Free Google Apps Training for All with @Synergyse

Innovative educators sometimes express frustration that their students and/or colleagues come to them without the foundational skills to use basic applications like documents, spreadsheets, presentations, productivity tools like email and calendars, and other applications like video conferencing, website creation, and engaging in online communities.  It’s as though everyone was magically supposed to come to them knowing how to use these complex technologies, but when is time set aside for them to learn?

Some districts and organizations were fortunate to have funding for products like Synergyse which provides interactive training directly inside apps, but for most, the $10 per person, per year, placed such options out of reach. Rather than users being able to get on-demand support for just those skills they needed, to learn to use basic applications in the old-fashioned, whole group, sit-and-get style. With schools and organizations having users at all different skill levels, this learning method is not very efficient.

Fear not!

This week, Synergyse is joining Google. This means the in app training will be available to all Google users at no cost. You can read the announcement here.

The Hottest Posts Everyone's Reading

Making its way to the top for the second week is a post about liberating genius where @AngelaMaiers reminds us that students have voices and choices that we can honor. Check it out to discover 20 lessons you can implement to get started. Next up is a post that tells you how to ask five simple questions to figure out your life's purpose.   After that you can find out what makes a killer school website and you can also read what mistakes to avoid.  Check it out and see how your school website stacks up.  After that is a post that looks at three of the largest barriers to learning for students today. They are internet speed, filtering and for the third, you'll have to check out the post.  If any of these articles look of interest, check em out below and share with others.

Entry	Views
Testing Is Over: Time to Liberate Genius! #GeniusH... Apr 17, 2016,	4783
5 Questions to Figure Out Life Purpose of You + Yo... Apr 14, 2016,	3989
How to Create a Killer School Website Apr 24, 2016,	3698
3 Largest Barriers to Learning for Students Today Apr 28, 2016,	3616
Make Presentations Interactive with Google Slides ... May 11, 2016,	2914

Make Presentations Interactive with Google Slides Q & A

Innovative educators are always looking for new ways to make their presentations interactive so their audience is involved. They use tools like PollEverywhere and techniques like peer instruction. You can read about those ideas and more here: http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2014/08/5-ideas-to-make-lectures-and.html. 

Now Google has released a tool that will make being a presenter and an audience member more fun, engaging, and meaningful.  The tool is called "Slides Q & A." It allows your audience to submit questions and empowers other audience members to vote those questions up or down.  

Here's what that looks like:

Innovative educators who are frequent presenters, and their audiences, will LOVE this tool because of all the problems it solves and options it provides. Let's take a look.

Why Certify? #NYCSchoolsTechChat Insights

This week we had another successful #NYCSchoolsTechChat hosted by +Eileen Lennon.who led a discussion of 79 Tweeps who left more than 1.7 million impressions on those who were following the conversation. You can check out the stats at the end of this post for stat details and read this tip to the success that makes her Twitter chats so wildly popular. 

The chat was comprised of educators who have provided and pursued certifications in educational technology and digital citizenship. If you missed the chat, no need for despair. You can read the recap below to learn what teachers had to say about why they pursue such certifications and how such certifications have benefited their careers.  Even though the chat is over, you can still jump in and reply to a Tweet or answer a question to share your ideas using #NYCSchoolsTechChat.

Check out the chat stats below.

The Hottest Posts Everyone's Reading

Making its way to the top for the first time is a post about liberating genius where @AngelaMaiers reminds us that students have voices and choices that we can finally honor now that testing season is over. Check it out to discover 20 lessons you can implement to get started.  Next up is a post that looks at how to create a killer website and it also identifies mistakes to avoid. After that a post from the past makes it into the top. It looks at why cell phones should be allowed in school.  After that is a post that makes it to the top for the first time. It looks at the three largest barriers to student learning. Check it out to find out what they are.  Rounding out the top is a post that explains just how to figure out your life’s purpose. If you don’t know what yours  is, take a look to find it out.  If any of these look of interest, check em out below and share with others.

Entry	Pageviews
Testing Is Over: Time to Liberate Genius! #GeniusHour... Apr 17, 2016,	4764
How to Create a Killer School Website Apr 24, 2016,	3913
10 Reasons Cell Phones Should Be Allowed In School... Aug 24, 2010,	3686
3 Largest Barriers to Learning for Students Today Apr 28, 2016,	2888
5 Questions to Figure Out Life Purpose of You + Yo... Apr 14, 2016,	2513

To Certify Or Not To Certify? That Is The Question for Tonight's #NYCSchoolsTechChat

Apple, Microsoft, Google...Oh my! What does it mean to be a certified educator and is this something you should pursue?  These are some of the topics we'll be discussing on tonight's #NYCSchoolsTechChat on Twitter at 4:00 pm EST on Wednesday, May 4th.  Our last chat was a huge success with more than a million impressions.  I hope innovative educators will join the success in our next chat where we'll discuss ed tech certification.

In New York City we have hundreds of educators certified as experts in the use of their favorite tech resources including the biggies above and more such as Common Sense Education, Thrively, PBS, and more. NYC Schools educators can apply to participate in these free programs at https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/2699239/IPPDSummer2016. 

One participant, Chris Casal, had this to say about his experience:

As a teacher heavily involved with Apple, Google, and social media I must say these connections are extremely valuable for both me and my students. I think it's great to have direct access to folks at Google, Common Sense, Edmodo, etc. Because of these connections Lisa Nielsen has fostered I have gotten access to preview software which has helped me prep & plan for use with my students and allowed me time to experiment & ask questions so I can be a better resource for my colleagues.

If corporations create great products & platforms for education that's great. If they offer free assistance to educators to become better versed in their products and provide better learning experiences for students I think it's awesome.

Another win-win is that these corporations take insight from teachers in developing future iterations with students & education in mind.

During the chat we'll be discussing these questions: