a later date for review or reinforcement or to create training sessions that people can view on their own time. Students can also use it for class projects.

The free account limits videos to 15 min (similar to most of these services) but that is a good way to make sure your presentation is focused and concise. Each presentation can be tagged, embedded in other sites, and easily shared via social media.




(It is a German company so some times the web page translations are a little awkward, but the product works great).

On a side note, they also allow you, in the paid accounts, to post your presentation and monetize it - charge people access for it. This might be an option for small businesses and education consultants to use for hosting fee-based courses.



Related:

Knovio - turn PowerPoint presentation into multimedia video

Google Docs - free, online, collaborative presentations 

Present me - easy way to record and share presentations

Desmos - create media rich educational content online

PhotoPeach - easily create and share photo slideshows

Prezi - the zooming presentation editor

Yesterday, Google announced that it was buying QuickOffice. QuickOffice is a mobile app that allows users to view, edit, and create documents, spreadsheets and presentations, including Microsoft Office files. It integrates with Google Docs™, Dropbox, Evernote, Catch, Egnyte, Huddle™, Box, SugarSync, and MobileMe™, allowing you to access and work with your files on your mobile device.

Google will be integrating QuickOffice into Google Apps. I'm assuming we are going to see Google using QuickOffice in Google Drive to allow more seemless access to files other than Google Docs files. You can store any files on Google Drive, but office files have to be converted to Docs formats before editing. If Google integrates QuickOffice into Drive that will not be a problem. I can currently access my Google Drive files  I'm also going to assume that Google will integrate QuickOffice into Google+, since they are integrating most of their apps with Google+. This could also give Chromebooks a better offline system for handling office files.

Google Docs doesn't work great on iOS (yet) but QuickOffice does. This could be a great boon for iOS users.


The announcement from Google also states that they will continue to support QuickOffice as it exists now, which makes people like me very happy. QuickOffice, along with Google Apps and Evernote, are my main apps that I use on my smart phone to get work done anywhere.




Related:

QuickOffice - essential app for mobile devices
Google for Education Resources

Google Drive is here! Really! No, I mean it. Free online storage.
Android for Education resources and apps

I've written about the interactive app charts that Kathy Schrock has created that organized different iOS, Android, and Google and Web 2.0 apps based on the Bloom's Taxonomy level. They are a great way to find Apps based on what you are trying to have the students do.

She just updated them with a new diagram for Bloom's Taxonomy. The new diagram is interlocking gears instead of a pyramid. It also emphasizes Creating as the biggest thing we should be having students do.

This is a great resource for all teachers looking for some great apps to use with students.



Related:

Bloom's Taxonomy and Technology - great resources for teachers

Android Resources for Education - apps, how-to's, reviews, forums, and more.

Android Apps related to Bloom's Taxonomy

Google for Educators Resources

Google, one of my favorite resources for education with tons of great apps and resources, has another great resource for education.

Google World Wonders Project takes images from Google Street View and make great places of the world, from Pompeii to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, available to anyone. Users can explore and navigate the area, including places not easily accessible. There are also 3D models, YouTube videos and photos of these historic sites. You can browse by topic or by your location.







Teachers can bring students on virtual field trips to some wonderful places on our great planet.  The Education page has teacher guides (free PDF download) for primary and secondary school, along with historic sites organized by class and topic.

I was playing with it for a while today and thought it was a great way to explore some pretty cool places around the world

It is a great way to teach, and learn about, historical sites, history, and geography.
http://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/worldwonders/


Related:

Why I Use Google's Products as an Educator
Google for Education Resources

Google for Educators

Tons of great, free resources from Google

Google and Samsung have just announced a new Chromebook, the Chromebox and the new version of Google's Chrome OS.

I have been a long time user of Google's Chrome OS and Chromebook (almost two years) on their beta device, the CR-48. I love it! I can do everything I need on it.

Chromebooks run Google's Chrome OS which is based on the Chrome web browser. They are fast, easy to use, secure (not data on device) and run all of Google's apps, along with thousands of third party apps. They are really great for schools because of the long battery life and the fact that nothing is stored on the device and there is no school IT support needed.

The new Chromebook from Samsung is fast, portable and easy to use. The Chromebox is a compact desktop device that is very powerful. They both have Intel Core processors and are 3 times as fast as the first-generation Chromebooks (which are very fast and boot in seconds). They include hardware accelerated graphics, multi-touch trackpad, and boot in less than 7 seconds. The Chromebook allows you to multi-task easily. I've used my beta CR-48 with 20 tabs open running lots of apps without a problem and these new devices are much more powerful.


The new version of Chrome OS also has a new user interface. The old interface looked like the Chrome browser and the new app window. The new interface looks more like a typical desktop OS interface, with a taskbar at the bottom. You can easily find and launch apps, and multi-task with apps and the browser window or use full screen mode.

Chrome OS includes the ability to view MS Office files (.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx) and .zip, .rar, .txt, .pdf, .html, and most video, audio and image files. You can access all of your Google apps and your files on Google Drive (along with other cloud storage services),

Google is also rolling out Google Docs OFFLINE support in the next few weeks (yeah!). You can work on your files while offline and they will sync as soon as you connect to the internet. There are also offline capable web apps available in the Chrome Web Store. There are tons of apps for work and play.

Another great new feature is the Chrome Remote Desktop Beta. With this you can connect to your PC or Mac from your Chromebook or Chromebox and use your files and apps just as if you were sitting in front of your computer (similar to SplashTop Remote Desktop.). This can be used with Chrome OS or in the Chrome Browser.

The other major benefit of Chromebooks is that they are constantly, and automatically, being upgraded with new features and improvements.

There was one limitation to the Chromebooks - I could run a couple of Java apps I needed for school. That is no longer a problem with InstallFree Nexus and Rndr - free apps that add a ton of functionality to the Chrombooks. Read my review of them here: http://educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.com/2012/05/update-on-installfree-nexus-and-rndr.html


I really love my CR-48 Chromebook and can only imagine the experience this new device will provide. the Chromebook is a great laptop - light, powerful, with a long battery life. The Chromebox would be a great replacement for desktop computers also. 99% of what I do is online, so a device like a Chromebook works great for me. I use Google's apps, Evernote, and Tweetdeck for most of my daily work. My Chromebook is my go to portable device, along with my smartphone. I really believe that a Chromebook is the best device for education. They are lightweight, have long battery lives, and require no support. They are easy to use and fast and there is no data stored on the device. They update automatically and there is no need for software or OS licensing.

If you or your school are looking for a new device, I highly recommend the Chromebooks.

Starting yesterday, you can get the new Chromebook and Chromebox from the online retail partners in the U.S. and U.K., and in other select countries over the coming weeks. The Series 5 Chromebook starts at $449.99 and the Chromebox is $329.99 with Education pricing available.

Here's a great video about Chrome OS and Chromebooks:




I did NOT receive any compensation for this post. I just really like Chrome OS and the Chromebooks.






Source: Official Google Blog

Related:

Google Chromebooks and Chrome OS revisited - great for education
Update on InstallFree Nexus and Rndr - work great on a Chromebook!

Google's Doodles (their logo in a different form for different events/occasions) are always fun, but today's is cool and very fun. You can actually play the synthesizer and even save and share what you create on it!


Here's more info from the Official Google Blog:

In the mid-1960s, Dr. Robert Moog unleashed a new universe of sounds into musicdom with his invention of the electronic analog Moog Synthesizer. The timbre and tones of these keyboard instruments (true works of art in and of themselves) would come to define a generation of music, featuring heavily in songs by The Beatles, The Doors, Stevie Wonder, Kraftwerk and many others.

When people hear the word “synthesizer” they often think “synthetic”—fake, manufactured, unnatural. In contrast, Bob Moog’s synthesizers produce beautiful, organic and rich sounds that are, nearly 50 years later, regarded by many professional musicians as the epitome of an electronic instrument. “Synthesizer,” it turns out, refers to the synthesis embedded in Moog’s instruments: a network of electronic components working together to create a whole greater than the sum of the parts. 

With his passion for high-tech toolmaking in the service of creativity, Bob Moog is something of a patron saint of the nerdy arts and a hero to many of us here. So for the next 24 hours on our homepage, you’ll find an interactive, playable logo inspired by the instruments with which Moog brought musical performance into the electronic age. You can use your mouse or computer keyboard to control the mini-synthesizer’s keys and knobs to make nearly limitless sounds. Keeping with the theme of 1960s music technology, we’ve patched the keyboard into a 4-track tape recorder so you can record, play back and share songs via short links or Google+.

Check it out, have a little fun, and share it with others!

I am a huge fan and user of Google's many apps, tools, and resources. I have an Android phone, a Chromebook, use Chrome as my browser and use Gmail, Google Calendar, Tasks, iGoogle, Reader, Docs/Drive, Blogger and Google Sites on a daily basis. I love the simplicity, yet functionality of these apps and I share my enthusiasm and knowledge with other educators.

This summer there is an awesome event in the Northeast USA about Google in Education: The Google Apps for Education Maine Summit. 

This is a two day event, hosted at Yarmouth High School in Maine, August 16th and 17th. The event focuses on using Google Apps for Education in your school and classroom to improve teaching and learning. Presenters include Google Certified Teachers, Google Apps for Education Certified Trainers, Google Engineers, educators that use Google Apps, and representatives from the Google Apps for Education Team. There are two keynote presentations along with breakout sessions, demonstrations, and hands-on workshops.

There will be free parking and WiFi, continental breakfast and coffee with networking time each day, access to Google employees, and early bird registration is only $199.

If you use Google Apps, or want to learn how to implement them in your school, you should attend this event. Register at the site:  http://me.gafesummit.com/

That area of Maine is beautiful and one of my favorite places to visit. LL Bean's flagship store, along with other great attractions, are minutes away in Freeport. So after learning all day, you have plenty of opportunities for fun in the evening.



Related:Why I use Google's Products as an Educator (and how)
Android Smartphone and Apps I use as an Educator

Today Google has announced the 90 regional finalists of the Google Science Fair 2012. 

You can view the finalists and their projects here: http://www.google.com/events/sciencefair/



From the Google Official Blog:

Congratulations to the regional finalists of the second Google Science Fair! These top 90 entries from around the world represent some incredibly innovative and groundbreaking science.

This year’s competition was even more international and diverse than last year. We had thousands of entries from more than 100 countries, and topics ranging from improving recycling using LEGO robots to treating cancer with a substance created by bees to tackling meth abuse. Our judges were impressed by the quality of the projects, and it was no easy task to evaluate the creativity, scientific merit and global relevance of each submission to narrow down the entries to just 90 finalists.

Thirteen of our 90 finalists have also been nominated for the Scientific AmericanScience in Action award, the winner of which will be announced on June 6 along with our 15 finalists. These top 15 and the Science in Action winner will be flown out to Google’s headquarters in California in July for our celebratory finalist event and for the last round of judging, which will be conducted by our panel of renowned scientists and innovators.

The Google Science Fair is a world-wide, online science fair. Students enter their projects and can win some really great prizes. Students simply register online, get parental consent, do their project site online and then submit the project.The site has great tips and resources for students and educators. There are three age categories 13-14, 15-16 and 17-18 and prizes in each category. The one grand prize includes a trip to the Galapagos, a $50,000 scholarship, and a hands on experience at either Lego, CERN or Google. Other prizes include $25,000 scholarships, Chromebooks and Chromebook kits for their classroom, intern experiences and much more.

Today Google is announcing a new tool in search: The Knowledge Graph. It will be phased in over the next few days for all users. The Knowledge Graph adds new results to your search. You will see panels on the right side of the search results page with additional, factual, information about the search topic. This will have more relevant, factual information about your search (like historical, biographical, news, etc.) and list related topics. Google will also have you clarify exactly what you are looking for to help you better find what you need.

From Google Official Blog:

The Knowledge Graph enables you to search for things, people or places that Google knows about—landmarks, celebrities, cities, sports teams, buildings, geographical features, movies, celestial objects, works of art and more—and instantly get information that’s relevant to your query. This is a critical first step towards building the next generation of search, which taps into the collective intelligence of the web and understands the world a bit more like people do.

Google’s Knowledge Graph isn’t just rooted in public sources such as Freebase, Wikipedia and the CIA World Factbook. It’s also augmented at a much larger scale—because we’re focused on comprehensive breadth and depth. It currently contains more than 500 million objects, as well as more than 3.5 billion facts about and relationships between these different objects. And it’s tuned based on what people search for, and what we find out on the web.