Pirate Tips

This week - a little help with help ... I found this app and added it to Chrome and thought you might like it. :-) I'd like to give credit to who pointed me toward it, but I can't remember, so, generically, thank you to everyone who already knows about this and may have written something about it.

This week I am focused on a little-known but powerful and handy tool called Google Keep. It is available as a web site and as an app for Android phones and tablets. AND IT IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR iOS This is a simple tool for keeping notes and lists. I like the fact that I can customize the look and share the lists/notes with anyone I need to. Additionally, I love the reminders. Let's take a closer look...

An Encore? Why? As part of my summer, I took some time to learn a little more. Part of my learning involved a "critique" of my tip of the week. One of the VERY valid concerns was the frequency of the tips. Hearing that people were feeling overwhelmed by the frequency, I decided to cut back a bit. So, expect to a see a "new" tip every other week and a "reminder/encore" on the opposite weeks. Last week was new so this week is a reminder. Many teachers have created documents and files in programs like Pages, Keynote, Word, Powerpoint, Excel, etc.  I was recently asked if there is a way to "convert" these files to use with Google. YES! In this post I will walk you through turning your non-google file into a Document, Presentation, or Spreadsheet. I'll also show you how to turn on (or off) the new Drive and set your uploads to convert automatically. If you are working with Pages, Keynote, or Numbers '09 you will start by converting to...

Did you know you can convert a "picture" of text to text? It's true. Here's the process**: Upload an image into Drive Click on the three dots in the top right corner Select “Open With…” and choose Google Drive The image will pop up with a transcription below ** From the Google Gooru (that's really how it is spelled - not my interpretation):

We've added an additional productivity tool to the PCS toolbox. :-) Office 365 is an online version of the Microsoft Office suite of tools - very much like a Microsoft version of Google Docs. First, a disclaimer...

This is a repeat of an earlier post, but I think it is worth repeating. And if you want to spend some time with me come learn about blogging in a face to face session: Pirate Tips Live! One of the easiest ways to have a web page is to create a blog. Your newest content will always appear at the top of the page, you can add a variety of content, and you can post in a number of ways. Your pinckneypirates.org account (or any google account) has a Blogger account connected to it. Which means that your username (including @pinckneypirates.org) and password will grant you access to the wonderful world of simple web publishing. In this post I'm going to offer a few "levels" of blogging : Just the basics - you can post and people can read what you write Enough to be dangerous - your posts might include some pictures and videos, as well as scheduled posts Showing off a little - you can post to your blog from your phone or email Let's get started.

Google Hangouts is a quick and simple way to communicate with others. With this tool you can chat, send text messages, connect to a telephone number, do a video conference, or even share your screen with another computer. In this post I will walk you through getting setup, show you how to use the tool, and give you some ideas about how this could be used in your classroom.

You are running out of time. If you want personal help, please plan to attend one of the 90 minute gmail intro sessions. http://www.eventbrite.com/o/pirate-tips-live-3123021184

This is the last "school year" tip for 2014-15. I'll continue to post updates and tutorials throughout the summer, but please consider joining me for a face-to-face 90 minute session... Are these blog posts too much? Want some face-to-face learning? You are in luck! Come join me for these 90 minute workshops at Pathfinder Middle School. These are FREE for PCS staff. Here's a calendar/chart to show you which sessions are offered on each day: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lbscJG1xcOYdaMeX1cdvV9OpbVvPDymRm6MoNNvkLBE/edit?usp=sharing Signup online by following the link below: http://www.eventbrite.com/o/pirate-tips-live-3123021184

Today let's take a moment to explore the Labs on your Google Calendar. "What are Labs?" Fun. :-)

Are these blog posts too much? Want some face-to-face learning? You are in luck! Come join me for these 90 minute workshops at Pathfinder Middle School. These are FREE for PCS staff. Signup online by following the link below: http://www.eventbrite.com/o/pirate-tips-live-3123021184 There are currently eight topics: Gmail & Chrome Basics Google Classroom Blogger Drive, Documents, Spreadsheets, Presentations and file storage/sharing Google Sites Calendars, Keep, Plus, Maps, News, & other lesser know tools YouTube Video Editing Chromebook Introduction (hands-on with a Chromebook) Additionally, I am hoping/planning to offer a few extra sessions on: Google Hangouts Coding Office 365 The Maker Movement (Creativity in the classroom) MI - STAR for K-6 (with Anne Schimelpfenig) MI - STAR for 7-12 (with Anne Schimelpfenig) Be sure to check the registration site for updates: http://www.eventbrite.com/o/pirate-tips-live-3123021184

A few new Google Classroom features... You can now have co-teachers. :-)

Enough watching videos! It's time to unleash the power of your creativity. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy a good video, but today I want to show you how to EDIT video using YouTube. As a warning - this a longer "how-to" and will be available as part of the summer Pirate Tips Live opportunity (more details soon).

I keep saying that your Google Apps account has perks, but I think I have not really described those perks. So, today a little overview of what you can do with your Apps account (username@pinckneypirates.org). :-) Though the topic seems brief, the post is long, but is a great reference. Many of these tools will be the focus of tutorials during the next few weeks. I'm going to separate them into four categories: The obvious The not-so-obvious The little known More... First a list, then some very brief descriptions and links. Enjoy!

You may have heard of people referring to "Hashtags" when discussing a tool like Twitter, or Instagram or even Facebook. You may have noticed a hashtag in the corner of the screen as you watch a show like Dancing with the Stars (#dwts). You may have seen a commercial or sketch that included the phrase "hashtag" and a hand gesture... So, what is it?

I recently got a question about marking an email as important: "Michael - You've probably already told us this, but how do you send an email and mark it "high priority" or "urgent" for the receiving person to see? Thanks!" You can't. Thanks for reading the blog. Have a great day. ;-) There's more to this post, including bacon.

I've been trying to get this out for a few weeks now... Here's some updated info on Google Classroom . Google has been hard at work making the most of the Google Classroom experience for teachers and students. (Here's a link to the first post I did on this...)

Many people have more than one Gmail/Google account.  You may have discovered the struggles that can happen as you try to log in and log out of accounts. One can easily get confused about what file or document is connected to what account. And then there are blogs and sites, etc... In this post we will tackle a VERY basic feature of Chrome that will make your digital life SO MUCH BETTER. Here we go... :-)

Twitter is a great tool for teaching and learning. Many teachers have mastered it as a tool for expanding their personal learning network (PLN). If you are thinking, "Why should I care?" then you might want to take a few minutes to look over this article. It will help you get informed about what it is and how you might want to get started with it. Fabulous overview - it's a chart, so it is a really quick way to get an idea about Twitter. http://rossieronline.usc.edu/twitter-for-teachers/ Thorough discussion of Teachers Using Twitter - this is a great resource and even includes 100 ways to use Twitter. http://www.edudemic.com/guides/guide-to-twitter/

Many teachers have created documents and files in programs like Pages, Keynote, Word, Powerpoint, Excel, etc.  I was recently asked if there is a way to "convert" these files to use with Google. YES! In this post I will walk you through turning your non-google file into a Document, Presentation, or Spreadsheet. I'll also show you how to turn on (or off) the new Drive and set your uploads to convert automatically. If you are working with Pages, Keynote, or Numbers '09 you will start by converting to Word, PowerPoint, or Excel. If you are working with Word, PowerPoint, or Excel skip down to the Uploading Files & Automated Conversion section below.

Here's a cool tip: You can do searches from your computer without typing. :-) In this post I'll show you how to turn on the "Search by voice" in Chrome.

Since Google is a search company, it only makes sense that their email solution is based on searching to find email you sent and received. In this post we will take a look at some of the ways we can make our searching more productive. Additionally, I'm providing a link for some of the keyboard shortcuts that work with Gmail. Below is a link to a PDF document that you can print out. If you print the document as double sided it is a handy reference sheet for shortcuts and search. http://ist.njit.edu/sites/ist.njit.edu/files/lcms/google/documentation/Google_Mail_Shortcuts.pdf Here is the direct link to the list of search commands from Google: https://support.google.com/mail/answer/7190?hl=en Keyboard shortcuts are listed by opening Gmail and typing the "?" (<Shift> + /) Here is the direct link to the list of keyboard shortcuts from Funkatron (another printable PDF): http://funkatron.com/content/gmail-shortcuts.pdf And finally, Google's guide to key...

Email is simple, but you can make yours SPARKLE. Let me help you... Today I will walk you through editing your email signature in the Gmail settings. Let's roll! 1. Open your browser and go to your Gmail account ( mail.pinckneypirates.org ). 2. Click on the settings gear in the upper-right corner and choose Settings .

This week I am featuring an app called Easel.ly. This free tool allows you create infographics. Infographics are a fairly new way to help visualize information and communicate data in a way that helps people better understand. One great thing about Easel.ly - you can use your Google account to login. If you have set up your Google + account you can log right in and connect your account. Here's the link to the site: http://www.easel.ly/ Here's a five minute video tutorial on Easel.ly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VHyKgdbUhU