Category: Technology

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Amp Up Your Google Doc With Video

There is no need to convert a Google Doc to a Google Slide for the sake of being able to show a YouTube video from your main file. Follow the steps below to see how your text heavy Google document gives students the ability to watch a video as an overlay on the document while still being able to view the text document.

  1. Copy the URL from the address bar above the YouTube video.
  2. Highlight the text in your Google Doc that you want to link the video from.
  3. Select the “link” button in your toolbar.
  4. Paste in the URL then click apply.
  5. Click once on the link you just created. A YouTube video will appear below the link.
  6. Click on the video to open it in a larger view. It will appear and play over your Google Doc. You can scroll your document while watching the video.

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YouTube Without Everything Else

You’ve found a good YouTube video to share with your students but you’re concerned about the distractions with ads, comments, and suggestive videos that follow. Here is a technique that will give you the video and only the video.

  1. Go to the YouTube video.
  2. Take the URL of the video from the URL address bar at the top (not from the share link below the video).
  3. Add a hyphen in the word youtube.

See for yourself that it really works. Here’s an example.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZzPLdAWKOE

www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=SZzPLdAWKOE

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GoFullPage

Screenshots are great for making tutorials or adding visuals to lessons, but have you ever needed to capture a screenshot of an entire webpage?

GoFullPage is a Chrome extension that will allow you to do just that – capture an entire webpage and then download it as a png file or a pdf file. Chrome extensions may be monitored and controlled through the technology department. If you have difficulty obtaining this tool from the Chrome Web Store, then contact technology for approval. I share this because it may be something you want for your personal use.

screencapture-sanderson-blogs-ccps-us-2020-11-05-11_01_25Download

The link above is a sample of my webpage saved as a pdf.

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Picture-in-Picture Chrome Extension

Are you a multitasker with numerous windows open on your desktop? How would you like to watch videos in a floating window that remains on top of all other windows so you can keep an eye on what you’re watching while interacting with other sites, or applications?

This is even a nice thing to use for calming, stress-reducing videos. Yes, you can play them in the background without the extension but some of the calming videos have live motion, like a waterfall, a creek, the rain, etc. Give it a try! Add the Picture-in-Picture chrome extension by Google and then find your video. Click on the PiP extension in the top right area of your Chrome browser to activate and you are in business.

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TeacherMade Converts Paper Files to Interactive Files

I have been asked many times, how can I make my pdf into a fillable form? Or, I have this worksheet that I want to scan and have my students digitally enter in their answers. How can I do that easily?

Well, Laura Bresko, a former K-12 school teacher has developed a free service for teachers that does that and even more. How about having those interactive, fillable forms be gradable? Yes, you heard right. These converted files can be graded for you. Imagine that! And all for free, too. Even after COVID.

Go to: TeacherMade.com and sign up with a Google account. Laura is currently working on having her service integrate with Google Classroom, therefore it is suggested you use a Google account to sign up. In 2021, Laura will likely be offering full integrations with LMS’s like Canvas, Schoology, itslearning, etc. Click features to compare TeacherMade to Google Slides.

Thanks Mel for sharing. This is a game changer!