How To Create a Kami Assignment in Google Classroom

 How To Create a Kami Assignment in Google Classroom

 

For years, I have championed DocHub as a free tool for marking PDFs in Google Drive and Google Classroom. Kami was been around for a while now and is an alternative to DocHub and is generally liked by most people who use it. Both perform a similar role as well as integrate with Google Classroom. Though a Doc Hub fan, I would encourage people to use Kami if that is what they prefer. If interested in taking a look at Kami, take a look at the steps below for creating a Kami assignment within Google Classroom. Click here to add the Kami Chrome extension to your browser.

Step 1: In the Google Classroom Create button, select Kami assignment. If you don't see this as option, notify whoever is in charge of your GSuite domain and ask them to push the Kami app to teacher and student accounts.

Step 2: Wait for the Kami assignment window to pop up.

Step 3: Select the Classroom into which you want this Assignment to be assigned.

Step 4: Select which students within that Google Classroom you want to be able to access the Assignment.

Step 5: Decide whether or not you want this Assignment to be published immediately or save as a draft to be edited and or published later.

Step 6: Add your title and instructions. Then click the Google Drive button at the bottom left to add a PDF file from Drive. You have the option of clicking the "paperclip" to attach a PDF saved on your computer.

Step 7: Search Drive (or your computer's files) for the PDF file. you want to attach and have students mark using Kami.

Step 8: Before clicking Assign, determine whether or not you want to check the box that says "Send Kami instructions to students". This will attach an extra document to the assignment that students can read to learn how to mark the text with Kami and turn in to Google Classroom. This is optional for you, the teacher.

Step 9: Click Open in Classroom to view the Kami assignment in Google Classroom.

Step 10: Review your Kami assignment and make sure you've set it up the way you want. If you want to edit, click the three dots in the top right corner of the assignment and select Edit. 

The video below shows you step by step how to set up everything shown in this blog post. 

Use Links to Google Classroom Assignments in the Stream

 Use Links to Google Classroom Assignments in the Stream

 

In a distance learning environment, a consistent line of communication and reminders between teacher and student is extremely important. Like us teachers, kids are overwhelmed. Any way we can help them stay up to date and reminded of classwork is useful. 

One way is to post reminders for assignments in the Stream of Google Classroom. Students will receive an email when an announcement or assignment is posted, and even a notification on their phone if they have the app. If you've assigned an activity due days in the future, send students a reminder in the Stream. In that reminder, you can paste a link to the actual assignment so kids don't have to go into Classwork and search for the assignment. All they have to do is click the link in the reminder and they're taken right to it.

Here is how to set this up.

Step 1: Go to Classwork tab, click the "three dots" in the top right corner of the assignment. Select Copy link.

Step 2: Once the link is copied, go to Stream tab and start announcement. Type a message reminding them of the due date, etc. Then paste the link into the announcement and click Post.

On the student end, it will look like this when they open the notification or email. The student will click on the link in the announcement and they will be transported directly to the assignment without having to fishing through Classwork to find it.

As a student, I would read the instructions and complete the task.

For Students: The Basics of Composing and Sending an Email to Your Teacher

For Students: The Basics of Composing and Sending an Email to Your Teacher

More than ever, students are using email to communicate with teachers. Regardless of email service, Gmail, Outlook, etc., students often lack the basic skills of sending an email to a teacher. Many times, their emails contain characteristics of text messages and direct messages on social media platforms. 

On many occasions, students will compose the entirety of their message in the subject line. To help with this, start by explaining to students that email is a formal form of communication. This will be essential when they enter the workforce. A tip I give students is to treat an email with the same care they take when writing an essay. Remind them to spell to the best of ability as well as follow grammar rules. I remind students that email communication is different than text or direct messages. On those platforms, grammar and formality is not expected, but in email, it is.

Below is a series of screenshots that show the "basic" anatomy of composing an email from student to a teacher. Feel free to share these images with students.

When emailing a teacher within a school or district domain, there is no need to have email addresses memorized. By typing the teacher's last name, the address will appear in a drop down menu for the student to select.

Remind students of the importance of the Subject line. This is like a "Main Idea" of the message. Messages without a "Subject" are less likely to be read and more likely to be treated as Spam or ignored. Be very clear that this is NOT where you type the entirety of the message.

Let students know, below the Subject line is where they compose their message and use their best grammar.

There is much more to email than discussed in this blog post. This post is meant to address the bare bones basics of composing and sending an email from students to teachers. Once they get the basics, we can then focus on some of the more advanced features of composing and sending emails.

After Hours: Schedule Your Emails

Since this distance learning journey began, we have found ourselves working harder and longer than ever before. Often times, our commitment to student learning has us working late at night during the week and on weekends. Sometimes, we have an idea that we want to communicate ASAP before we forget. These are things I am guilty for sure, and I know I have annoyed some coworkers with emails at odd hours and on weekends. 

To combat this, Gmail has a scheduling feature built right in. The next time you have that great idea or file you want to share after hours or on weekends, schedule the email to be sent at a time within contracted hours. Take a look below on how to do this.

Step 1: Compose your message, but instead of clicking Send, click the little arrow next to Send.

  

Step 2: When Schedule send appears, click it. 

Step 3: Choose one of the preset times or click Pick date & time to send at an exact date and time of your choosing.

Step 4: Click Schedule send when ready.

If you have any questions and would like a follow up, contact me via Gmail or Hangouts at ajuarez@techcoachjuarez.com. If you would like to unsubscribe from this blog, go to bit.ly/tcjinbox.

How Students Properly Answer a Question in Google Classroom

 

The Google Classroom Ask Question feature is a very versatile tool. It can be used to check for understanding and engagement on an asynchronous lesson video. It also can be used to conduct a threaded academic conversation similar to what college students do on Blackboard and Canvas.

One common issue with the Ask Question feature is that kids often forget where to type their answers. Many times, students will type their answers in the Class Comments section below the question.

The screenshots below show students where to click and type when answering a Question in Google Classroom. 

Step 1: Go to Classwork, click on the Question and then click View question

Step 2: Type answer where it says "Your answer" in top right corner. Do not type answer where it says Class comments. 

Step 3: When done typing answer, click Turn in.

Step 4: If participating in a threaded academic discussion, click See classmate answers.

Step 5: You will be able to see all classmates' answers. Below each answer is a Reply button. Click it to reply to classmates' answers.

If you have any questions and would like a follow up, contact me via Gmail or Hangouts at ajuarez@techcoachjuarez.com.

Tech Coach on Call Schedule for Fall 2020

 

Starting Monday August 24, I will have regularly schedule hours for edtech coaching support via video call. On Thursday August 20, I sent all teachers calendar invites for my availability. These calendar events will repeat weekly through Thanksgiving. The image below shows how to access my schedule and video call link in your Google Calendar provided you've accepted the invite.

In addition to the calendar invites, each weekday morning, I will be emailing a reminder with the link to join my virtual on call office hours. The image below shows what the email will look like

To simplify it for you, I will be using the same link each day. It would be a good idea to bookmark it in Chrome and click the link when you need help during my schedule hours. The video below shows how to access the link via Calendar, email and how to bookmark it in Chrome.

If you have any questions and would like a follow up, contact me via Gmail or Hangouts at ajuarez@cojusd.org.

Flipgrid's New Look

Over the summer, Flipgrid made a few stylistic changes. Most are cosmetic, but some of their terminology changed. In the past, you created a Grid for each classroom. The Grids page has been renamed Discussion. Grids are now called Groups. The functions remain the same.

Topics are still the same. The difference is that you have separate tabs for Topics and Groups. The Topics tab (below) allows you to see all of your Topics regardless of the Group in which it was posted. The Groups tab (above) is like the old Grid tab where you see all your Groups and you can click on a Group to see what Topics you created in each Group.

When you create a Topic, they streamlined the process. The new format is much less busy and more user friendly. The best part is that they moved the Video Moderation button up higher. In the past, this button was buried far down the page and you had to scroll down to find it. This button is key when deciding whether or not you want kids to see each other's posts.

As Flipgrid, and other apps continue to update, stay tuned to this blog to stay abreast of these changes. If you have any questions about the content of this blog post or would like a live demonstration or support, please contact me via Gmail or Hangouts at ajuarez@cojusd.org.