Using Google's 3rd Party Sign In

    Many sites now have the capability of using third party sign-in, that is, if you're signed in to  Gmail, Google+, or Facebook, you can use the same credentials to sign into a different app or website (like Thinglink, Symbaloo, or Bright Bytes).  Using this feature allows you to sign into many different websites without creating a brand new username and password for each new service.  I don't know about you, but the fewer usernames and passwords I have out there, the less opportunities exist for me to lose those credentials.

Here are a few pointers when using "Sign in with Google:"

1) Look for the third party sign-in button on log in pages (like the one above).

Use Google+ Sign-in with Thinglink.com

2) Google will confirm that you want to give permission to the app/website to use your Gmail credentials to sign in.

3) Sometimes, the app will request other permissions, like posting to your Facebook or Google+ page on your behalf.  You can even grant the app permission to post to specific Google Circles, if you'd like. This can be adjusted by clicking the pencil to the right of the permission.  I always set my permissions to "Only You."

4) Once you have your permissions set, click the blue "Accept" button.

5) The next time you visit the app/website, if you are signed into your Gmail, you can simply lick the red "Sign in with Google" button and have access to your account.

6) In many cases, Google will integrate and "talk" with the other website, allowing you to save and share using Google Drive.  You can also add those apps through the Google Chrome Store and directly into your Google Drive.  A couple examples of this would include the WeVideo app (which saves user-created movies on Drive) and Powtoon (which saves user-made cartoons on Drive).

Some words of advice when using this:

• Many login pages will include a place to enter your username and password; you DO NOT need to do so if you are using the "Sign in with Google" button.  

• Using the third party sign-in DOES NOT give the website or app permission to read your emails or send you junk mail; however, it is wise to read what it is you are agreeing to.

• I typically will only sign into educational websites with my school assigned gmail address- never personal websites (like banking, bills, games, etc.).  I've made it a priority to keep personal and professional accounts completely separate- it just seems to make sense in this digital age.

•  I will rarely ask students to use this feature unless I've read the website's End User License Agreement and confirm that privacy is ensured.  I also double check our school district's Computer Use Agreement (sample agreement from Wilmette Public Schools, http://www.wilmette39.org/) to verify that I am not asking students to do something in violation of those agreements.

•  If something doesn't feel right about the app/ website, I will NOT use the third party sign-in button, especially if I am not sure the website will keep my information private. If I still want to use the website, though, I'll typically register with another email address and password.

5 Google Drawing Ideas to Unleash Student Creativity

    If you're looking for ways to allow students to be more creative with technology (think our Bright Bytes goals and Iowa Core Curriculum Universal Constructs), here are some easy, foundational skill building ways using Google Drawing.  First, to create a Google Drawing, go to your Drive, click the red "New" or "Create" button, and find Google Drawing.

Here are some quick ideas:

1. Create an Avatar- students can import a picture (even their own) and modify it for cyber safety's sake.  Feel free to tie in art topics, and have students create a blog avatar using themes and ideas from cubism, impressionism, or another artistic concept.  The picture could then be used as an avatar for student blogs.  My humble attempt took about 5 minutes.


2. Create a logo- To increase the relevance, have students create logos.  I see teachers having students create logos for historical themes like American Revolutionaries did with concepts of liberty, freedom, and later with manifest destiny.  Students could also use design concepts to create logos for local businesses or school websites.  I created the Curriculum and Innovation header using Google Drawings, and this Favicon for the website:


3. Demonstrate your learning graphically- Google drawings can create mind maps, graphic organizers, and with some extension and scaffolding, infographics.  Alice Keeler, author of the blog Teacher Tech, has some excellent ideas here.




4. Build badges to Gamify your content- why not have students design the badges for your gamified curriculum?  Badges could also be shared among content areas.  Badges can be imported into spreadsheets and displayed on web pages.  Check our Google Apps Ninja website to see an example of this HERE.




5. App smash your original art with other apps to create powerful learning opportunities-  Students can create an original image, then import it into YouTube or Thinglink and annotate the image.  A secondary result from doing images this way is you eliminate (mostly) the worry about students using copyrighted images.  I created this Thinglink image from Google Drawings and used the embed code to add it to my blog:




Of course, there are a number of drawing apps and programs that have different features which may be better suited for your needs.  However, with so many schools using Google Apps for Education, the features of sharing, collaborating, commenting and importing, Google Drawings adds another level of ease for teachers, parents, and students.

Building a Student Tech Team

   
     One of the goals (from Bright Bytes survey data) for our districts this year was to build a student-driven technology team within our buildings.  Student tech teams lend themselves to some incredible learning and leadership opportunities for students of all ages.  As I've been working specifically with middle and high school students on this task, here are five pillars we wanted to put into place:

1.  A purposeful Mission statement which attends to relevant needs and is built by the group.
2. A chance for students to develop leadership skills through mini-lessons and conversations.
3. Opportunities for students to belong to an "intervention" like group where they could extend their learning, but also get social support from a diverse group (insert "Cheers" theme song here).
4. A Genius Hour/ Passion Project like environment where success is variable but "failing forward" and learning are constants.
5. A chance to reflect, grow, and evolve ourselves and the tech team.

As I built this group, I also wanted to avoid these things:

1. Making the group "just another thing" that students have to worry about.
   
2. Grading things.
3. An excuse to miss in-class learning; either because students are out of class or because students are neglecting their class duties while working on tech team things.
4. A short term group dependent on one person for success.

    I built a Google Apps Ninja training site based on Jeff Utecht's Google Apps Ninja student training resources (he has graciously made those resources free for anyone under a Creative Commons license).  The Google Ninja Training site is a self-directed, quizzed website that allows students to learn about Google apps and begin applying their knowledge in class.  There are formative assessments built from a Google form that self-grades and lets me know when a quiz has been passed. Students also had to apply to be a part of the group, and a basic criteria was used to filter the applicants.  Teachers also had input into the makeup of the group.

    From there, I am also challenging students to address issues that are happening in our communities through technology and activism (like iPad school policies, student morning news webcasts, student depression, combating hunger, assistance with Chromebooks, etc.).  My groups so far are really excited to learn coding (from Code.org), and build apps.

    For a group of high school students, we created the STEAM team looking at STEAM initiatives and teaching lessons to elementary students.  I'm still trying to figure out the direction for this group, but they seem really motivated to work with our younger students on cool things like Lego League, Makey-Makey, Squishy Circuits, robots, raspberry pi, and Code.org.

    Our Google Apps Ninja team has met a handful of times, and already they are excited and motivated to create with technology and help their school in many different ways.  I'll continue to post here the progress and projects we are working on.

    In the meantime, feel free to swing over to the Google Apps Ninja Training Dojo and try your hand at a few of the quizzes and training materials.  I'd be more than happy to send you a ninja badge when you complete a test!

What about Blogging?

Blogging is an incredibly powerful tool for student learning, and I find it is easily overlooked by teachers as an effective means to teach reading, writing, and critical thinking skills to students.  Plus, blogging opens the doors for conversations about digital citizenship and cyber safety. Recently, I gave a presentation about the power of using blogs (Kidblog, in particular) with students of all ages.  Below are the presentation slides.

If you're interested in engaging your students in writing and reading, improving their abilities as reflective, evaluative, and critical thinkers, and wanting to connect your classroom to other classrooms around the world, then give blogging a look.  I'd be glad to come in and work with you on a framework for student blogging that is both powerful and effective.