Tuesday Tech Tip: Reading (and Annotating) Library Books in Your Browser

Yesterday, the Denver Post ran a front page article about the shift in Colorado schools from print to electronic resources (you can read it here).  While focus of the article was (unfortunately) textbooks, we wanted to follow up with a post about accessing books using a browser.

Since we're implementing Chromebooks across Cherry Creek Schools, we're using Chrome, but you can use any modern browser to read and interact with books from the library.

Borrowing Library Books to Read in the Browser

If you have a library card, you have access to books that you can read in your browser.  In our district, over 50 of our 60 schools have access to our district's OverDrive catalog, and any staff member in CCSD has access through our District Library & Media Services department.  Steps for borrowing a library book to read in your browser are below, but if you have a mobile device, you can also use various apps to read library books as well.

1. To read a book in your browser, log into your chosen library's OverDrive site and find a book (you'll need your library card number for public libraries).  If you're a CCSD staff member, your library card number is your employee ID, and if you're a CCSD student, your library card number is your student ID.
2. For any book, you'll see the available formats, copies owned by the library, and the book's description.  OverDrive READ is the browser version.  (Our district's OverDrive catalog often includes helpful information about a book, including lexile score, grade level, and interest area, but this information is not available for all titles.)  
3. If copies are available, choose the blue "Borrow" button.  If the book is already checked out, you can place a "Hold" and you'll receive an email when the title becomes available.   
4. Once you have checked out the book, you will see the option to "Read (in your browser)."  Selecting that option will take you to a new tab or window in your browser where you can read the book.
   
5. If you want to have access to the book when you're offline or without an internet connection, you can download the book onto a device (the "offline" copy will be on that device, but you can still use any browser with an internet connection to read the book).

Highlighting, Annotating, and Bookmarking a Library Book in the Browser

If you're reading an OverDrive book in Chrome (this also works in other browsers), you'll see a toolbar like what's pictured on the right.  This provides a linked table of contents, a list of any bookmarks, highlights or annotations, search capabilities, and reading preferences (like text size, font, and background).  The last icon on the right, the cloud, lets you also download the book for off-line reading; however, this "off-line" copy lives on the device itself.  You can still read the book in any browser with an internet connection.

 Holding the cursor on any word will bring up an embedded dictionary and the option to highlight in 3 different colors and add a note.

So, what happens after the book is returned to the library collection?  Those notes & highlights are actually saved for your library card #, so if you check out the book again at a later time, your notes, bookmarks, and highlighted content will be there.

Finally, don't forget about your local libraries.  In the state of Colorado, you can get a library card to any library, which gives you access to their electronic collection (I happen to have 7 different library cards!).   Now that we can access on any device, we can really encourge kids & adults to read more both on and off-line.

Tuesday Tech Tip: Using Voice Search in Chrome

Most computers and all current mobile devices today have built-in microphones, and one of the things you can leverage in Chome is voice search and actions.  Giving students the option to speak into the computer for searching or other activities (and hear a verbal response) could add a new dimension for learning, especially for students with accommodations, younger students who aren't yet proficient at the keyboard, students who are not native speakers, or students who just need another method of input.

For those who have used Siri on an iOS device, Chrome gives you similar functionality in a browser.   When you are in the basic Google search page in Chrome, look for the voice search icon, which looks like a microphone.  Clicking on it will activate your computer's microphone, and you can speak your search or action terms into the microphone (you may need to "allow" Chrome to access your computer's microphone).  You can also set it to speak the results of your search (see more info here).

So what types of things can you ask?  You can ask questions about trivia, the weather, sports, mathematical computations, events, translation, etc.  Google also recently released the beta extension for Google's Voice Search Hotword for Chrome.  This just listens for the phrase "OK, Google" and it initiates a voice search without having to click on the microphone icon.  You can get more information here or watch the video below:

While not extensive, voice search isn't limited only to Google Search.  One of our district-wide resources (Encyclopedia Britannica) also lets you use the microphone icon to speak in your search terms.

If you have a mobile device, you can also install Google Now (available for both Android & iOS).  In addition to voice search, Google Now also can give directions, alert you to flight changes, and it even suggests departure times for a Google calendar event based on current traffic.

While not yet a replacement for a fully-featured speech-to-text program like Dragon, voice search & actions could be a very useful tool for students using Chome & Chromebooks.

Tuesday Tech Tip: Using Schoology with GoogleDrive

With the Chromebook roll-out and the wider availability of classroom technology, it's a good time to remind our teachers that GoogleDrive is integrated into COLE 3.0/Schoology (our learning management system).

If you are logged into COLE 3.0/Schoology, you will notice something called "Apps" under the "Resources" pull-down menu.  When you select "Apps," you'll see GoogleDrive already added for you.  (While other apps are available for install, this is the only one we've added for all users.)

The first time you click on Google Drive, you will need to "Approve" access so that Schoology can pull up the list of documents in GoogleDrive.  Once you "approve," you won't have to do that step again.

After app approval, clicking on GoogleDrive will bring up a list of the documents and folders you have in GoogleDrive.  From here, you can also create or edit documents, spreadsheets, drawings, and presentations.  This could be useful in the classroom if you didn't want students to leave Schoology to work on a document or presentation.

To add a Google file, click on the "Add Resources" pull-down.  This will bring up a window that asks you to name the file first, and then it stores it into your Drive for you.  To find it, refresh your browser.  Schoology doesn't yet allow for search inside of Drive, but it organizes files by recently opened or edited.

Speaking of editing, if you want to edit an existing file in GoogleDrive, you have two options: you can either click on the name of a file in Drive and it will open it in a new tab or window for you, or you can use the settings wheel to the right of your doc list.  From here, you can choose to edit the file or you can delete it.  This simply brings you to GoogleDrive, where you can also share the file or publish it for the web.

If you want to add a read-only version to your course (kind of like a PDF), you can also check the box in front of a Google file and it will convert it into a docx version that students can view (or download) or that you can move into your personal resources area.  If you would like to add the Google file in its current GoogleDocs version (with updates and editing options), you can add a link to the file in Schoology instead of converting it to a read-only file.

If students will be submitting a GoogleDoc as an assignment (and you'd like it to be a finished version without later edits), they can also convert the Google file and save it into their Personal Resources area.  Once there, students can choose that version to turn in as finished work for any assignment given in COLE 3..0/Schoology.

Having these two services integrated should help teachers and students streamline their work when using both COLE 3.0/Schoology.  If you have more questions about using GoogleDrive with Schoology, contact your school's technology coordinator or your district Technology & Learning Coaches.

Tuesday Tech Tip: Extensions in Chrome

Jon recently blogged about web apps in Chrome (and using the Chrome Web store), but we also wanted to mention using extensions in Chrome.  Like web apps, you can find extensions in the Chrome Web Store (under the Extensions category).

While most web apps are links to web applications that run solely in a browser, extensions are things that add functionality to the browser itself. Many web apps can be run in browsers other than Chrome (like Google Docs, for example), but Chrome extensions only run in the Chrome browser.  Like bookmarks and apps, your extensions follow you -- and even install themselves -- wherever you log into the Chrome browser (signing into the browser is needed, though, to see any installed extensions).

What are some examples of extensions that might be helpful as a teacher?

• Clean.r is an extension that eliminates all of the clutter when showing YouTube videos so that only the video is visible (removes recommended videos, comments, and other items on the page).
• Readability is like Clean.r, except designed for text and articles.  If you visit a web page with  pop-up adds or other distracting elements, you can use the Readability extension to pull out only the article (text and images).  If you have a Kindle and create a Readability account, you can also send articles to your device in Kindle-ready format.
• Realtime Board is an extension (log in required, but GoogleApps accounts can be used) which creates a collaborative whiteboard inside your browser.  Realtime Board offers free pro accounts to teachers & students (must submit application).
• Presentation Remote lets you use a smartphone (app installation required on your mobile device) to control presentations in Prezi, Google Presentations, PowerPoint, Slideshare & Dropbox.   
• Save to GoogleDrive is an extension that is already installed for our users, but it lets you save web pages, images, videos, or other content directly to GoogleDrive.  Right-clicking on an image or video in a web page will bring up the "Save to Google Drive" option.  Or, you can click on the extension icon in your browser (to the right of the URL bar) and it will save the entire page to Google Drive.
• Chrome Speak will read text out loud (select text with your cursor and right-click to have it read aloud).  The computer voice isn't totally natural, but it's getting better.  (There are quite a few apps & extensions that provide this functionality).
• Google Dictionary is what is sounds like.  Double-click on any word and the definition will appear (along with an audio pronunciation of the word).  Several languages are available in addition to English.

If you notice that your browser seems slow or is acting up, you can always disable extensions in Chome by typing chrome://extensions/ into the address bar.  This will bring up all installed extensions.  Remove or disable them here.

Happy browsing!

Tuesday Tech Tip: How to Install Google Drive on a Dell Laptop

Installing Drive on your desktop allows you to save/upload files (.doc, .pdf, .ppt, .xcl, .jpg, .mp3, etc.) directly into your Google Drive just like you would with your H://username drive on the district server. The great thing about Google Drive is that you can access files anywhere, anytime, from any device, that you can collaborate on, share, create, edit, and more!


To install Google Drive on your Dell laptop:

1. Start by logging in to my.cherrycreekschools.org using your Active Directory information in your Google Chrome Broswer. (See right)

2. Once your Google Drive opens, look at the bottom of the left column for the option to "Connect Drive to your desktop. (See below) Select "Download Drive for PC." Then, choose the Google Drive icon from the icons presented. (If you don't see this icon, you can search for it by clicking on the magnifying glass at the bottom of the screen and typing "Drive".)
3. Now, the bar at the bottom of your screen should have a download called "googledrivesync.exe" Click on the download file to start the installation process.  (If you do not see the download file, you can always see recent downloads by hitting Ctrl+j and selecting it from the list of downloads that opens in a new browser tab.)


4. Enter your Cherry Creek email address and Active Directory password in the Sign In window that opens. This will be the account associated with Google Drive for your Dell computer. 

5. Complete the installation package instructions as they show up by clicking next as it appears in the window. 

6. Launch Google Drive for your PC from the Start menu. (See left) You can now drag files and folders from your H://drive, flash drive, desktop, or external hard drive into your Google Drive folder to begin syncing items to My Drive (part of Google Drive on the web). Remember, you can always access your Google Drive account by logging into my.cherrycreekschools.org. 

What Works for Me on Twitter: Lists

Does your Twitter timeline tend to overwhelm you from time to time?  Is someone posting random tweets that keep you from accessing the useful information you joined Twitter for?  Do you have a group of people that post tweets regarding a similar topic most of the time?  If any, some, or all of the above situations apply to you it's time to begin setting up some Twitter lists.

Many users aren't aware of this, but you are a mere few clicks away from way more control over what you see and when on Twitter.  Simply click on your settings wheel in the upper right hand corner of your Twitter home page and you're on your way to a less complicated and more valuable experience with Twitter.

The main Twitter list "pane" looks like this.

Click on the "Create list" button to get started.  Here are the options to choose from:

Give the list a name.  Add a description if it will help you or your audience know what information and/or who is included in the list.  Also be aware that the list you create can be private only to you or be shared with others.  Pro Tip: Explore the public lists of the people you enjoy following most to find other Twitter members you may like to follow as well.

If you ever want to go back to a list, rename it, edit the description, or make a private list public or vice versa, simply go to the list and click on the "Edit" button here:

 
Also, clicking the "Member of" button here,

will allow you to see which public lists other Twitter users have placed you on.  See who may be stalking you because you're awesome!

As seen in the images, I have two lists associated with the Twitter account I use professionally.  One list, titled "IT Team" is there to make sure that I don't miss any tweets the colleagues on my team posts.  I follow them in the traditional way, but if I'm not on my timeline at the right time I could miss an important tweet of theirs and I don't want that to happen.  The other list I created is simply titled "List."  I have reserved this list for a few people that I really want to follow, but they just post too much during the day.  This way I can still see their tweets, but now I see their tweets when I want to see them instead of when they post them.

There are many reasons to create a list on Twitter.  I was speaking from experience in my examples earlier.  Your reasons may be different than mine, but one thing we can agree on is that having a little more control over when you see particular tweets from particular people is a positive thing.

So this should hopefully get you started with lists.  Enjoy the new control you have over your timeline and let your more personal Twitter experience work better for you.

(For further information about the creation and use of lists on Twitter the great people at Edudemic have you covered.  Click here for a post about how to create Twitter lists and click here for some perspective on how to manage information from your PLN via Twitter lists.)

Note: This is a cross post from my CCSD blog, also under our district Google domain.  A link to my blog is here if you're interested in reading a little more about various topics.  Find me on Twitter here and visit and follow one, some, or all of my boards on Pinterest here.  Let's get connected! 

Copying Courses to Resources in COLE 3.0/Schoology

As some of our courses may be wrapping up (either because we're at the end of Trimester 1 or Quarter 1), it might be a good idea to make sure that course content has been copied to the Resources area in COLE 3.0/Schoology.  This makes it easy for teachers to use that same content for other courses that may be starting with a new grading term.

Unlike COLE 2.0/Moodle, once a course term ends, the course goes into "Archived" status in COLE 3.0/Schoology.  It doesn't go away, but it isn't available via the drop-down list any more.  A teacher can still access the course by going to "See all" under the Courses drop-down and then clicking on the "Archived" tab in the "My Courses" listing.  Students and parents, though, cannot access the course once it's been placed in the Archived area.

Best practice, though, is to have all course information and materials in the Resources area for later use.  If teachers have been placing materials into a course vs. Resources, s/he can copy all contents into either Personal or Group Resources.

In any course, a teacher can use the "Options" pull-down to get to the "Save Course to Resources" option.  If a teacher wishes to save the course content to a group for sharing with others, s/he can just select the Group as the destination.  After choosing a destination, a folder will be created in that location with all of the course content inside.

As we continue with the school year, it's best to build content in the Resources area instead of  a course as it simplifies this issue and makes copying to other courses or sharing with others much easier.