Congratulations on another year well done, OUESD!!   Thank you so much for all of your support this year.  I really appreciate all the kind comments and how much technology has been embraced.  Enjoy your summer, unplug and live in the moment, and tech on!!  🙂

Christina

OUESD Tech Adventures Challenge

At the beginning of this school year, 88% of our staff didn’t know their OUESD Google account existed and were not using Google apps with students.  Now, 70% report using it often and the majority feel that they have moved beyond “beginner” and are now intermediate, advanced, or expert users with each of the following Google tools:  Chrome Browser, Drive, Docs, Search, Slides, and YouTube.  It’s clear our students have learned TONS too- thank you!!!  It’s been fun to hear that so many of you enjoyed learning about Google to better help your own children and families navigate their tech worlds (tech is definitely not just an “edu” thing!).

There were 113 active participants in the Tech Adventures Challenge this school year who have collectively earned 411 badges!  It’s never too late to start!

The Tech Adventures Challenge does not close and is always accessible!  More adventures (including a bunch of non-Google ones, even Microsoft! We’re ready!) will be added when we return from summer break.  Thank you for the feedback on the survey!  I’ll look over that and make some tweaks to the program based on your suggestions.

All badges and prizes earned after today will accumulate and be delivered when we return (and any unclaimed Tech Hour prizes from this year can still be “redeemed” in the Fall).

About ½ of the staff reported that they plan on becoming Google Certified Educators sometime.  That’s great!  This leads us to….

Google Certified Educators, Level 1 and Level 2

If you’re considering becoming a Google Certified Educator, please take a look at this handy doc~

How to Prepare and Register for the Google Certified Educator Exams

When registering for your Google exam account, please enter my Google Trainer ID number (04741) if I have helped at all in your Google growth.

And before you sign up for either exam, please email me to find out if there are any discount codes being offered by Google.

For example:  If you register before June 11^th with the following codes, you’ll receive:

Which leads us to some other fun Google Events and News…

  Google PD Week

Google is hosting an online PD Week next week (June 5 – June 11).  I realize that it’s a very busy week for us next week, but everything will be recorded so you may want to check it out later.  Go to Google PD Week for more info.

Digital Citizenship Course

https://edutrainingcenter.withgoogle.com

This course is scheduled to launch on June 6 and will be located in the Training Center (under the Level 1 Training Course, it should be Unit 13).  I don’t know too much about it right now except that it should have some great content for teachers to teach digital citizenship (looks very promising!).  I’ll have an update for you on this after summer break.

  Introducing….Google Augmented Reality!

https://youtu.be/-DYqlaMWTVg

Google is bringing the Augmented Reality Experience to Google AR Expeditions!  This is new and Google will be visiting selected classrooms in the East Bay during the last few weeks in October to roll it out.  If we are selected (fingers crossed!), I’ll ask for some volunteers from each site.  Even if we aren’t selected for the initial roll out, it’s so cool just knowing what is on the horizon!

Google Expeditions

We are soooo close…. but not quite there…yet!  Google Expeditions are AMAZING and a couple OUESD teachers have been asking about them!  Unfortunately, they are not accessible on our Chromebooks YET.  Our make and model of Chromebooks is on their “planned” list, so it IS coming, just no ETA yet.  In the meantime, you can still explore Google Expeditions on your cell phones and some tablets at home (your own kids will be so impressed!).  Just download the Apple or Android app and follow the directions to get started.

  Google CS First Clubs (Coding using Scratch)

https://www.cs-first.com/materials

These are free, project based, complete lessons (including videos, lessons plans, and materials) for students or teachers to learn computer science (Scratch).

There are 2 sample activities (short and sweet) and Complete Themes (each designed to lead student clubs or classes through 8 projects introducing them to core computer science concepts:  Storytelling, Friends, Fashion & Design, Art, Social Media, Sports, Music & Sound, and Game Design.  Animation is coming soon).

Google CS First Curriculum (for Digital Literacy)

https://www.cs-first.com/en/apps

The CS First team produces free technology curriculum which uses instructional videos and creative projects to teach 7th-12th grade students digital skills, such as Google Applications (Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.) while practicing life skills like budgeting, researching, and collaboration. Through these projects students learn career readiness, 21st century skills and digital literacy.  The units lead students through complete lessons while learning Google skills (If-Then Adventure Stories; Research and Develop a Topic; Plan an Event; Guide to an Area; Plan and Budget; Technology, Ethics and Security).

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