Honey I Deleted a Post in Google Classroom!!

Hi Everyone!!

A few hours ago a friend messaged me asking how she could restore an Assignment Post which she deleted by mistake! Has it happened to you too?

I promised to look into it. 

And this video is the result of this investigation. 

However, do note that though you can view deleted posts, they cannot be restored. 

That being said, in case the post you deleted was older and your students had submitted their work, then their attachments can all be found in the Classroom Folder in your Drive!! Thank Goodness!!

Why don't you request this feature? If enough of us do so, then Google will give us this update. 

Te(a)ch Smart!!

As Google Classroom Will turn 6 Later This Year: 6 Tips to Use GClassroom Like a Rockstar!

Hey Everyone!

We are living in strange times. The Coronavirus Pandemic has shut down most of the world and when you read or watch the news, all we see is how coronavirus is changing the very way we live, think and act!

The pandemic has almost overnight disrupted education. Where online classes lay on the sidelines till even a month ago, it has become more mainstream with thousands of school and millions of teachers and students now navigating the space of distance, digital learning. 

It is in this context that I write today's blog on 6 creative ways to use Google Classroom. By the way, Google Classroom will turn 6 later this year... hence the number 6! 

6 Creative Ways to Use Google Classroom:

1. Communication Central: Set Announcement as an ASSIGNMENT so u know who has read it. Do not put announcements in the Classroom STREAM. Posts in stream jus get buried as you create more and more posts through the weeks and months, and instead of the 'letter lost in transit'. Set up you announcement in the CLASSWORK Page as an ungraded assignment and ask your students to Mark as Done to show that they have read and understood it.                                        
2. Use Private Comments to reach out to students one on one: We can't schedule "office time" or "see me separately" in the current lockdown scenario. Holding Online office hours may not be feasible all the time. PRIVATE COMMENTS to the rescue. Assignment and Question Posts in the Google Classroom allow for students and teachers to send PRIVATE COMMENTS to initiate a conversation meant to be only between teacher and that students. Here, students may ask for clarifications, share concerns and the like. The teacher can provide personalised feedback to the students.                                                             
3. Speak to your students via video from within the Google Classroom: The Google Classroom Mobile app has a video recording and sharing feature. You do not need to leave the app to record a video. In the mobile app, go into the Classwork Page>Tap on the (+) > Tap on Assignment/Question/Material > Give it a Title and Instructions > Tap on Paper clip icon on top f the mobile screen> Tap on Record Video/Open Camera>Select the video recorder> record your video (upto 10 minutes). The video will get automatically attached to the Post and you can assign it. 
4. Video Assignments to demonstrate understanding/learning: You don't need a third party app to get students to submit video assignments. Ask your students to show their thinking and explain how they solve a problem or reach a solution. For example give them a mathematical problem and ask them to record a video of themselves/sheet of paper, demonstrating how they solved the problem using the concepts they have learned. The student interface to record and attach the video will be a littel different. When they open the Assignment/Question you have posted, they will use the (+) Add Attachment Button> Record Video/Open Camera> Record their video and its gets automatically attached to the Assignment/Question > Submit.                             
5. Take a Poll: Use the Question post in the Classwork Page to take a poll. Perhaps you have organised an online debate for your class. After the speakers have expostulated their arguments for or against the motion, use the Question Post to take a poll to see how well the speakers may have swayed the audience.                                            
6. Set it up like Twitter: Again using the Question Post, post something like you would on Twitter. Then ask students to answer as if they were commenting on a tweet. Up the challenge and encourage your students to reply to each other's replies to your original "Tweet".

There is so much more!! Watch out for more posts on Google Classroom. 

Till then.........

New Updates in Google Forms October 2019

Hi All! 

About 10 days ago, I opened a new Google Form for a registration form that I was setting up for the parents of the students I teach, and I got a nice surprise!


What was it? Google Forms with a NEW LOOK!                                 

This update is in keeping with the changes that Google has been making to the visual layout and design of all its GSuite products. 

This is a gradual roll out. So my GSuite for Education account is reflecting this change, but not in my personal account yet. But it will happen soon!


Let us take a quick look! 

                                                          

Old Forms: 

Broad Banner. Could be set to have an image preset within the application or personalised image could be uploaded. Themes could be set as well. Basic variety of fonts available.



New Forms: 

Look has changes radically. Though we can still select a banner image, themes and fonts as earlier.




                                                                  

Old Forms: Respondent View







New Forms: 

Banner image is separated from the main body of the Form. Each element now, banner, title and description and each question now is housed in its own rectangle (if that makes any sense).





                                                          



Old Forms: Responses Tab

New Forms: Layout has changed!




The changes as you can see are largely cosmetic. The Layout now is cleaner and in line with the changes that we have seen in most other GSuite products in recent months.

                                                  

As of now I am happy with these visual changes. But here is my wishlist from Google Forms:

1. There should be autosave when I am filling the form, so that if I am interrupted, I can come back to it a a later time and complete the rest of it, without having to start all over again.
2. Get an option for assigning a time limit on each question.
3. Have a way of setting up play-offs to make things exciting in class.
4. Have Version History, so I can check the changes or restore an earlier version. This is especially important when you have collaborators working with you on the same Form.   

I know Quizziz and Kahoot fulfil numbers 2 and 3, but I would like to see them in Google Forms too!

Have you seen the New Look Google Forms in your GSuite account yet? What are your thoughts?

Do let me know in the comments!

Until next time.....

Teach SMART!
   
             Sanchita Ghosh

Design a Digital Rangoli Template with Google Sheets

Hi All!

Diwali is round the corner and we all know that crackers have always been the most controversial part of the festivals, not only for the pollution it causes, but also the bad rap due to the involvement of child labour. The noise they create, causing distress to infants, senior citizens, heart patients and those with respiratory problems. They also harm birds and animals around us. 

So we talk about cleaner ways to celebrate this festival. One of the methods suggested is making rangolis. Different parts of India has a tradition of rangoli making, dry rice powder, rice powder paste, with flower petals etc. 

 
 


But did you know you could make digital rangolis too? Even create a template for your students to create their own digital designs. 

You can make a copy of my template by clicking HERE. 

But it is better to learn. So let's get started.

Step 1: Open a new Google Sheet

Step 2: Add more Columns

Step 3: Resize the Columns to get Square Grids



Step 4: Make Column A Wider for the Colour Key





Step 5: Conditional Formatting


You will need to 2 things:
a. The cell colour
b. Text colour.

Both need to do both so that when numbers are typed in the cell, it remains invisible.





Tip: Repeat till you have all your desired colours. Keep it simple, stick to single digits only.



Step 6: Set up the Colour Key





Step 7: Test it Out

Step 8: Share with your Students

a. You can use Google Classroom to assign it to your students, set it so that each student gets a copy. 
b. Alternately, you can force a copy (replace 'edit' with 'copy' in the url). 
c. You can even duplicate the tab so that each student has a tab to work on. 

Happy Diwali!!