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I live for collaboration and feedback conversations instead of comments. This is what I love about using G Suite with Google Apps. Instead of scribbling comments onto a kids paper that they probably do not get a lot of learning out of, switching to inserting comments in a Google Docs, Sheets or Slides allows for back and forth conversations until the student gets it. More importantly, these learning conversations can happen BEFORE the due date. Students will learn more from feedback given before they mentally think they are done with something.

Drawings

Earlier I blogged about the Aww Whiteboard which allows for collaborative drawing on any device and will share to Google Classroom. This allows the class to collaboratively visualize ideas. Students can also create drawings and submit the link to the drawing by using http://awwapp.com.

Pro Version

Aww Whiteboard is going to give away a free Pro version. To enter, fill out this Google Form.

Integrate Drawings

Drawings are great but even better is to integrate them into a Google Text Doc, Sheets or Slides to allow for explaining the thought process and having feedback conversations.

Image Link

To create an Aww Whiteboard and insert the drawing into a Google Doc you will need the image link. You can also just download the image and upload it to your documents.

1. Go to http://awwapp.com and draw something. (It's also collaborative!)
Tip: Zoom Out. Use Control Minus repeatedly to view the entire drawing canvas.

2. Use the Share icon in the toolbar (image of 2 people)

3. Choose "Share image."

4. Choose to "Show full size" from the toolbar.

5. Copy the URL from that screen.

Google Apps

You can insert images into Google Apps via URL. One the URL is copied use the Insert menu in Google Docs, Sheets, Drawings or Slides to insert "By URL."

Google Docs

After inserting images from Aww Whiteboard into a Google Text document, double click on the drawing to crop it. Clicking on the image allows for inserting feedback comments into the Google Doc. These comments show on the side of the Google Doc and allow for the student to respond. Note that updating the Aww Whiteboard drawing does NOT update the inserted image. This can allow the student to continue to build on the same drawing and insert the different variations by sharing the drawing again and inserting it.

Click here for a sample.

Google Slides

Slides are my favorite. Organizing ideas over several slides really helps students to more clearly communicate their ideas. I also love the collaborative design of Google Slides. Each student can insert their Aww Whiteboard drawing onto a slide of the same presentation.

Template

alicekeeler.com/awwslides

Use this collaborative Google Slides template to share with the entire class. Each student contributes one slide and inserts their drawing from Aww Whiteboard onto the slide.

Google Sheets

You can insert images onto a Google Sheets spreadsheet just like you can in Docs and Slides. However, I like to insert images into cells.

=Image("URL")

In a cell in a Google Sheets spreadsheet use the formula =Image("URL"). Tip to merge several cells together to make one giant cell.

Example:
=image("https://s3.amazonaws.com/aww-imagedata/b1aa09ad-45a4-4412-a829-d724aa97d8bb.png")

Before You Share With the Math Department

I know the low hanging fruit here is to instantly think "I can use this in math." I'm a math teacher; I obviously think about math.

Doing the same thing digitally on paper does NOT improve learning.

I'm into sketching and modeling math concepts rather than writing out steps. If you have not yet read Mathematical Mindsets by Jo Boaler, I highly highly recommend. Mathematics is CREATIVE and VISUAL.

Paradigm shift for mathematics...
the value is not in "show your steps."

Go to Wolfram Alpha and get the step by step solutions for math problems all the way up to calculus. Ask students to use this free tool that is available to them 24/7 in their real life to find the steps to 2 problems and compare and contrast. To explain the concepts rather than the procedures.

Can students visually model their mathematics, in different ways?

Better Than Paper?

Handwriting on drawing tools is rarely better than using paper, it's usually uglier. Use drawing tools to draw. Showing steps digitally is the exact same thing we were asking students to do on paper. This is not better than paper. Writing out math problems on digital tools does not help students to love math more or understand it better. To reach more kids to have them understand and have a passion for math we need to approach it differently. Check out youcubed.org for some great resources on how to help students focus on number fluency, visually approaching mathematics, and other strategies.

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Insert Drawings into Google Apps - Teacher Tech

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I live for collaboration and feedback conversations instead of comments. This is what I love about using G Suite with Google Apps. Instead of scribbling comments onto a kids paper that they probably do not get a lot of learning out of, switching to inserting comments in a Google Docs, Sheets or Slides allows for back and forth conversations until the student gets it.

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I went through my Chrome extensions and made a list of them. I opened all of the extensions in the Chrome Web Store in a single window and then used the OneTab Chrome extension to collapse them into a list.

http://www.one-tab.com/page/A7QiMO9uT1m259T_Iy_ZRg

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2016

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Google Chrome Extensions: A Big Ol List - Teacher Tech

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I went through my Chrome extensions and made a list of them. I opened all of the extensions in the Chrome Web Store in a single window and then used the OneTab Chrome extension to collapse them into a list. http://www.one-tab.com/page/A7QiMO9uT1m259T_Iy_ZRg Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2016

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Although we won't be able to be face-to-face in person this year, it will still be great to connect virtually with people across the world, and to see old friends, make new friends, share some ideas, and learn so many new things from others.

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Force Users to Make a Copy of Google Drive Files

Here's an easy way to help users make a copy of Google Docs, Sheets, Slides or Drawings!

Ever share something and instruct your students to go to file>make a copy, and instead they all start typing on the document like it's their own? There are lots of ways to make a copy and distribute to students, like using Google Classroom or Doctopus, but this little trick is super simple! (Thanks to the FABULOUS Alice Keeler for sharing this!)

Here's how it works! Grab the link of the doc, sheet, slide or drawing-the one you see when you are editing. (Hint: this link has the word "edit" at the end.) Then simply replace the word EDIT with the word COPY! The user will then be prompted to make a copy of the file. Once they click the "Make a Copy," button, it will make a copy of the file and add it to their Google Drive. AWESOME!

Remember, your sharing settings will still apply so users/students will still have to have viewing rights to the file in order for this work. See how it works in the animation below:

This tip is similar to another tip I posted a few months ago: Amazing Shortcut for Sharing Google Docs. This allows you to use the word "Preview" in place of edit to see a preview of the file. So there are three keywords that can go here:

edit = editable file
preview = view only
copy = prompt to make a copy of the file
Check out all the Google Tricks and Tips here!
What are your favorite Google Tricks? Please share in the comments below.

Kasey Bell will be presenting at the following upcoming events:

© Shake Up Learning 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.

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Force Users to Make a Copy of a Google Doc!

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Pinterest Force Users to Make a Copy of Google Drive Files Here's an easy way to help users make a copy of Google Docs, Sheets, Slides or Drawings! Ever share something and instruct your students to go to file>make a copy, and instead they all start typing on the document like it's their own?

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Awesome teaching, one lesson at a timeWe love sharing practical ideas that work, and we're generous with them to a fault. Find what you need through

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Google Expeditions! - Where will they take you? by Karly Moura | This newsletter was created with Smore, an online tool for creating beautiful newsletters for educators, nonprofits, businesses and more

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https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1G03DC6xKRD3czzlTwKnVbcc6JKh-YSj7_D1qxknnirU/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000&slide=id.g19128e1036_0_0

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http://googleteachertribe.com/

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https://twitter.com/GafeHelp

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NCf_eZoVbyU067MMeMDAvtaCH2W97hA7849i2xmx6bc/edit

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http://ditchthattextbook.com/2017/01/09/2-brand-new-tools-to-help-students-display-work-reflect/

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Shake Up Learning in your classroom today!

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http://ditchthattextbook.com/2017/01/26/10-ways-to-collaborate-digitally-visually-in-class/

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http://ditchthattextbook.com/2017/01/24/new-google-sites-10-things-teachers-must-know/

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https://edutransformationcenter.withgoogle.com/

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https://blog.google/