TCC 4-4 Apple-Less Classroom Alternatives

Our eyes have gotten used to Apps...no one wants to read the url for a site when they can click a cute little square. How can we achieve that look without the pricey hardware? Some free software is helping fill the void. In schools with monthly Cluster we have introduced both Chrome Apps and Symbaloo. Both help us with a white board display of links for use in the classroom with whole group or at a computer with small groups to narrow online choices.

Chrome Apps are purchased at the Chrome Store from Google. You will need a Google account (any, like g-mail) so that your Apps page(s) will be created just for your ID. These apps are available to you or your students from any computer which has a Chrome browser you can log into. This means you can use the apps for them to use in a center or at the white board.

Symbaloo is an online bookmarker, but the interface is tiles not URLs. You need an account at edu.symbaloo.com. This means that you can access them at any computer that has internet. This site has more control over the setup of the page than Chrome Apps. There are thousands of teacher-made webmixes for you to search through and use or modify. They have a distinct URL so that you can allow students to access your webmix from home or other places with internet. You can also embed them into a presentation/flipchart/notebook or add to your school page. OR you can teach your students how to make their own with a template they can add to with links, Google Docs, videos, vokis, other webmixes for a Personal Learning Environment (PLE).

Symbaloo also has webmixes with a $10 (and other) course to be Certified as a teacher which brings with it a webmix for your students to use to get certified...this one is free.

Enjoy!

TCC 4-6 Extensions for Google Chrome

Today's post is like appetizers: lots of choice, not much food. I am condensing ten lists of five extensions from  Alice Keeler’s blog Teacher Tech and only providing a snippet of information for each.  Check out her posts if you would like more information on them. Earlier I looked at apps for Chrome which appear as a page in Chrome. These appear next to the address box on the right of the browser itself.. 
Disclaimer: I found one with ads that popped up which I removed from the list. It didn't happen immediately so just be aware that can happen. Go to the three bars and click tools and extensions and you can disable them and add back one at a time.

This one needs no description.

Check All

This will select all or none on pages without this feature.

Citable
Highlight, click on the icon, and your note is saved in 

Google Sheets along with the URL, author, tags, and title.

Citelighter

Make notes of highlighted text 

which it stores in CiteLighter. (requires a sign up)

CleanPrint
Printing web pages doesn’t always get what you want. 

This tool cleans up  the page, then saves as PDF or in Google Drive

Clearly 

Focus your attention on the main part of a webpage.

 It clears away the other parts.

Copy All URLS
If you need to gather several URLs for an assignment

this allows copying them all at once.

DotPub

A student publishing tool...you can convert

 a webpage into an ePub file...

allowing it to be read in an ereader. (see TCC 4-5)

Google Search Hot Word
“Okay Google” is the Hot Word. This turns on voice to text for searches.

 You can use with calendar and maps also.

1-clicktimer

This is a pop-up timer.

KeepAwake
This keeps your computer from timing out.

Make a GIF Video Capture

Turn part of a YouTube video into an animated GIF. (Sound not included)

Mute Tab
 Find the tab with the sound playing in one easy step.

Permanent Clipboard

This is very helpful for adding comments when editing work.

 Holds all your choices until you are done.

Pull Quote
Highlight the exact portion you want to share and this tool 

will give a URL unique to that place on the web.

 Save to Google Drive

This extension is Prnt Scr for your browser.

You can save screen shots or individual photos on a page.

Shorten Me
A short link maker with QR code added.

Time Warp

Keep up with the amount of time spent on tasks.

Too Long Didn’t Read

This cute fellow scans and summarizes to your specifications.

Tools For Google Maps
Three ruler tools are added to your map which

 allow you or students to mark a path,

 calculate its distance, capture a photo, and full screen 

White List

This is a blocking tool. It could be used with their younger students to focus since the machine could only go to certain websites. 

Or you could use it with that student who isn’t willing to follow your guidelines.

Now remember you “buy” these at the Chrome Store.  Go to the bottom of the left menu and select Extensions. Then you can either browse on your own or search for these by title. 

I only showed you about half of Alice’s choices.

Enjoy!