Angi Teaches Tech Blog

Sooooo.... I see that Google has been tinkering around with YouTube.  Did you notice? Everything looks different.  I feel a little disoriented.  I'm not how I feel about the changes just yet.   Apparently they've decided after 12 years to finally update YouTube's look and functionality.  They've redesigned the desktop AND mobile versions.   According to Heavy.com , "The desktop version also gets the added feature of a dark theme. The mobile version made the header white and moved the navigation tabs to the bottom so they’re closer to the thumbs as well as adding Library and Account tabs. The ability to speed up or slow down a video’s playback was also added to mobile as well as the ability to view a row of suggested videos while watching in full screen. Probably the most drastic change is the new logo, which takes the play button icon from the “tube” part of YouTube and places it in the front of the word." And Google says they're not done...

This was an exciting historic event!  Unfortunately I was not able to see it from my area due to the overcast skies and cloud cover. Total bummer!  And I was sad for the kids at school too - they had plans (and the glasses) to watch the eclipse but weren't able to see it.   The next best thing to being there was by watching it live on TV and YouTube. Why was this event so special?  Here's what NASA's live broadcast site said about the event: "For the first time in U.S. history, a total solar eclipse that crosses the country from coast to coast will be visible only in America. The rare celestial spectacle in August has been dubbed “The Great American Eclipse.” The moon will completely block the sun , momentarily engulfing parts of about a dozen states in sudden darkness, on Aug. 21, 2017, experts say. No one outside the continental U.S. will be able to see the eclipse ," This show will cover the path of totality the eclipse will take across the Unit...

In last week's blog post I mentioned some new updates in Google Classroom to help you stay organized and save time this new school year. This week, I wanted to share some tips and tools available for teachers using Classroom for the first time. Google has just launched a new site with a ton of content that will help teachers have the knowledge and confidence they need to get started. Since we know teachers love to learn from their peers, some of the best tips and videos from teachers have been made available through a new initiative called #FirstDayofClassroom . Some of the content includes: Getting Started Videos - Teachers share topics to get an overview of Classroom and provided some quick and easy videos to get them going. Tutorial Videos - Includes instructional videos from peer teachers on how to use Classroom. Library of Resources - A collection of printable guides that teachers can keep on hand at all times and refer too if needed. We also have an awesome printabl...

Oh my goodness!  Can you believe we're in August??? The summer is virtually over.  Time to buy school supplies for my 3rd grader (geez, this is going much too fast!) and to think about Fall activities.  And did I see someone counting down to Christmas on Facebook already???  Geez! Well, to make the transition back to the classroom easier, make sure you are up-to-date with all the of the recent changes to make teaching easy.  There are 10 new updates to Google Classroom and Google Forms to help you stay organized and save time.   Some of the new features include: 1) Reorder classes from the homepage 2) View all of your student's work on a single page 3) Use decimal grades for partial points 4) Display the class code in full-screen 5) Transfer ownership to other teachers 6) Launch/switch apps from the classroom page ...and more See all the changes and details on Google's Blog:  https://www.blog.google/topics/education/10-way...

So you do???  So do I!  But I can't help you with that. But... I can help you become a Google Certified Educator or Trainer!  To me that was like hitting the jackpot.  I can't begin to tell you the skills I've learned and the people I've been able to help.  Plus, Google has listed me on their directory as one of their Google For Education Certified Trainers . What an honor! So if you're interested in more information, let's chat.  Fill out this short form and I'll get back with you asap.  I also have a coupon code for the exam but it expires September 3, 2017 so hurry! Happy Teching!

Google Forms makes it easy to collect information, plan events, solicit feedback, and more. Google has added new features such as: Intelligent response validation Cross-domain file uploads Preferences/Default Settings Checkbox Grid Questions Section Reordering and using machine learning to make Forms work better for you.  Read on for more details. Need help with Google Forms?  Got questions?  Contact me today. I'll be glad to help!   Angela Valentine Google Certified Trainer bit.ly/contactangi

I was excited to receive an email from Google this afternoon stating that I had been accepted into the Google for Education Certified Trainer Program !  Eeeeeeeee! Having completed the exams and the application process by the June 7th deadline, I wasn't expecting to hear back for another week or so as Google stated we would hear something within 4-6 weeks.  So imagine my surprise in seeing this email in only two weeks!  I am beyond thrilled! You can view the official letter from Google here (click image for downloadable PDF copy): I'm honored to be acknowledged as an Authorized Google for Education Certified Trainer !  I look forward to all this opportunity has to bring.  And as I said before... Eeeeeee!!!  :-D Humbly grateful,