Google for Education has released several new features that will benefit students. A few of the ones we thought were important to highlight are the New reading mode feature in Chrome browser, Adding interactive questions to YouTube videos, Adding closed captions to Meet recordings, Keeping track of class activities with timer and stopwatch chips, and one of the most anticipated features is the AI feature that will be built into Google Classroom that will help design practice sets for educators. 

We believe these updates will help improve Google For Education products for educators and students. We will have training videos on these updates in the next few months. Take a look below for descriptions of the new features. Keep an eye out for the upcoming training videos!

New reading mode feature in Chrome browser
One of our newest features to support this effort is reading mode, a customizable reader view coming to the side panel in Chrome browser. Reading mode reduces distracting elements on the screen, like images and videos, to help you focus on a page’s primary content. You can also customize settings like the typeface, font size and spacing, and text and background color. Reading mode will be available in Chrome browser in ChromeOS in M114.

Add interactive questions to YouTube videos.
Educators will soon be able to add questions to a YouTube video and assign it to students, all within Classroom. As the video plays, students can answer the questions, get real-time feedback on their responses and rewatch the video as needed. Educators can receive insights about their student’s progress, like which questions they struggled with. Express interest in the beta, which will be available in English, Japanese, Malay, Portuguese and Spanish.

Add closed captions to Meet recordings.
You can now add captions in English, French, German, Portuguese (Brazil) and Spanish to Meet recordings, with more languages coming later this year.

Keep track of class activities with timer and stopwatch chips.
 Educators can use timer and stopwatch chips for class activities, keeping track of how much time is left or how long a certain exercise took. Timer and stopwatch chips are rolling out today. Try them by typing @timer and @stopwatch in Docs.

Practice sets use AI to help educators transform their existing teaching.
Practice sets use AI to help educators transform their existing teaching content into interactive assignments and provide more personalized support. As teachers add questions to their practice set, they’ll see suggestions for skills to focus on — like solving equations with decimals or writing thesis statements. Based on the skills teachers select, students will receive helpful hints if they get stuck. Educators can also add interactive questions to YouTube videos in Classroom so that students can answer questions with real-time feedback, and educators can get insights into student performance. And with Screencast on ChromeOS, students and teachers can record, trim, transcribe, and share lessons, presentations and demos, all with new demo tools and in a dozen new languages.

Don’t forget to check out our training for School Administrative Assistants, Secretaries and Paraprofessionals. These trainings have ongoing enrollment.

If you're looking for your Paraprofessional training, check out our Digital Paraprofessional Institute.

Digital Paraprofessional Institute Benefits:

• Over 4 hours of online asynchronous training videos 
• All training is focused on the Google needs of the school-based paraprofessional and supporting students in the digital world.
• Access to On-Demand Google Workspace Library for one year
• Access to a Digital Bulletin with tips and tricks​ 

Consider signing your team up for the online and asynchronous Digital Secretary Institute. Visit Digital Secretary Institute for more information.

 Digital Secretary Institute Benefits:

• 1 Year of Access to On-Demand Google Workspace Library
• Individual or Group Rates
• Over 9 hours of training videos and training events
• Two Live Webinars while they occur or in the Institute Library
• One Live Online Google Workshop Support Event
• Customized 30-minute training video based on group type
• A Digital Bulletin aligned with modules. 

ChatGPT is a large language model developed by OpenAI. It has been trained on a diverse corpus of text data, including books, articles, and web pages, to understand natural language and generate human-like responses to a wide range of questions and prompts. As a language model, its primary function is to process and produce language, and can be used for a variety of applications, including chatbots, text generation, language translation, and more. The implications on the educational world are many. Below is just a sampling of the various ways educational leaders can leverage ChatGPT in their everyday lives. ​

NOTE TO READERS: We asked ChatGPT to tell us why educators should use ChatGPT in 125 to 150 words. The results are interesting. Read below!

In recent years, technology has become an increasingly important aspect of the educational landscape. As such, many educators are looking for ways to incorporate innovative and interactive tools into their teaching practices. One such tool is ChatGPT, a powerful language model that can be used in a variety of educational contexts.

There are several reasons why educators should consider using ChatGPT in their classrooms. First, it allows for personalized and adaptive learning experiences. ChatGPT can be programmed to respond to students' specific needs and learning styles, providing tailored feedback and guidance. This can help students to better understand complex concepts and improve their academic performance.

Second, ChatGPT can be used to promote creativity and critical thinking. By engaging in conversations with the AI, students can explore new ideas and perspectives, test hypotheses, and develop their problem-solving skills.
Finally, ChatGPT can be used as a tool for language learning. Its advanced language capabilities can help students to improve their reading, writing, and speaking skills in a foreign language.
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Overall, educators should consider using ChatGPT in their classrooms as a way to enhance the learning experience and promote student success.

Google Translate can be a useful tool in a school setting for educators who need to communicate with people who speak a different language. Here are some ways people can use Google Translate in the school setting:

1. Translating emails and documents: Google Translate can be used to translate emails and documents from one language to another. This can be helpful for communicating with families or colleagues who speak a different language.
2. Communicating with families: If you have families who speak different languages, Google Translate can be used to communicate with them in real-time. Google Translate has a feature that allows you to translate text messages and even voice calls.
3. Translating websites: If a teacher has a website that needs to be accessible to people who speak different languages, Google Translate can be used to translate the website into multiple languages.
4. Language learning: Google Translate can also be used as a language learning tool. By typing in a word or phrase in one language, the educator or student can see the translation in another language. This can be helpful for educators who are learning a new language for work.
5. Understanding foreign language content: If a student or educator comes across foreign language content while conducting research, Google Translate can be used to translate the content into a language they understand. This can be helpful for staying up-to-date on global trends and news.

It's important to note that while Google Translate can be a useful tool, it is not always 100% accurate, and context is important when it comes to translation. It's always a good idea to double-check translations and have a native speaker review important communications to ensure accuracy.

Portions of this blog post were written with artificial intelligence through the ChatGPT platform. 

Are you looking to engage your office staff and/or paraprofessionals in a deep dive of Google Workspace applications this summer? Consider registering them for the Digital Secretary Institute or the Digital Paraprofessional Institute. Visit www.evolvingeducators.com or email evolving@evovlingeducators.com for more details. ​

​Chromebooks are an integral part of the learning experience for students. Residing within the Chromebook are a wide array of features that can benefit students of all ages and abilities. Three in particular, Chromevox, Screen Capture, and Chrome Canvas provide students with unique opportunities to capture their learning and show what they know about the topic at hand. Consider demonstrating one, two, or all three of these features with your students in the near future. 

Did you know that the Evolving Educators Team provides online and in-person Chromebook training for educators? Contact us via email at evolving@evolvingeducators.com or via phone 888.304.9211 for more information and pricing. 
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Evolve. Impact. Repeat. 

Google Sheets has many features that provide students with an opportunity to show what they know about the topic at hand. The first feature is the ability to create a graph that highlights important information in a visually appealing way. Have students follow the steps below to create their very own graph in Google Sheets. 
    
    Step 1: Log into your school Google account. 
    Step 2: Open a new tab in your Chrome browser. 
    Step 3: Click on the waffle on the upper right hand side of the screen. 
    Step 4: Locate and click on the green Google Sheets icon. 
    Step 5: Provide data points to students from the topic currently being covered in class. 
    Step 6: Input data onto the Google Sheet using the columns and rows.
    Step 7: Highlight the data that needs to be included on the chart.  
    Step 8: Click on the Insert tab at the top of the screen and click on Chart. 
    Step 9: Edit the chart that appears in the spreadsheet to meet assignment requirements. 
    Step 10: Submit assignment on Google Classroom or click the Share button. 

The second feature on Google Sheets that students can use to show what they know about the topic at hand is the Template Gallery. One template in particular, Assignment Tracker, can provide students with a way to display the assignments they have completed in class. This organizational method helps the student actually see what they have accomplished and learned throughout the marking period. Have students follow these steps to create their own Assignment Tracker in Google Sheets. 

    Step 1: Log into your school Google account. 
    Step 2: Open a new tab in your Chrome Browser. 
    Step 3: Click on the waffle on the upper right hand side of the screen. 
    Step 4: Locate and click on the Google Drive icon. 
    Step 5: Click on the New button on the upper left hand side of the screen.
    Step 6: Hover over the Google Sheets icon and click on From a Template. 
    Step 7: Select the Assignment Tracker template and name the file. 
    Step 8. Edit the Assignment Tracker document to fit requirements of class. 
    Step 9: Share the document with your teacher and parents throughout the marking period. 
    Step 10: Submit the document via Google classroom at the end of the marking period. 

​Google Sheets provides students with a plethora of options to show what they know about the topic at hand. Additionally, Google Sheets can help support students stay organized and focused on learning goals. No matter the subject area, Google Sheets can be consistently used in order to make the classroom environment efficient and effective. 

Day 6 of the 12 Days of #EdTech Tips for the Holidays
Today: Gmail Choose Layout
Check out the video for details.