Google Apps Follow-Up

Last week we gave an inservice on the potential uses of various Google applications for teachers and students. One of the teacher participant mentioned that it appeared Google was trying to create a seemless user experience to keep people within the "Googlespace". Little did we know how much of a reality this would be as Google announced it's new browser this week, Chrome.

Promising a smoother and more memory-efficient environment, we at Exploding Beakers are currently testing Chrome out. Chrome can be downloaded here.

We also know that graphic novels are a new area study for some schools and programs, and so we would recommend checking out the comic book that Google developed to explain how Chrome functions. What we liked about it was that it is a good example of how technical information can be communicated using the same techniques we usually associate with fiction. Check it out here.

Off and Running

Tomorrow we'll be at St. Brigid's School offering two professional development sessions for teachers: the first on video-conferencing and telecolloborating, and the second an introduction to Google Apps.

A brief outline is as follows:

Introduction to Video-Conferencing:
1. Brief overview of the two main uses of video-conferencing, the first as a chance to level the equality of access to different experiences, specifically bringing content to the classroom. Perhaps more rewardingly though, is the role that video-conferencing can play in furthering school-to-school projects.
2. The main system - our District chiefly uses the Polycom Video-Conferencing hardware and software, with stand-alone, portable, and desktop units in use at different locations.
3. The alternative - SMART's Bridgit software allows users to link up and share what's happening on their SMARTboard screens. Not really "video-conferencing" but collaborative all the same.
4. The potential alternative: Skype, or other voice-over-internet-protocol has the potential for some great one-to-one interactions.
5. Resources such as 2Learn.ca and www.CILC.org that promote video-conferencing and school-to-school projects.

Introduction to Google Apps
1. Setting up a Google Account and iGoogle.
2. Gmail, Google Calendar.
3. Google Docs - creating, sharing, collaborating on a document.
4. Blogger.
5. Google Lively.
6. Google Reader, RSS in Plain English as a metaphor for teaching in the 21st Century.