Switch On LEARNING!

Switch on Learning (description)

At the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board, we are Switching on Learning by integrating Google’s powerful ecosystem into every classroom. This blog is a dedicated space for sharing the ideas, methodologies, and digital tools that transform the modern educational experience. Our Digital Toolkit We empower educators and students by leveraging a robust, collaborative environment: Google Workspace for Education: Driving seamless collaboration through Docs, Drive, and Classroom. The Power of AI: Utilizing Gemini and integrated AI features to personalize learning and spark creativity. Data-Driven Assessment: Using MarkBook to track student growth with precision and transparency. The Process of Learning: Leveraging Revision History to emphasize growth, iteration, and the visible journey of a student's work. From interactive Chrome tools to digital storytelling, we aren't just using tech—we’re using it to bridge gaps, foster global collaboration, and future-proof our students' skills.

New Google Drive Feature - Cut, Copy and Paste thorugh keyboard shortcuts

New Google Drive Feature - Cut, Copy and Paste through keyboard shortcuts

Google Drive has implemented a new feature that allows you to cut, copy and paste using keyboard shortcuts. This makes it much easier to organize your drive withouth having to use the menus available thorugh right clicking on the file. To use these new features, simply navigate to the file in your google drive and click on it. Use the shortcut key cobination to cut, copy or paste the file.

NOTE:

When you use the copy function, the new file will be called "Copy of " plus the orginal file name

When you use the cut function, the file will be removed from the original location.

CUT: Press CTRL + X (PC) or CMD + X (MAC)

COPY: Press CTRL + C (PC) or CMD + C (MAC)

PASTE: Press CTRL + V (PC) or CMD + V (MAC)

New Google Meet Feature - Meets Ends After Five Minutes if Only One Participant

A new feature of Google Meet has been rolled out. With this new feature, if you are the only participant in the Meet for a period of five minutes, you will get a warning. In this warning you will be able to choose to leave the Meet or stay in the call. If you do not make a selection within 2 minutes, the Meet will automatically end.

If you do not want this feature enabled you can disable it in your Google Meet settings.

To do this:

Click on the “More Options” button on the bottom of your screen. This is the button with three vertical dots that is next to the “Hang Up” button.

Select “Settings”

Click on “General” and then turn the toggle off for “Leave empty calls”

Google Classroom Update - Post to multiple Classrooms

An exciting and long awaited updated to Google Classroom is now available. You now have the ability to post stream announcments, assignments, quizzes, questions and material to multiple classrooms.

When you are cretaing an item you will notice there are now checkboxes availble for you to select the classrooms you wish to post to.

It is important to keep in mind that when you post to muliple classrooms:

You can no longer select to post to individual students. The item will be visible to all students in each classroom that you select
If you are using topics, the item will post to the same topic in every classroom that is selected.

New Google Docs Pageless Format

NEW! Google Docs Pageless Format

In the latest Google Workspace update, Google has introduced the 'pageless' format in Google Docs. A pageless format means that your document will not have any pagebreaks, which allows for more flexibility in the creation of your document. This is a great option to use if you know that your doucment will be used for digital purposes only.

When your document is in the "pageless" format, any images or charts that you insert will now have scroll bars to ensure that it fits onto the document

Here is how you change your document settings to make it pageless.

1. From the top menu, click on File and then Page Setup

2. You will now see an option to select a Pageless format

3. You may also change the background color and select if you want the "pageless" mode to be your default, which means that any new documents created will be in the "pageless" format.

Once you are ready, press "Ok".

More information on the new "pageless" Google Docs format can be found here.

Google Workspace Updates - Originality Reports and Google Docs Watermarks

NEW!! Google Orginality Reports Update

Google Originality Reports is a tool available through the Google Classroom. This tool allows teachers and students to check for plagiarism on student work. Previously, this tool only worked with Google Docs, however, in the latest Google Workspace update, this tool will now also work with Google Slides.

Please see this document for more information on Google Originaliity Reports.

Watermarks in Google Docs

A watermark is an image that is superimposed behind the text of your document. A watermark can be used to identify the type of document . For example, you can use a watermark to identify a document as a "draft" or "final" version.

With the latest Google update, you can now insert text watermarks as well as images.

To add a watermark, click on Insert--> Watermark from the top menu.

You can choose to insert an image or text watermark by clicking on the tabs.

To insert an image watermark, simply click on the "select image" button to insert an image from your Google Drive or the web. You can also adjust the scale here.

For text watermarks, enter the text and then select your desired settings including font, size, transparency and direction (horizontal or diagonal)

The watermark can be changed later by clicking once again on Insert--> Watermark and selecting a new image. If you want to remove the watermark, you can click on the "Remove Watermark" text at the bottom of the Watermark window.

Google Slides - Students cannot insert youtube videos

Due to recent changes to Google user accounts who are under 18 years of age, students can no longer embed youtube videos into Google Slides presentations. Google is aware of this issue, however, has not comitted to a date when this will be fixed. In the interim, here is a workaround for students to insert videos into a Google Slides presentation.

1. Get an image of the youtube video using screen capturing tool.

2. Insert that image into the Slide show.

3. While the image is selected, click in "Insert --> Link". Use the URL from the Youtube video.

Althtough the video will not play within the Google Slides presentation, it will have a look that is close. The video can then be opened in a new tab.

New Google Meet Host Controls

Google Meet has launched some new host controls. You can now change the settings on your meet so that participants cannot turn on their microphone or their video. Once these settings are turned off, your participants will not be able to un-mute themselves or turn on their camera.

NOTE: This setting applies to ALL Meet participants. At this time, you cannot turn off this setting for individual participants.

To access this setting, click on the host control icon.

You will see the new settings under "Let Everyone"

Switch On LEARNING!