Google Apps I love to organize my life (and maybe yours too :D

So first of all, I love Google Apps for so many reasons. For those of you that are not familiar with Google Apps, I have explained below a bit what they are:

Google Chrome store:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/apps?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

Overview, What are Apps and Extensions for Google Chrome?

So for those of you who are first time users to Apps and Extensions here is a bit about them. Apps and Extensions for Google Chrome are online software that work off of your chrome browser. They are fun and easy to use. There are many Apps and Extensions that could be used in your classroom. One huge benefit is a majority of Apps and Extensions in Google are free!

The Apps are extremely interactive and virtual so they can be accessed anywhere with a device, internet and your cloud or google account.

How to use Apps and Extensions:

To use these, you must be signed into your cloud system or Gmail account. The Extensions and Apps work and save with whatever Google account you are signed into. You must also have a Google Chrome browser for these to work.

Video on Google Apps and Extension overview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqFl6kOlBqc

Legend (This will refer to if it is an App or Extension):

EXT: Extensions (run off to the side and with your browser)

APPS: Apps (work within Chromebrowser but are a separate application)

All Apps and Extensions are free unless ** are added.

Here are some Google Apps and Extensions that Rock my work, keep me organize and just help me with everyday tasks:

Kaizena APPS

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/kaizena-voice-comments/hcdoaikeblbbiphjibkhliiedjhnbbke?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

Kaizena allows you to import PDF and Google Docs into this Apps. Then you have all these amazing tools like highlighters, recorder, comments and collaborate.  One use of Kaizena  is you could use the recording feature for a person who struggles with writing but is great orally for oral test.

Speech Logger APPS

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/speechlogger/jjgohjmefljmabkekbfgfhockfegohfp?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

Speech Logger is a powerful speech to text app. There are a few different speech to text app in the Google Chrome store, this one is by far my favourite and most accurate to recognizing your voice. You can start using this app with  no voice training. It is  quick and easy to start up. Ideal for people who are oral learner or verbally express their thoughts more fluently compared to typing. I am doing courses online part time and Speech Logger is great for essay writing and quick jot notes.

Symphonical APPS

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/symphonical/hcgllakjbbignhambejggdljofdagfja?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

Symphonical gives you the ability to have a virtual whiteboard online and you can easily collaborate with others.  

MindMup APPS

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/mindmup-free-mind-map-web/dnenaecjcgeppfpaokiifokeieopppej?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

This is a graphic organizer app. This is the only Google graphic organizer app I found that  has the outline feature and allows you to export your map to text.

Cite This For Me APPS/ EXT

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/cite-this-for-me-web-cite/nnnmhgkokpalnmbeighfomegjfkklkle?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

Great for older students in high school to learn how to do  APA referencing if you plan to go off to post secondary. Create APA bios  in a snap.

TLDR (Too long didn't read) EXT

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tldr/giepilabiomhlcmlefmbfkgeoccfhhhc?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

The TLDR app will allow you to summarize long websites easily. Great tool for showing examples if you are teaching how to summarize.  

Tab scissors EXT

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tab-scissors/cdochbecpfdpjobpgnacnbepkgcfhoek?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

Split screen your tabs. Great for research activities, comprehension stories, etc.

CleanSave EXT

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/print-and-save-to-the-clo/iplagehfoafmmjppeijnpkohihcllici?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

Allows you to save websites straight to your google drive, and to open within Read and Write. Or Allows you to save websites as PDFs to your computer, to open in Kurzweil. Can save a load of printing pages of information.

Evernote APPS

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/evernote-web/lbfehkoinhhcknnbdgnnmjhiladcgbol?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

With Evernote, you can organize everything from any device (computer, tablet, mobile device, etc.) Create notes, checklist, picture notes, etc. Great tool. I was the kid when you pulled out my binder or backpack I had papers and handouts everywhere. Evernote truly organizes my life. I love this app so much.  

Merge PDFs APPS https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/merge-pdf-smallpdfcom/nbhibnjbbdkflfklbdpgbifkhcielgcm/reviews?hl=en

If you don’t have the capability to scan a document into one PDF or separate PDFs you want to merge, this is the app for you. I ran into this issue because my scanner was acting up and this app saved me so much space and effort.

App Jump APPS

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/appjump-app-launcher-and/hccbinpobnjcpckmcfngmdpnbnjpmcbd?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

You can easily and quickly open apps in a snap.

Being a Teacher of the 21st Century

With technology constantly changing and being integrated into many aspects of our lives, are teacher's meeting the needs of a child of the 21st century? The educational and life needs of children are changing. The old ways of schooling need to be combined with modern technology.

The next generation of child, google, social media and the overall world of the Internet are becoming second nature.What is Social Media? What is credible information to use for research from the internet? How do we know what the truth is on the internet? What are safe videos to watch on youtube? Seems kind of like odd questions but becoming more and more relevant for this generation of children.

Do our children know how to be Internet wizards and get the full and proper benefits that the World Wide Web have to offer? Do they know all the good things that internet have to offer? Can they do searches and find the credible info that they really need? I find when I am doing computer training and we do a research portion, a lot of the children can't tell the difference between a credible and not credible website. Researching is not a skill that can be always naturally mastered. Our children need guidance and shown how to do this. It is done a bit but needs more class time. Internet skills are becoming a life skill in some ways to find and look favourable in today's job market. We want our children to feel prepared for the real world.

Do our children know how to be safe and smart on the Internet? Do they know what information and media is safe to share on the internet? Do they think about what personal information is not appropriate to share? What are our kids sharing on the internet? Do they uphold proper etiquette and manners when using social media? In the day and age where a majority of our students have facebook, twitter, instagram or various other social media outlets do we really understand what our children are doing ?

Should there be Internet 101 classes? Children can't learn the ways of the internet just by going on it, they need guidance and rules just like anything else. Social Media class, teaching our kids how to be safe and smart with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and all the world of Social Media Smart searching and the ways of the internet, showing our children what credible and non-credible websites are.

Our children need to become digital native/citizens.