Showing posts with label Google Drive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Google Drive. Show all posts

Make a Copy of a Google Doc for Each Student... The Easy Way!

Last week at OC Taylor, three fourth grade classes were going to be completing their Plan, Do, Study, Act goal sheet for this semester.  The teachers wanted the students to complete it digitally using the PDSA template found in the GCISD Template Gallery.  The problem is... the gallery is fairly complicated to access from an iPad.  We decided to use a cool feature in Google Drive that works with any Google Doc, Slides or Sheets file.  Here's how it works:

1.  Every Google document has a unique URL that ends with the word "Edit".

2.  Change the word "edit" to "copy" in the URL bar and press Enter.

3.  When students access this URL, it will ask them if they want to make a copy.  They simply click the blue "Make a Copy" button and a copy will be created in their Google Drive account for them to edit!  (If they're not already logged in to their Google account, they will be asked to login before they get to the screen above.)

Tips for sharing the URL with students:
  1. Post the link to Edmodo or Google Classroom.
  2. Use a URL shortener like https://bitly.com or http://goo.gl
  3. Paste the link into your favorite QR code generator.  I like http://goo.gl (which also shortens the URL at the same time) or http://goqr.me.
  4. Install a browser extension so that it's just a click of a button to create the QR code or shortened URL.  I use Chrome and my favorites are the "goo.gl URL Shortener" and "The QR Code Extension".  More info about the QR Code Extension can be found HERE.  More info about Chrome extensions in general can be found HERE.
OC Taylor teachers shared the URL with students via this QR code (feel free to use it too!) and it worked great!









Student Learning Journal - Google Template

At the TCEA (Texas Computer Educators Association) Conference in February I learned about a great free template for students to use in their Google Drive account.  It's a student learning journal created by Tammy Worcester Tang.  This would be a great tool to help  students become self-regulated learners. 

The template can be accessed here: 
http://tammyworcester.com/student-learning-journal-template/ 


Students would click the link on the page above and login to their Google Drive account to create the journal in their Google Drive.  

Note:  On a computer, the link will automatically ask them to create a copy in their drive.  On an iPad, students will need to choose "Go to Spreadsheet View" and choose "Continue to Desktop Version".  Then they can choose FILE and MAKE A COPY to create an editable copy in their own drive. 

Once the copy is in their drive, students can edit it using the Google Drive app, on an iPad in Safari or by going to their Google Drive on a computer.  The spreadsheet has 4 tabs:  a cover page, Assignments (for tracking due dates), Journal (for recording "what I learned" reflections) and Class Notes.

Students can also share the document with the appropriate teacher(s) so that anything the student writes can be automatically viewed by the teacher.  







Leave Audio Comments on Google Drive Files with Kaizena!

Kaizena is a free resource that let's you leave audio comments, text comments or links to resources on Google Docs.  What a great way to give feedback to your students!  Students can share their work with you through their Google Drive account. Then you open the document in Kaizena (on a computer) and quickly and easily record comments.

Here's how to get started:
  1. Go to https://kaizena.com.
  2. Click Connect to Google Drive.
  3. Login to your Google account and click Accept.
  4. Pick a file from “My Drive” or “Shared with Me".
  5. Highlight desired section to add a comment.
  6. On the toolbar that pops up, click the microphone to add an audio comment, click the quote bubble to type comments or click the tag to add a resource (link to video, lesson, game, etc.)
  7. Send the comment to the creator by clicking their name on the left hand side.
  8. Choose to send via Doc Comment.
  9. When the student opens the document, he/she will get a link to listen to or view your comments in Kaizena.  (They will be asked to "Accept" the Kaizena to Google Drive link the first time they connect.)
Note: Kaizena works best on a computer.  Comments can be accessed on an iPad using Safari and "Desktop Version" following these steps:


  1. Open the document
  2. Tap the Edit button
  3. Tap the down arrow button next in the top right hand corner and select "Use Desktop Version".  
  4. Wait for the document to fully load and tap the Comments button.  Ignore the yellow bar warning about an "unsupported browser".
Kaizena will not work within the Google Drive app on an iPad.