Googlized! Is that a word?

Interesting facts about who has "gone" Google:

7 out of 8 Ivy League Universities

72 out of 100 Universities across the United States

3 Things I Learned from the "Ohio Goes Google" Summit Today!

WOW!  If one was not a admirer of Google before attending this Summit, then I believe they definitely left a lover!  This conference left a participant wanting to go home and try many new ideas to use in their classrooms tomorrow.  Among the many things I took away from this day, I am going to talk about the three things I most want to implement soon.

1.  Google Apps for Education (GAFE)

Our district has been slowly dipping our toes into this world by requiring SLOs and Unit Designs to be created and shared in Drive.  But thanks to the wonderful direction Eric Curts gave us today, I believe we will be diving into this world the beginning of next school year.  At least, part of our district will as we want to take baby steps to insure teacher buy-in and get any kinks worked out.  We are in talks about rolling out Staff/Student Gmail, Drive and Calendar apps for our district as early as August.  Check out in detail here.

2.  Google Moderator

Who Knew?  This little known tool is quite powerful.  If you are familiar with Today's Meet, then Google Moderator will feel like a long lost cousin.  Basically, Moderator runs in the background as a teacher or presenter is delivering content.  The teacher or presenter signs into google.com/moderator with their Google Account and sets up a question or questions they would like answered from the group. This would be a great help to students who are studying for a test.  The teacher could post review questions and students could respond on their devices. This is a

great way for you to see who understands the topic and who will need more reteaching to ready themselves for the test. Another use for Moderator is to embed a video on a personal district website and then place a moderator on the site below the video to answer questions that pertain to the video. And finally, ask your staff what they would want as far as professional development over the summer. They not only can add their input, but see and respond to what other teachers are requesting from their districts.

3. Presentations to Slides to AWESOME!

OK...PowerPoint. We have all used it. All have sat through someone reading it to us. (ARGH!) We know it has all of the cool bells and whistles that Google Slides (formally Google Presentations) does not have. However Slides is DIFFERENT. It is pretty user friendly, especially if you have used PowerPoint. It has great functionally where a user can embed it into a website easily. But we really haven't seen how cool and educational Slides can be!

Google Slides can be used to make non-linear slideshows.  Meaning the user can make a slide show that will link to other slides inside of the presentation. Check out the following example:

I can see this as a "clone the teacher" type activity.  Meaning a teacher can be in multiple places at one time.  This would also serve as a great differentiated tool to go along with tier lesson planning in order to reach every student where they are and take them further.

Overall, I do believe I have been GOOGLIZED, if this really is a word.  I am drinking the kool-aid.  I have always seen the great potential this suite of apps had, but now I can see this in our school district to help with the new Common Core Standards, PARCC and any other initiative teachers take part in daily in the realm of  their everyday school lives.

What is your purpose?

So, What is Your Purpose?  Kind of a difficult question for most.  At least it is for me!

 A few colleagues of mine have been encouraging me to start a Blog over the last few months.  For me, it was a no-brainer;  I don't have anything profound to say, so why waste my time, (and yours)!  But over the last few days, I think I am changing my mind about this.

As technology is ever changing, so is the classroom in which our youth are growing up.  I am a strong advocate for enriching our students in a technology deep classroom.  I am an advocate for our children being immersed in educational technology, because it is THEIR world!  However, I am not an advocate for the latest and greatest piece of technology being thrown into our classrooms and teachers using the tool to guide their instruction.  Integration is the key.  Teachers need to be able to continue to teach new common core standards and integrate technology into these lessons to enhance learning.  This is my purpose.  This is my passion.  I am planning on using this Blog to communicate ideas and lessons to teachers who share my viewpoint.  I am hoping that through curating good ideas and good uses of technology, you will be captivated enough to continue to come back.

So here it goes...