DT With Mrs B

  Tired of students accidentally editing your original Google Doc or Slide Deck? Or maybe you want to provide a template for your colleagues without risking unwanted changes? The "force copy" function is your new secret weapon! What is Force Copy? Force copy is a simple trick that turns your shareable Google Doc or Slide Deck into a template. Instead of allowing others to directly edit your original file, they're prompted to make a copy for themselves. This preserves your master copy while giving everyone their own version to work on. How to Force Copy It's easier than you think! Share your document: Make sure your document is shared with "Anyone with the link" or "Public". Grab the link: Copy the shareable link to your document. Edit the link: Replace the word "edit" at the end of the link with "copy". For example, if your link was originally https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Hf12345/edit , you would change it to https://d...

 In the dynamic landscape of education, the integration of technology continually shapes our teaching methods and resource dissemination. One remarkable tool that I've found incredibly beneficial is the "Create QR Code from Browser" feature in Google Chrome. This simple yet powerful feature enables swift sharing of web pages, articles, videos, and interactive resources with your students, transforming the way we can deliver content in the classroom. Seamless Sharing in Six Simple Steps 1. Access the Web Page: Begin by opening the desired web page you wish to share with your students. 2. Navigate to the Address Bar: Click on the address bar at the top of your browser window. 3. Locate the "Share" Icon: Look for the square icon with an arrow pointing upwards. 4. Select "Create QR Code": Click on the "Share" icon and choose the "Create QR Code" option. 5. Instant Code Generation: Voilà! A QR code representing the webpage appears on you...

Kia ora, fellow educators and parents! Today's blog post takes a slight detour from our usual content to introduce a game-changer for teachers who are also parents, especially those with younger children. Meet SquareOne , a Kiwi-created app designed to revolutionise the way we manage pocket money. As a teacher and a parent preparing for an upcoming family trip to Australia, I found myself on a quest to instil financial responsibility in my 12 and 14-year-olds. The challenge was to discover a digital tool that not only facilitated money management, but also made the process engaging and educational. SquareOne emerged as the answer to my quest. This New Zealand-developed app allows parents to set chores and allocate corresponding amounts to their children. The beauty lies in its simplicity – kids submit completed chores, and parents approve payments through the app. The real magic happens when the money is transferred from the parent's account to the child's account. SquareOn...

Kia ora, fellow educators! 🌟 Have you ever eagerly clicked on a hyperlink, only to find yourself stuck on a 'share request' page? Annoying, right? Let's tackle that inconvenience and make link-sharing a breeze. Clicking on a link that leads to a 'share request' page can be frustrating for both the document creator and the person trying to access it. But fear not, there's a simple solution to avoid this digital roadblock. Prevention is Key: Adjust Sharing Settings Before creating links, ensure your documents are ready for sharing. You can modify the access settings for individual documents or go big by making an entire folder sharable. This way, any docs linked from that folder will automatically grant access without the pesky 'share request.' Quick Steps to Share without Stress: 1. Open your Google Doc (or any Google app). 2. Click on the 'Share' button in the top right corner. 3. Adjust the access settings to either 'Anyone with the link...

Let's chat about Applied Digital Skills , a sweet program by Google. It's all about arming students with the digital skills they need to shine in school, work, and life. The cool part? It's aligned with New Zealand's Digital Technologies curriculum, and it's here to lend a hand to our Kiwi teachers. Applied Digital Skills has got your back, with a bunch of resources to support you in implementing the New Zealand Digital Technologies curriculum. Here's what's in the toolkit: * Lesson plans: You'll find a variety of lesson plans that match up with the New Zealand Digital Technologies curriculum. These plans are a breeze to follow, complete with step-by-step instructions, along with resources for both students and teachers. * Digital tools: It's in cahoots with Google's digital tools like Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive. That means you can easily integrate these digital tools into your lessons, giving your students hands-on experience. * Professiona...

 Kia ora, fellow educators!  📚 Today, let's explore two sweet presentation tools - the laser pointer and pen tool. 🖋️🧐 These features can be invaluable for teachers in presentation mode within Google Slides. Let's dive in! Laser Pointer: 🔦 The trusty laser pointer mimics the real-world tool we've used for years. In presentation mode, you can use it to highlight specific content on your slides. Point out key concepts, important details, or direct your students' focus effortlessly. It's a simple but effective way to keep your audience engaged. Pen Tool: ✍️ The pen tool, on the other hand, lets you write and draw directly on your slides. This feature is like having a digital whiteboard at your fingertips. You can underline, circle, or jot down notes as you go along. It's fantastic for live explanations, brainstorming, or solving problems interactively. Benefits for Teachers: 👩‍🏫 So, why are these features essential for us educators? Here's why: 1. Engagem...

In the fast-paced world of education, teachers have a lot on their plates. From lesson planning to grading and meetings, their days are often filled with various tasks. One aspect that can be particularly time-consuming is scheduling meetings with parents, students, colleagues, and other stakeholders. However, with Gmail's new "Find a Mutually Convenient Email Time" feature, teachers can efficiently manage their schedules and ensure everyone is available for important meetings. The Convenience of Gmail's Scheduling Tool Gmail has long been a reliable platform for email communication, but its additional features make it an invaluable tool for teachers. The "Find a Mutually Convenient Email Time" feature simplifies the process of scheduling meetings, taking the headache out of coordinating multiple people's schedules. Here's how it works: 1. Access the Gmail Compose Window: Open the Gmail compose window, just like you would when drafting a regular emai...

Utilising Google Chrome's Reading Mode for Educators Kia ora, fellow educators! Today, let's delve into a handy tool that can significantly benefit both teachers and students: Google Chrome's Reading Mode. This feature allows you to strip away distractions from web pages, making the content more accessible and engaging, which can be particularly advantageous in an educational setting. Why Should Educators Embrace Reading Mode? 1. Enhancing Accessibility Reading Mode enables educators to customise fonts, font sizes, line spacing, and text/background colours. This flexibility makes it easier to cater to students with dyslexia or other learning needs, ensuring that reading materials are tailored to their specific needs. 2. Focusing on Core Content Reading Mode helps students concentrate solely on the essential text by eliminating distractions like ads, images, and sidebars. This proves invaluable for easily distracted students or those struggling to stay on task. 3. Boosting R...

I'm super stoked to share some thoughts about Google Keep today! 🎉 If you're not already using it, you're seriously missing out on something fab. Let's dive in and explore why Keep is the ultimate tool for teachers and students alike.  First off, what's not to love about Google Keep? It's like having a digital Post-it note on steroids! You can jot down notes, create to-do lists, and even add images to keep things fresh and exciting. It's your all-in-one organisation companion, and it'll keep you and your students on track. Now, let's talk benefits: 1. Simplicity and User-Friendly Interface: Keep is so intuitive that even your tech-challenged neighbour could master it. It's all about ease of use, and that's a huge win for us busy teachers. 2. Accessibility Across Devices: Whether you're on your laptop, tablet, or phone, Keep has got your back. No more searching for that lost piece of paper with your essential notes on it. It's all syn...

  Kia ora, fellow educators! 📚 In today's Tech Tip Tuesday, we're diving into the powerful "Search Within" function in Google Drive. As teachers immersed in the digital realm, you're likely managing a treasure trove of files from various sources – students, colleagues, shared drives, and more. Here's why "Search Within" is your digital ally, and why you should consider it over the conventional search method. 1. Precision at Your Fingertips 🧐 Search within a specific folder, ensuring pinpoint accuracy in finding files, assignments, and resources. 2.  Time-Saver Extraordinaire ⏱️ Quickly locate teaching materials, lesson plans, or shared resources, maximising your teaching efficiency.  Follow the steps in the gif I made below, to support the process. So, there you have it! "Search Within" in Google Drive is your digital compass, helping you navigate the vast sea of files and resources in the digital classroom. 🌐 Give it a go, and watch you...

Google Smart Chips Unveiled Google Smart Chips are like the magic glue that effortlessly connects all your teaching resources in one place. They're all about simplifying your life as an educator and making teaching a breeze. Imagine this: You're planning a unit, and you want to link a relevant document without all the fuss. Google Smart Chips got you covered. They allow you to embed links to Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms right in your lesson plan. No more endless searching or copying and pasting links. It's as easy as mentioning the document's name, and the chip does the rest. YouTube Clips Integration YouTube is a treasure trove of educational content, but finding and incorporating clips can be time-consuming. Google Smart Chips come to the rescue again. By simply mentioning a YouTube video's title or keyword, these chips embed the video directly into your plan or document. It's like having a personal YouTube curator at your service. Google Apps Harmon...

In this blog post, we'll explore the benefits of effectively organising your Google Drive. Whether you're a digital technologies specialist or a solo teacher looking to enhance your skills, a well-organised Drive can make your life easier. Let's dive in. The Art of Folders 1. Logical Numbering: Start by numbering your folders to maintain a logical order. For instance, begin with "01 - Planning," "02 - Resources," and so on. 2. Colour Coding: Colour-coding your folders can help categorise subjects, terms, or any system that suits your needs. 3. Emojis in Names: Did you know you can add emojis to your file or folder names in Google Drive? Emojis can bring creativity and fun to your organisation. To do this, right-click on the folder or file, select "Rename," and insert your chosen emoji. Perhaps a 📚 for resources or 🗓️ for planning? Visual Guide I've prepared a short video to guide you through these steps visually. Check it out below: Benef...

 Kia ora, fellow educators!  🌟 Have you ever hit that "send" button on an email only to feel an instant pang of regret? Or perhaps you've had that sinking feeling when you realise you forgot to attach an essential document? Fear not! In the digital realm, mistakes happen, but Google's got your back with the remarkable 'Undo Send' feature in Gmail. As a digital technologies enthusiast and educator, I'm here to walk you through the wonders of this function and how it can be your best ally in avoiding those dreaded email mishaps. Undo Send: Your Second Chance in the Digital World 📧 Picture this: you've just composed an important email to a colleague, a parent, or even a student. Your finger hovers over the send button, but doubt creeps in—did I attach the presentation? Is my tone just right? With the 'Undo Send' feature, you can now breathe a sigh of relief. This nifty tool gives you a brief window of opportunity to recall your email after sendi...

For today's 'tech tool', let's delve into the world of captivating slide decks for your classroom using two fantastic tools: SlidesMania and SlidesCarnival, alongside Google Slides. As an educator, you already grasp the significance of engaging presentations. Let's explore how these platforms can help you achieve precisely that and more. SlidesMania: Unleash Your Creativity SlidesMania offers a wealth of free, customisable templates that breathe life into your presentations. Whether it's a lesson about history or a project related to science, SlidesMania provides themes that resonate with your subject matter. Navigating the platform is straightforward – select your preferred template, click, and start adding your content. These templates are beautifully crafted, saving you valuable time while ensuring a polished final outcome.  Here's an example: SlidesCarnival: Elegance and Simplicity On the other hand, SlidesCarnival is renowned for its elegant and minim...

  In our ever-evolving digital landscape, harnessing the power of tools like Gmail's Template Function can be a game-changer. Let's dive into how this feature can elevate your communication game, specifically in scenarios that teachers commonly encounter. Templates in Action: Streamlining Teacher Communications Do you frequently find yourself composing emails time and again, with the same or similar context? Utilising 'templates' is all about working smarter, not harder. Making use of this function will mean that every time you wish to recreate an email, you can access it with the press of a few buttons, without having to start from scratch. Here's how it works: Effortless Implementation of Templates: Creating these templates is easier than you might think. Follow these steps to set them up: 1. Compose the email as you normally would, adding the relevant details. 2. Click the three dots in the email toolbar, navigate to "Templates," and select "Save d...

  Hello, dedicated educators! 👋 If you're all about embracing digital tools to enhance your teaching game, then you're in for a treat. Today, let's dive into a handy feature that Google Docs has to offer: the drop-down feature! 🚀 Empowering Self and Peer Assessment Imagine this: you're on a mission to make student assessment more engaging and interactive. Whether it's self-assessment or peer assessment, the Google Docs drop-down feature is about to become your new best friend. It's like giving your students the power to explore their learning journey in a whole new way. 🌟 But wait, there's more! This feature isn't just for assessments. You can also use it to streamline your teaching tasks. Create drop-down menus for frequently used comments, lesson plan templates, or any other resources you often refer to. It's like having your own digital assistant! 🌟 Feeling a tad unsure? No worries! Check out my friendly tutorial video below for a step-by-step...

  Hello, fellow educators! Today, let's dive into a simple yet effective trick that can be a real game-changer in managing your classroom tasks efficiently. We're talking about the wonderful world of 'schedule send' and how you can use its features to streamline communication and stay organised like a pro. Schedule Emails: Your Secret to Stress-Free Planning Ever found yourself juggling a hundred things, like during report writing weeks or when you're not feeling your best? Here's where the scheduling send feature swoops in to save the day. Imagine having your emails and google classroom posts all set to go out, even when you're knee-deep in responsibilities or down with a cold. The process? A breeze. After crafting your masterpiece, just find the 'Schedule send button' (see below). You can choose the precise date and time you want your email to land in your readers' inboxes. No more rushing or worrying about sending on time – your content will b...

Hello to all you amazing educators out there! 👋 If you're all about making the most of technology in your teaching journey, Google Docs is like your superhero sidekick. It's not just for tech whizzes – it's a tool that every teacher can use to bring some digital magic into their classrooms. Let's dive into three Google Docs features for busy teachers: 1. Teamwork Made Easy: Real-time Collaboration Picture this: Your students are working together on a group project, each with their own ideas and typing speeds. Instead of chaos, you can have harmony with Google Docs. Start a new document, click the "Share" button at the top right, and invite your students to join in. Everyone can type, edit, and brainstorm in real-time, all in one doc. It's like having a digital whiteboard that never gets cluttered. And don't worry about losing work – Google Docs saves everything automatically. So when your students are busy creating, you can step in to guide and suppor...

  Elevate Your Teaching Game: Embracing the Magic of Pinned Tabs Hello to all my fellow educators. 👋 Let's talk about a simple yet incredibly effective trick that can level up your administration game: pinning tabs! 📌 Imagine this scenario: You're deep in the zone, crafting a lesson plan that's bound to captivate your students' attention. You've got a bunch of tabs open – resource sites, platforms, maybe even a cute cat video (no shame!). But hold on, where did that important website go? *Cue the frustrating tab hunt.* Say hello to the game-changer – pinned tabs! Let me break down five reasons why this little hack can make a big difference: 1. Instant Access to Essential Resources Ever wished for a magical button that could teleport you straight to your most-used websites? Well, pinning tabs is like having that button! Whether it's your trusty curriculum hub, student info system, or that fantastic educational app, pin them, and they'll always be waiting fo...

Today, I'm going to share with you the magic of using practice sets in Google Classroom. Trust me; it's a game-changer! These nifty tools are like virtual worksheets or quizzes that you can create and assign to your students quickly. Here's how it works:  1. Create Custom Practice Sets: You can craft personalised practice sets tailored to your lesson. Add questions of various types – multiple-choice, short answer, or even file attachments. The best part? You're in control, so you can make it as fun or challenging as you like. 2. Assign with a Click: Once your practice set is ready, it's time to share the knowledge! Just hit that "Assign" button, and Google Classroom takes care of the rest. 3. Instant Feedback: Here comes the real magic. As your students work on the practice sets, Google Classroom provides instant feedback on their answers. Students know right away if they're on the right track or need some extra help. 4. Adaptive Learning: This is wher...