Tuesday Tech Bits!

Uploading Microsoft Docs and Slides to Your Google Drive:

Many people use Microsoft Office products like Word and Powerpoint to create docs. Then they use their Google Drive as a storage place for those Word and PPT files.  This is understandable, but takes away some of the best reasons for using your Google Drive- to share and enable collaboration with others! 

 So, here is how you can upload your Word document (or Powerpoint presentation), but also enable the features to make it collaborative, so that others could comment or edit, if you choose to allow them to!  It also is great to do this if you want to use the document or presentation in Google Classroom, so you can allow each student can have their own copy of what you have created.

1.  Open your Google Drive.

2.  Click on the "Settings" icon on the far right, and choose "Setttings."

3. Check the box to indicate that you want the format to be Google format and click "Done."

4.  Now, when you want to upload a Word doc or Powerpoint presentation, it will be uploaded as an editable Google Doc or Presentation.  You do this by clicking the blue "New" button and choosing "Upload file."  Your file will convert automatically, sometimes with some minor changes.

Best of all, you can now share this with others and collaborate to get the best doc or presentation, without emailing copies back and forth, or storing everything on a USB stick.

You can also share to Google Classroom using "each student gets a copy." 

My Monday Motivation!- Stories from the Classroom!

Welcome to my new blog feature!  I'll be highlighting teachers across the district that share what their "Monday Motivation" is- something or someone that helps motivate and inspire them.

What's your Monday Motivation this week?

 "My Monday Motivation this week is getting to work with my UIL team.  I am the coach for the Third Grade Spelling team, and we are off to a great start.  I love that so many students have scored really well already!"  

- Mary Berger
3rd Grade ELA Teacher

"My Monday Motivation is getting to spend    time with a student who is working on improving his ability to show self control in class.  It's great to see him work towards a 

goal, and achieve it."

-Laurie Bogner, 

CIS/JSE Math and Science CLL

"My Monday Motivation is being able to      

do labs with my students.  They always 

enjoy the hands-on lessons because they

get to be scientists, observing and measuring.

They get to talk out what they are 

experiencing."

- Lynde Phillips, Biology and AP Biology Teacher

New School Year, New Blog Format!

It's time to switch things up with my blog!  In the past, I've mostly just posted information about our district Tech Challenges, but this year I'll be using this blog to communicate about technology tools that are currently being used in our district, and to also highlight and introduce tools that would be a good fit for best instructional strategies in your classroom.

Packing Up Your Google Drive "Stuff"

It's that time of the year when teachers and staff begin to make changes for the next school year.  It's especially important in these digital times that you prepare and pack up your digital content as well as all the books, supplies,gadgets, decorations, and those precious notes and pictures.
If you are leaving your school district, follow these three steps to take your Google Drive files with you to your next district.

Follow these steps to make the transition as smooth as possible!

Any files in your Google Drive that you created, you own.  That also means that if a Google doc (sheet, preso, etc.) is owned by you, and you want someone in your school or district to be able to keep using that doc, you need to transfer ownership.  You can also transfer ownership of folders.
Watch this video to see how to complete this step.

If you want to keep any files that someone shared with you, you should make sure you have chosen the icon "Add to My Drive" near the top of the doc.  You can only move Google Docs that are actually in your Google Drive, not just shared with you.
Watch this video to see how to complete this step.

Next, you can follow the directions located here, in the section called "Copy and Transfer Your Files."  If you don't have a Gmail account, you need to make one so you can complete the transfer.  If you are going to work at a district that has G-Suite for Education, and you already have a district email, you can transfer from your current district Google Drive to the Google Drive associated with your new district.
Click here to see how to complete this step.