As mentioned in a previous post, the reasons why you want to be mindful of this tool as an organizational sharing structure is because the time saved in management and organization is quantifiable and grounded in common sense.That said, how do you create your own groups?Go to your "My groups" page Click on "Create"Name the group Create a group email address. This step is really important because the folks you share with (whether that is via email, document, website, etc) will see the group email address but NOT the individuals that are in that group. This can be useful if you are grouping folks together around sensitive information.It is at this point where you will want to add a description. Again, this is important because your description is how folks in your organization can find your group within the directory. Determine access level for the group. This is essential for opening or closing up these spaces for public or private consumption for the organization. note: you are not locked into this decision and you can adjust and change it as needed.Click on Create Now, you can start to invite members or you can add them directly without even sending an invitation. note: this does not make it anonymous, as the users will receive notification that they have been added to a groupIt's important to note that the ability to "create groups" is not native to an Apps install and so if you are hoping to be able to leverage some of the awesome that is "My Groups;" your domain administrator will have to enable the feature to create your own group. We will look more at domain management of google groups in a further post and we will dive DEEP on the 2nd and 3rd at the Summit! See YOU There!To learn more about Google Groups and all the Google Apps for Education, join us at a Google Apps for Education Summit!Register now for the Google Apps for Education California Summit July 12-13th in Santa Clara CA and the Google Apps for Education Rocky Mountain Summit August 2-3 in Boulder CO.

Today, it is imperative that we make changes to our traditional school paradigms to meet the learning needs of our students for today and their futures. We need to reimagine how we structure our schools to promote ongoing daily collaboration opportunities for teachers for the purposes of planning, with the explicit goal of improving student […]

In my previous post Google Drive. What’s in it for me?, I wrote that I am really excited by the possibilities of Drive Apps. Today I wanted to share about the WeVideo app that provides collaborative video editing that can be launched directly from within Google Drive. In the past few years, we have seen a number of attempts at getting people to edit their video in the cloud. A number of people I know were using Jaycut quite extensively until it was purchased by Research in Motion (RIM) and was closed. YouTube has a pretty functional editor that works well for a number of quick projects, but it lacks Google Docs/Drive integration. Now we have WeVideo which is not only fully functional editing and creation in the cloud, but it also comes with the full integration of Google Drive storage. With WeVideo, users can launch the creation process directly from within Google Drive. The user has to grant permission to the App the first time, but otherwise it’s pretty much plug and play. No longer do teachers have to send kids off to another website only to have them waste valuable time trying to remember their user names and passwords. And teachers don’t have to set up user accounts. Woot!What are some of the features of WeVideo?Collaborative--users can upload videos and images and edit a video together. Up to 15 minutes of exported video each month (with WeVideo watermark) for free. There are "credits" available that allow users to remove the watermark and buy more export minutes. Ability to connect a WeVideo account to YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Vimeo for direct publishingAbility to store exports in Google DriveSome pretty cool abstract motion graphicsThemes, transitions, audio clips, and lots of fun effectsI put together a really quick proof of concept that shows some of the possibilities. I am definitely no Jim Sill so I’m sure you’ll be able to do much better than I have. Have fun creating!To learn more about WeVideo features, start here or join us for a Google Apps in Education Summit in your region. I'll be leading a Google Drive workshop at each event.

via 7 Reasons to Integrate Indigenous Knowledge into Science Curriculum.

 "How do I manage my Google Docs with so many  documents coming in from so many students?" Google Docs makes it easy for teachers to collaborate with their students and not have to worry about losing their homework, but tracking down assignments can be a nightmare. There are a number of ways to approach this from the teachers perspective and the students perspective here. This is how I manage them  step by step.Step 1) Students create a new Collection (aka  Folder) for my class and title it: Subject - NameFor example: Science - JohnnyStep 2) Students then share the Collection/ Folder with me.Step 3) I make a new Collection/Folder called Period 2 or whatever makes sense. Find the student Collections (in the lower left under Collections shared with me) and drag them to my newly created Collection.Step 4) Click here to copy the Assessment Collector Google Spreadsheet(You must be logged into your Google Account).Step 5)  I embed this Google Form into my class website.Don't have a website yet? Think about using a student as a webmaster.Step 6)  Once I've edited the names of the assignments and students have copied and pasted their  links, I can filter the list by period or assignment.Then I can use the built-in Viewer tab. (You may see a button asking you to load the tab).This tab allows me to view, comment or edit the Google Doc, Spreadsheet or Presentation 'handed in' without ever having to leave the window. I can then click NEXT through all the collected  assignments.An important aspect of this process is that the students are sharing work in a way that teachers can edit while simultaneously building their own collection of assessments.OptionalStep 7) One limitation of the viewer is that it only reads URLs that begin with http not https. You can use the built in Find and Replace feature or if you're a little adventurous, set it up a script to do it automatically. The script is included in the spreadsheet, you just have to turn on the Form Submit trigger.Step 7a) Select Tools > Script editor Step 7b) Select Resources > Current script's triggers... Step 7b) Click the link No triggers set up. Click here to add one now.                      Change On open to On form submit and click Save Step 7c) Click Authorize > Click Close and Exit that tab.This means whenever a student copy and pastes a URL that starts with https it will replace it with http.[Printable version of these steps HERE]To learn more about managing Google Docs in the Classroom (and to see Kern Kelley speak) come to the Google Apps for Education Maine Summit on August 17 & 18, or to a summit in a region near you.

No doubt about it, Content Curation is one of the most important digital skills of our time. The basic fact is that Curation is a strategy that we need just to begin to implement and sift through all of the information online.The following explains the top reasons why we need to engage in quality content curation […]

Post from Canadian Education Association: Propelling a New Education Paradigm Forward to Reduce Dropouts

There was a time when you had to convince teachers that Youtube had any classroom value.  Don't get me wrong, there has always been a way to incorporate a video or two into a lesson.  Today, it is a whole lot easier with Youtube.com/teachers.   The channel was released months ago, but continues to be updated with the latest playlists for all your subjects.  Head over to the site and you will land on a page that features some of the hottest videos for the classroom today.  Tap through the list of featured videos that are hand picked each week from channels like TEDEducation to jump start your week of teaching.  Scroll down a little further and find playlists for all the testable* classes from elementary to high school.  Working with CUE and teachers like the amazing, James Sanders, Youtube searches their huge vault of videos for videos relevant to subjects like High School: Statistics & Probability. The channel doesn't stop at great subject matter playlists, but it also goes into detail on how to get started using Youtube in your classroom. Check out the Getting Started tab for a tutorial on how to create and customize your own Channel.  If you still need inspiration on how to use Youtube, just click on the Top 10 Ways to Use Youtube.  This list is not only helpful to you, but also to your administration that needs a little more convincing.  Working with Teacher and FlipTeaching expert Ramsey Musallam and yours truly, the Types of Videos and Video Production Tips page will help you get a better handle on "feeding the beast".  The tips are there for you to begin uploading your own resource videos for your students and teachers around the world.In the tools tab, you will find great examples on Screencasting Hardware and Software and video editors so you can start flipping your classroom in no time. Are you creating awesome playlists for your own classroom or school? Click on the Suggest Videos tab and let them know.  Perhaps your playlist will end up on the site and start helping countless teachers from around the world. I can help guide you through the process at some of the Google Apps Summits popping up around the world.  Looking to get started sooner than later, join me at the CA Google Apps for Education Summit July 12-13th in Santa Clara CA.* As a video production teacher, I always feel a little left out of the standardized tests. :(To learn more about YouTube in Education, don't miss the Google Apps for Education Summit produced by EdTechTeam in partnership with Google, coming to a region near you in 2012-2013: http://www.gafesummit.com

via Propelling a New Education Paradigm Forward to Reduce Dropouts | Canadian Education Association (CEA).

The opportunities for eLearning are growing immensely. It really is amazing to have eLearning opportunities that we can choose from to benefit student learning. In my experience, different learning situations require different levels and types of online learning opportunities. The level of eLearning really depends on the learning environment, and the people that you are instructing. […]

As I continue to watch the evolution of working in the cloud, I get really excited by both the possibilities for educators and students. The idea of the paperless classroom, while not a new concept, is certainly more appealing when you have an integrated creation and storage solution ala Google Drive. When everything is baked in, you no longer have to come up with workarounds to suit the needs of your students and/or colleagues. As of this writing, there are two mathematics applications as add ons for Google Drive--Geogebra and Graphing Calculator by Desmos that allow students (and teachers) to both create and store their work online. The former has long been available as a desktop application and is used extensively in online courses and classrooms worldwide. Desmos is a more recent entry into the space having developed web applications and Chrome Apps over the past couple of years. Both are simply awesome when used through Google Drive.GEOGEBRAGeogebra is dynamic mathematics software for all levels of education that combines geometry, algebra, graphing, and calculus. The software is free and open source and has only recently been ported over to Chrome and Drive. While the Drive app doesn’t yet offer all of the functionality available in the desktop application, that’s no reason to ignore this diamond in the rough. The authoring tool also allows users to create and share interactive online learning materials through the GeogebraTube repository. Having students develop their own learning materials and contributing to the repository would certainly be a great way to develop higher order thinking skills.GRAPHING CALCULATOR BY DESMOSThe Graphing Calculator Drive App is a boon for both students and teachers. While also not entirely new, this application started out as a website, then became a Chrome App, and is now a full fledged Drive App.  This HTML5 app is slick, fast, and powerful--just what the students need to replace their expensive TI graphing calculators. Creating, graphing, and sharing student work with this app is incredibly quick and easy. Want to save it Google Drive? Check. Want to also post it to Twitter or Facebook? Check. Care to save the graph as an image for your Google Presentation? Check. If you're interested in learning more about this application, I’d recommend Audrey Watters’ review of it over at Hack Education or the blog post over at Desmos. I think they're doing great things over at Desmos and I hope they are around for a long time to come. BONUS MATH APP!Bonus app for use with geometry students: Floor PlannerTo learn more about Drive Apps, start here or join us for a Google Apps in Education Summit in your region. I'll be leading a Google Drive workshop at each event and hope to see you there!

As educators we are very clear about WHAT we would like to do in terms of innovation. However, are we clear on HOW we are going to do it?  Very often in our PLN’s, we are sharing great ideas about ‘WHAT‘ to do. The WHAT is often shared in the form of a new technology […]

Did you know that there is a semi-hidden feature in Google Sites that will allow you to change the page navigation from vertical to horizontal?  While we love the ease with which you can put a site together and have all the pages linked automatically, there are those of us who like the flexibility of changing the navigation up a bit.To access this feature in sites you need to do the following...You can start by either editing your Sidebar or selecting the More button on the top right side of your site and choosing Manage Site Select Site Layout text on the left and then the Change Site Layout buttonIn the middle of the window, you will need to check the box for Horizontal Navigation Bar and click OKYour next step will be to delete Navigation that is found under sidebar unless you would like both vertical and horizontal navigationManually adding the pages you want in the navigation bar is the next step and you do that by selecting the Edit Horizontal Nav ContentSelect the Add Page text and choose the page you would like to have visible.  Repeat for all pages.  You can also Add URL to insert a link into the navigation barThe final step is to choose either Boxes, Tabs or Links found under Style in the same window and then click on OKYou can select the Preview button to view your new look and then Save to accept the changes  All in all this gives you a little more flexibility with the navigation on your site.To learn more of these tips and tricks, attend one of the many Google Apps for Education Summits coming to a city near you.

When I think about constructivism, I still have to remind myself that it is philosophy and not a pedagogy. The students build their own knowledge for themselves. However, not without help and limitations posed by us as educators. We still provide the limitations, but also allow for spontaneous learning - these conditions are perhaps the […]

Google Presentations is a tool I use in my small corner of education for pretty much everything BUT creating presentations. That said, I've seen some folks do some really GREAT things using presentation. My daughter's first grade teacher uses presentation for "Kid Quotes," and to share "Themes and Units" with the parents. A few years ago (3+) Tom Barrett and his 80+ interesting ways to... showed how a collaborative slide deck could be pretty cool even if the tool editor was lacking in cool.I can also remember the first time I saw the way that Chris Atkinson (#GCT) used it to deliver and share the nightly homework or project updates with parents a few years back; what a really great way to use this tool I thought. Then there are the teachers that have leveraged the "backchannel" aspect of the older version of the tool. A bit wonky at times, but still an early use of a backchannel tool and a great way to "view a presentation together"Now though, you can actually use Google Presentation for, ahem, Presenting. :)With updated themes and the new animation feature, it can allow for a much more aesthetically pleasing experience for the designer and for the participant.There are a bunch of new and really useful updated features available in Presentations like presentation view with speaker notes, an updated commenting feature, new themes, ability to upload .pptx files, easier collaboration UI, and a cleaner revision history. I wanted to share quickly the animation feature, as I believe this could unlock some creative-ness in learners looking to share or "animate" their slides. (Stop motion videos anyone?)mo.morsi.org (source)Quick Tips: The three ways to open the Animations pane:Select a slide. Then, go to the View menu and select Animations. The Animations pane will appear on the right side of your screen. Select a shape. Then, go to the Insert menu and select Animations. The Animations pane will appear on the right side of your screen. Right click on a selected shape and select Animate.Animation display order is the same order that they will appear, disappear, etc. You can slide them up and down to change the orderYou can delete them by clicking "delete" next to the entry.Keep in mind that there is no limit to the number of animations you can include in a slide, although I would adhere to some semblance of an enjoyable viewing experience for your audience. :)To learn even more about Google Docs features, tools, and latest nuances; join us at an upcoming Google Apps for Education Summit! Register now for the CA Google Apps for Education Summit July 12-13th in Santa Clara CA and the Rocky Mountain Google Apps for Education Summit August 2-3 in Boulder CO. Rocky Mountain Google Apps for Education Summit August 2-3 in Boulder CO.

In September we started a 1:1 Rollout of Chromebooks, initially to Year 12. This survey looks at their use in the first term as we plan for a 1:1 rollout into Year 10 at Easter.

  Finally we have ClickView (our digital video library) in Discover (FrogLearn’s search tool). This enables us to add any videos we have in ClickView (and we do have thousands of free to air TV programmes) into a Frog Site.  The process of adding videos is very quick - you simply search and then press use to embed it in the site. To see a video of this in action click here.

I'm taking a break from my #inbox0 series to talk about a great Docs tip I heard earlier this week. If you already know it, read this instead: http://xkcd.com/1053/Easing Formatting Whiplash when Converting a Word document to Google DocsAmongst the work I'm supposed to be doing recently, I've found myself brainstorming ideas for a workshop I've titled, "Google Docs for the Recovering Microsoft Word Addict." Actually, I haven't made it much past the title, but I really like the title, and I've been motivated to do more by less.While I don't know how far I'm going to make it on this workshop before the next shiny thing spins by my watering hole, I do have at least one tip to add right now:Word 97/2000 .doc as the Methadone for the recovering Word AddictUse a copy of Word to convert .docx files to .doc before importing for improved formatting conversations!Remember when Microsoft decided to make every previous version of Word obsolete by introducing the .docx file? For those of you that occasionally move between the MS/Word and Docs platforms (probably all of us) You may also know that .docx files don't always convert well into Google Docs. However, if you let Word do the conversion from .docx to .doc with a simple "Save As" You can expect to keep almost all of your formatting!In that troublesome .docx file go Save As, and then change the format from Word to Word 97-2004. Try to hum some REM while doing this. I'm not sure if it helps, but I'm hoping a little "What's the Frequency Kenneth?" will help your document get into character.Upload the new .doc file, and you are back on track!I will have more #inbox0 tips in the coming weeks, but sign up for the Rocky Mountain Google Apps for Education Summit and attend my series of Gmail management workshops!To learn more about Gmail and all the Google Apps for Education, join us at a Google Apps for Education Summit!Register now for the CA Google Apps for Education Summit July 12-13th in Santa Clara CA and the Rocky Mountain Google Apps for Education Summit August 2-3 in Boulder CO.

We have had quite a few questions about our 1:1 Chromebook Rollout. We currently have Chromebooks in Year 10 and Year 12 and plan to issue to these two year groups again next September to give us total coverage of all students in Key Stage 4 and 5 (around 750 machines). Here are some the common questions: Why did you pick Chromebooks? The key reasons for selecting these were: Cost - the price was significantly below other devices (iPad etc..) - we as a school met the whole cost and did not pass this on to students. Those who want to take their Chromebook home have paid a £40 deposit, but this is returnable when the student leaves. Ever6 / FSM students do not have to pay the deposit. Compatibility - Documents created in Google Drive could be opened on any other device, so this would be compatible with our existing staff laptops and desktops. Existing ICT - We already had very high use of Frog (our VLE) and Googgle Apps had been in use for around a year before the first Chromebooks were issued. Ease of Set Up - the initial set up is very easy (open box, log in) - so we could issue a lot very quickly - the first 130 were issued in an hour by one person to the whole of Year 12. We can also switch Chromebooks very quickly. Quick Boot Time - teachers can ask a class to turn them on and off as required - quick boot time means you are not waiting around in lessons. Our previous 1:1 Laptop programme in Sixth Form had huge issues with this - some machines were 10 minutes+ to log in. What issues did you encounter?  Year 12 were issued with minimal training and although the students did pick up their use very quickly - we decided to do 2 hours of training with Year 10 students on the same day they were issued and stagger this rollout to two classes a day (so it took us five days to complete). Screen Breakages - early on we had some screen damage (mostly caused by students lifting the Chromebook by the screen). We can replace screen in house and some training with students is reducing this issue. Use in lesson -  use in lesson still varies between subject and staff and we continue to monitor this and encourage use through staff training and sharing of good practice. For details on their use see the full Chromebook Survey. Compatibility Issues - we occasionally get issues when staff issue MS Word Documents / PowerPoints - which don’t always format the same in Google Drive. What machines did you issue? So far Year 12 and Year 10 have the original Samsung Chromebook. We have recently taken delivery of 60 Samsung Chromebook 2 (which seems to be a more sturdy machine) to be used by students in cover lessons when staff are absent. It is likely that we will use this machine in future. Our machines are supplied by C-Learning. Are you worried that students are not writing? So far we have not seen any evidence that this has happened. We have not removed exercise books in any subjects - in lesson the Chromebook is more a replacement for a textbook (as a source of information) than an exercise book. What about Printing? We have deliberately not installed a cloud print server in school - so the Chromebooks cannot print. We want to encourage electronic sharing of work rather than printing. If a student needs to print they can go along to a computer room or the libary and print off their work - this additional effort has reduced student printing.    

Woohoo! Graduate is credit is now available for the Google Apps for Education Summits.  One hour can be obtained from Adams State College for $55. Certificates of Attendance will also be made available to attendees.  Join us in Colorado on August 2&3 for the Rocky Mountain Summit.

Google Voice is a free service that works on Android, iPhone, and Blackberry devices. Some of the features that are offered by Google Voice are:One number. Make calls and send text messages from your Google Voice number.Voicemail transcription. Voicemails are automatically transcribed to text so you can read them like email.Free text messages. Send and receive text messages to numbers in the US and Canada for free.Cheap international calls Make low-priced international calls directly from your mobile device.Integration. Google Voice integrates with your device's native address book or Google Contacts.Custom greetings. Set up different greetings for different callers.Teachers can use a Google Voice number for parents without giving away their primary phone number. You can also easily create custom voicemail greetings for parents and a different greeting for students.  Educators can even put a call widget for a Google Voice number on their website!Recently Google Voice added another feature: two new groups for sorting callers into people in your address book and anonymous callers. This lets you further fine tune how you sort your calls. Ready for more with Google Voice? Point your phone to m.google.com/voice Then come to the Google Voice Session at the California Google Apps Summit!

With the HTML Widget now out for Frog Learn - I have been looking at what can easily be embedded into sites. Note - Only administrators can use this widget - so if your not an administrator you will need to get one to add the content for you.  Some HTML embeds seem to not play nicely with others - so I would go for only one on a page.. Here are some which seem to work in our platform: 1. Google Calendar - Great if like us you use Google Calendar across the school. To get the embed code, open Calendar Settings in Google and copy and paste the code to FrogLearn.   2. AudioBoo - This is great for recording short notes from lessons - You can embed a playlist straight into Frog - the embed code is available in the playlist title - this has a clear background so works best on sites with a white background - otherwise some text may not appear.   3. Issuu - Our prospectus and some of our media looks better using a digital publishing site like Issuu. After you have uploaded the file to Issuu  the embed code is under the document. 4. Spotify - If you need music in your site - then Spotify can give embed codes for individual songs or playlists.  Users will need a Spotify Account (can be a free account) to listen to the music.  Right click the song or playlist in the full Spotify app for the embed code. 5.  Rebelmouse - Puts Tweets or Facebook posts into Frog (and in our case gets around a social media block on the school site). 6.  Google Photos / Picasa Slideshows - works well when you get a lot of images back from a school event - we upload the images to Google Photos / Picassa - then embed a slideshow of all the images. Getting the embed code can be a little tricky, you need to go back to Picasa (for some reason this option is not in Google Photos -so go to https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/myphotos  or if you get the option press Go Back to Picasa) - where you can get an embed code for the slideshow (right hand side).   Phil Timmins has posted two list of sites to embed: 1. http://bytemeict.co.uk/5-things-you-can-embed-with-html/ 2.  http://bytemeict.co.uk/5-media-sites-to-embed-in-froglearn/        

During our initial planning discussions in preparation for the Google Apps for Education California Summit, our team committed to donating a percentage of the net income from the event directly to classrooms - specifically to put internet connected devices into the hands of students. We debated for some time whether these should be iPod Touches (because the $199 price point allows us to reach more students - and because their size means students will use them more) or perhaps Chromebooks (since these were the focus of the event). Happily, Google has since released the Nexus 7, the next generation Android tablet in a student-friendly 7 inch form factor - for only $199. We've now committed to donating 12 Nexus 7 tablets to a classroom. We're working with our sponsors and others to make this a full class set of 30 or more devices in the coming weeks.Google is only positioning these devices as consumer products at this point, but the EdTechTeam believes they have great potential for student use and would love to see how an innovative teacher facilitates this - and we'd love to learn more about what challenges this might present. We'd most like to see these placed in a 1:1 pilot program (either at the elementary level, or for a single class at the secondary level) that allows students to take the devices home with them on a daily basis.So... what would you do with a class set of Nexus 7 Tablets? Write up your proposal on DonorsChoose.org, and send us the URL of your proposal via the form below. Be sure to describe how students might use the devices in your class, and what you'll do to facilitate student use of the devices for inquiry and creation. On August 21, 2012 we'll select the winner of the first class set. And bonus... if you're not selected for funding by us, you'll already be setup on DonorsChoose.org, where anyone else can fund your proposal! We see this as a way to empower teachers to seek funding for far more classes than we could ever fund ourselves. Here are a few simple steps to get you started:*Step 1. Create a DonorsChoose.org account here: http://www.donorschoose.org/teachers/Step 2. Setup a project on DonorsChoose.org describing how you would use a class set of Nexus 7 tablets. Be specific about how students might use the device in your class. Also, be sure to price out the tablets (and any cases or other accessories you might need). You can learn more about the Nexus 7 here: http://www.google.com/nexus/#/7Step 3. Send us the URL of your project by filling out this form here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEdhdEVnTHZNeXlWWmRqb1BvWjZxU2c6MQStep 4. Start promoting your project elsewhere! Anyone can fund it, not just us!Please let us know if you have any questions about this project. We look forward to seeing your proposals on DonorsChoose, helping to fund them, and hearing about the impact these devices make in your classes.On behalf of the Google Apps for Education California Summit Planning Team (Chris Bell, Wendy Gorton, Jim Sill, Molly Schroeder, Lisa Thumann, Sean Williams, and myself), thank you to everyone who attended the summit and make this possible.-MarkUPDATE - iBallz has generously offered to provide iBallz Minis for every Nexus 7 we give away! So, there is no need to include the price of a case with your grant proposal on DonorsChoose.org!*UPDATE - It's come to our attention that the Nexus 7 is not in any of the DonorsChoose catalogs and that it may not work for new members of DonorsChoose to apply for grants outside the pre-approved catalogs. So, we have modified the form in step 3 above to allow you to describe your project directly on your form. If you are new to DonorsChoose (or do not yet have an account), this is probably the best option for you: proceed directly to step three and fill out the form. We can fund a request directly and we don't want DonorsChoose to hold anyone back. (That being said, we still believe it's a great tool for connecting donors and teachers, and we encourage you to join on your own to request other donations!)

So we currently have Pear Deck on Beta Test across the school - to go alongside our 1:1 Chromebook Rollout - which has now reached Year 10. Pear Deck is an "interactive lesson" system built in Google Drive.  It enables you to screen broadcast your presentation to the students, and add to this questions, text boxes and other activities.  I can upload a presentation and then at appropriate points add questions or activities for students to complete. Pear Deck tracks the results and enables me to save them in Google Drive. However the real genius of Pear Deck is the ability to do this unplanned. I can open a blank presentation and then invite the students to join me.  Then, using the toolbar at the bottom of the teacher screen I can simply launch activities based on a verbal question or instruction. With Chromebooks in the classroom I can dip in and out of questions and activities as required.  Here are some possibilities: - Asking students to read some extended text and summarise in a sentence (or two). Keep the responses hidden and then reveal. - Starting with a simple sentence and asking students to expand it, adding their own knowledge - to see who can come up with the most in a set time. - Agree / Disagree statements, where students place a dot on the line between one end and the other. - Locating countries / places on a map (this one needs an upload of a World Map) - students place the dot where they think the place is. - Similar activity with any photo - asking students to find something or simply identify what they consider to be the most important part of the image.  You can put a topical image in quite quickly. Example Pear Decks: Example Pear Deck Europe and UK