Better Research with Google Scholar

Website Wednesday

Let's face it we don't want students just "googling" for research. Teachers expect quality resources. So where to look? Try Google Scholar. 

Google Scholar is a free search engine that searches scholarly literature providing the user with physical and digital copies of various articles from books, universities, web sites, academic publishers, and many more.  It's like researching through your school library but online. 

Google Scholar offers a variety of ways to search for an article such as author, title, or date. Users who log in can even create their own library to help them save and keep track of articles they use for their research. 

Example Search Result and Features:

1. Search Result will let you know how many times this article has been cited in other publications or web sites.
2. A link is provided sending a searcher to other related articles to view.
3. The cite link will help the searcher properly cite the source.
4. If you are a logged in user, you can save this search result to your library.
5. Many of the search results will include the .pdf version of the article. 

Due By...

Tech Tip Tuesday

How to Put an Expiration Date on Google Files

After a due date is set, you can restrict access to certain files once a project is completed by setting an expiration date. 

1. Open a file in Drive.

2. Click the share button.     

3.  Share the File with others.

4. Click Advanced.

 

5.  Hover your mouse over the person's name that  you shared the file with and choose set expiration date.

6. Change the access expires date.

7. Click Saves Changes.

8. Click Done.

Instructional Technology October Newsletter

The Instructional Technology October Newsletter is here!

Click on the link to check out some great tech integration tips, apps, websites and more!!

OCTOBER NEWSLETTER

In This Issue . . .

>> Digital Citizenship Week and the PSA Challenge 2016

>> October and November/December Trainings

>> NEW SAISD Tech Badge Program

>> Tech Tips, Awesome Apps and Going Google

Read All About It - Google Newspapers

Google has done it again. Google News Archive (http://news.google.com/newspapers) provides hundreds of newspapers from different countries and different centuries. I read one newspaper from 1738 and another from 1980 - Amazing! I love that technology can preserve these resources for us to access and use.

A special that you to the technology specialists at Brenham ISD - #BISDWired. I found this resource on their blog - http://brenhamtechdaily.blogspot.com. If you haven't taken a look at it, you should. You won't be disappointed.

To Share or Unshare? That is the question.

Tech Tip Tuesday

It's more a question of how do I stop sharing a link, a file or folder if that person no longer needs access?

To turn off the share link in Google Drive or in any of the Google Apps, click the share button. Click Get Shareable link.

From the drop-down menu on the "Share with others" window, choose OFF - only specific people can access. 

To stop sharing a file with an individual in Google Drive or in any of the Google Apps, click the share button. In the "Share with others" window, click on Advanced in the bottom-right corner. In the list of "Who has Access", click the X beside the people who no longer needs access to the file. 

Other Available Resource: In Google Docs, to access "Share A Document" tutorial which includes how to stop sharing a link and document, please download the extension "Training for Google Apps" from the Chrome Web Store. The same tutorial video can be found in Sheets, Slides, and Forms using this extension. 

October Technology Learning Opportunities Posted

Join us in October for great instructional technology learning opportunities!

Check out our Smore for more details! https://www.smore.com/b47z9 

Do and Learn at the Same Time with Training for Google Apps

Late night working, assignment needs posting by morning, all help lines are closed for the night, and you need HELP.
You're not sure how to reschedule an assignment in Google Classroom, set an expiration date on a shared doc, or change the owner of a file. Don't worry the answers are an extension away.  

Training for Google Apps is a free extension that offers interactive lessons while you work on various Google Apps such as Classroom, Docs, Slides, Sheets, or Forms.



This useful tool is quite handy. It has answered many of my last minute questions. All you have to do is download the extension from the Chrome Web Store, open a Google App and click on the extension icon found to the right of the share button. A list of topics will pop-up, click on any topic and begin learning. It's that easy. Training for Google Apps answers many how-to questions through short, interactive, step-by-step videos. Now learning and doing at the same time is quick and easy.

Doodle 4 Google is Here!

Thanks Charlyn Doyle for sharing this information with us!

FYI!  The Doodle 4 Google contest is open thru December 2, 2016

“What I see for the future…”

The 2016 Doodle 4 Google contest kicked off on Wednesday, where art-loving K-12 students from across the U.S., Guam and Puerto Rico are invited to bring their imagination to life in a doodle of the Google logo, using any medium they choose. The winning masterpiece will hang on the Google homepage for a day, where millions will enjoy it.

Students can apply here!

Digital Citizenship Week - PSA Challenge 2016

The Instructional Technology Department is gearing up for a great Digital Citizenship Week - October 17 - 21, 2016. Be sure to check back with us later in September when we post our October Newsletter online. In that issue we'll have information about our 1st Annual Digital Citizenship PSA Challenge, activities for you and your students throughout the week and links to some great resources and apps. It's so important that we teach our students to be responsible users of technology so you don't want to miss out!

On the Road Again: Google Lit. Trips

 WEBSITE WEDNESDAY

Bud, Not Buddy  is a story of an orphaned 10 -year old boy who during the Great Depression goes on an adventure of a lifetime in hopes of finding his long, lost father.  The only clues he has are the flyers about a band left by his mother in an old suitcase. Along the way he meets interesting characters who lend a helping hand in the search for his father.

Now imagine while reading this story with your class, you can follow in Bud's steps and experience his travels? You can with Google Lit. Trip. 

Google Lit. Trips are downloadable files that mark the journey(s) of character(s) from famous works of literature on the surface of Google Earth.

To begin your first  Lit. Trip

1. Go to Google Lit. Trip
2. Fill out the GLT Globel ED Member Registration so that you can      access all the incredible trips and resources.
3. Install Google Earth on your laptop or desktop.
4. Browse the Lit. Trip Library *The library holds titles for all ages from  The Armadillo from Amarillo to My Brother Sam is Dead to The Grapes  of Wrath. 
5. Request a Lit. Trip

But wait...Google  Lit. Trip is more than just following a story's map on Google Earth. Along the way there are links to audio files, websites with more information on a topic, videos, and much more. 

What adventure will you and your class take this year? 

A book is a device to ignite the imagination.

–Alan Bennett

Tech Tip Tuesday: Making a Connection

We all want an easier way to move and copy files from our computer to the cloud - Google Drive Sync makes that happen. Simply install Google Drive Sync from the Software Center (icon on your computer) to your desktop or laptop and then select what files to sync. This will make moving and copying files so much easier.

After the install is complete, open Windows Explorer and you'll see your Google Drive listed in Favorites. To move a file from your computer just drag it to the Google Drive folder. To copy a file, hold down the Shift key while you drag the file.

An added bonus - changes you make while working in Google Chrome will automatically be made in your Google Drive housed on your desktop or laptop.

How to Add Google Sync

*If you are unable to locate the Google Drive Sync in Software Center, please contact the Help Desk for further assistance. 

Staying Organized with Google Keep App

I wrote a blog post last year about Google Keep (Using Google Keep to Keep Up) and it is still one of my favorite Google resources, but this time I wanted to focus on the mobile app. All I had to do was download the app from the app store (iOS or Android), sign in with my Google Account and all of my notes from my computer sync up on my phone (or tablet).

Here's what I can do with the Google Keep App:

1. Write or edit a text note

2. Make a list or a grocery list (it will even make suggestions at I type my list)

3. Take images notes

4. Record audio notes

5. Create drawing notes (android only)

6. Capture web or app content in a note

7. Create notes and lists with your voice (android only)

Just like the web version, I can share notes or copy them into Google Docs. This is my go to resource for quick note taking, creating project lists or saving images to reference at a later date. It's quick and it's easy to use!

Step-by-Step Google App. Help is a Click Away

Google Apps Learning Center is dynamite.

This website is a guide full of tips and examples to help a new user get started and get the most out of their Google Apps for Education.

The step-by step directions are easy to follow. Moving from topic to topic is a breeze.

Open Sesame: An Undo for Accidentally Closed Tab

 

As we begin another school year, one is always looking for new lessons to use in the classroom or to make the office work a little more efficient.
Have you ever been working so hard and realize too late that you closed that tab?  That one tab that you needed information from. Sitting there, sighing, and thinking how do I get back? If Google Chrome is your web browser of choice, then problem solved.
Simply press Ctrl+Shift+T (undo close tab), and it's as if saying "Open Sesame!". The accidentally closed tab will reappear, and you can continue your search for awesome material or ideas to use in the office or classroom.