Closed Captions for Google Slides

Hello, I'm still around and I'm back to offer a new tech tip this week. I am a fan of Google Slides and it has been a tool I've used for a long while. You can do some fantastic things in Google Slides by including images, art, drawings, animations, video and tons of text, but it can't replace what the presenter has to share in person.  For those that may be viewing the presentation later or those that may be hearing impaired, they could possibly be losing out on important details.

However, now there is a feature within Google Slides that allows you to turn on Closed Captioning while you are presenting your Google Slides.  Yes, it has been staring me down all along and it took the right question from one teacher to open my eyes to a simple feature which automates closed captioning making your presentation accessible to everyone. When presenting, you will see your presenter toolbar at the bottom left of your slide.  Simply click on "CC" to enable auto closed captioning while you speak during your presentation.  Just make sure you are standing close enough to your microphone.  You can also screen record your presentation so you can save the closed captioning to share with others.  

For now it works with spoken English, but I hope to see other languages in the future. Please feel free to share other closed captioning tips and tricks you would recommend in the comments below.  I'd love to see what everyone is using to make their slides, videos, etc. more accessible for students.

~Rosie F. 

TCEA Membership for Teacher Appreciation Week

Hello All! Happy Teachers Appreciation Week to all educators. This year the folks at TCEA (Texas Computer Education Association) are doing something fabulous for educators. Read their announcement below!

They say nothing’s free. But during Teacher Appreciation Week, a number of great, no-cost opportunities to reward educators for their hard work will pop up in shops and on social media. We wanted to make you aware of one particularly amazing deal ahead of time, to ensure you can take advantage of this offer.

From May 6–10, 2019, you can get a one-year membership to TCEA absolutely free!

What is TCEA and why should you join? It’s a Texas-based, global nonprofit; a member-based organization that supports the use of technology in education, provides top-notch professional development, and hosts world-class events, including the TCEA Convention & Exposition. Since 1980, TCEA has worked to develop digital learning knowledge and access in PreK-16 education.

As a grassroots organization, TCEA advocates for the smart use of technology in education based on the interests of its thousands of members: teachers, administrators, librarians, CTOs and technologists, and ed tech aficionados. As a member, you can get 24/7 access to webinars and gain CPE credit, join an online community sharing best practices, and become a leader on your campus or in your district.

But that’s not all. For more about the benefits of your free membership, and to sign up, check out https://tcea.org/teacher-appreciation/.

In addition, you can now join one, some, or all of TCEA’s SIGs (Special Interest Groups) for free as well. The SIGs are special communities of educators who share a common job role (librarian, CTO/technology director, instructional/technology coach) or ed tech interest, such as robotics or virtual learning or Technology Applications. You can find out more at https://tcea.org/membership/sigs/.

Take advantage of this free way to up your teaching, learning, and leading game today!

Now, head on over to TCEA's site and get your free membership to enjoy the many learning opportunities and benefits their yearly membership offers.  

~Rosie F.

Novel Effect: Make Storytime Magical

I was so excited to try out Novel Effect that I downloaded it while a passenger in the car and tried it immediately with my family.  I loved it instantly.  I knew immediately that elementary teachers, librarians, and families with small children would not only love this app, but need it immediately.  So what is it?  Put simply, you read your child's book while running Novel Effect and you will have music and sound effects that are timed perfectly with your story.  It brings your stories to life.  You can use it with many of your favorite children's book and they are adding more titles.  If you're like me and decide to try it while on the move and without a children's book handy, you can also use an eBook that you have on your device.  Watch this short video to learn more about Novel Effect. 

You can currently find Novel Effect in the Apple App Store for FREE (yes, that's my favorite word.) The Android version will be coming soon.

Share your thoughts about this amazing little app in the comments below.

~Rosie 

Create New Google Docs On The Fly

Today, I have an easy peasy trick you can use to create brand new Google docs, sheets, slides, forms and sites right from your Google Chrome's omnibox.  Simply add ".new" to one of the following terms:"docs", "sheets", "slides", "forms", or "sites".  It takes a total of two seconds to get that typed in and you are ready to start editing your new Google creation.  See it in action below and give it a try.  

Hope you find today's tip useful.  Let me know what you think in the comments below.

~Rosie F.

TechMas Tips #11&12: Math is Visual and Adobe Spark

So, we have reached the end of our TechMas tips and I'm sure most teachers will be too exhausted to catch these last two tips.  However, I hope you will give both of these tools a try in the new year.  

TechMas Tip #11: Math is Visual

TechMas Tip #11 is a website, Math is Visual, that was created to help build conceptual understanding of mathematics through the use of visuals.  The site contains videos, images and resources to help teachers, parents and students. 

The following video shows the Math is Visual creator, Kyle Pearce, using the site with his own three and five year old children.

Math is Visual is a great website to bookmark if you're an elementary or middle school teacher that is looking for some new ideas or material.  Even if you don't find any material to use, you may very well be inspired to create similar material for your lessons.

TechMas Tip #12: Adobe Spark for EDU

I have been a fan of the Adobe Spark suite of free tools for a while now.  There are three apps included in the suite to help you communicate ideas easily and with style.

All apps are created to work on mobile devices, so you can create on the go or students can quickly create a post, page or video right from their chromebook or iPad.

The suite is free to use, but you must have an Adobe ID to log in. Give it a try and share in the comments how you would use it in your classroom.

Happy TechMas everyone!  I hope you've enjoyed the tips this season and will find one that works for you.

~Rosie F.

TechMas Tip #10: Santas Sleigh Chrome Extension & Others

Today I have a fun, festive tip for anyone using Google Chrome.  TechMas Tip #10 includes a Google Chrome extension called Santas Sleigh.  All you need to do is install the extension and your pages will show Santa and his reindeer flying across the top.  It's easy to hide or remove the extension once you tire of the holiday spirit.

Here are a few other Chrome apps and extensions you can add for the holiday season.

Christmas Countdown New Tab Page - every time you open a new tab with this extension installed, you will see an updated countdown to Christmas.

Christmas Coloring Game Chrome app - Choose a coloring page and start coloring away.

Learn Your Christmas Carols Chrome app - Handy little resource for Christmas carol lyrics.  You will also be able to find videos, MP3s and karaoke items.

Enjoy!
~Rosie F.

TechMas Tip #9: Made With Code

I have to admit this is my favorite TechMas Tip I've shared so far.  Today, I want to share the Made With Code website with you as my TechMas Tip #9.  Unfortunately, it is widely known that girls start out with a love for technology and science, yet by the time they reach their teens they have lost that passionate curiosity.  It is something I fiercely want to see changed, because I know we will be losing half of our talented and gifted scientific minds simply because girls don't believe that science and technology is for them.  Learn more about the numbers and why it's so important for girls to code here.

One of the projects that is available for the holiday season allows you create your own Holiday Emoji scene.  You will use Blockly to code the scene, which is perfect for newbies.  You can switch between viewing the scene and viewing the code.  For first time coders, there are simple instructions to help you through the project. So, anyone can be successful with this activity.  Once complete, you can share on social media or download the file to use in other projects.  

In addition to the neat projects on their site, you can find information on mentors, community and partner information, and even resources to host your own party.

Happy Holidays, Coders!

~Rosie F.