New England Google Apps for Education Summit

This weekend was the New England Google Apps for Education Summit (or GAFE Summit) at Burlington High School.  It was 2 days of all things Google and although I would consider our schools to be within the range of full adoption, I soon learned that there is so much we have yet to do with these tools.  Here are a few of my take-aways...

• ePortfolios with Google Docs and Sites -
  2 step process: 1) fill in google doc template with links to artifacts that are saved in a google folder 2) create a google site to link to and showcase the work.
  Use an ipod touch to document work and upload to G.Drive.
• Google Doc Scripts -
  Grading quizzes with Google Forms and floobaroo.com,
  ifttt.com,
  doctopus.com

• Informacy (see post on Daniel Russell's Keynote presentation)
• My Map Editor app to edit Google Earth maps on iPads
• Youtube.com/editor to add captions and edit videos.
• Convert your voice dictation to text in google docs.
• www.wdyl.com-  What Do You Love?
• So much we can do with Google Forms!
• Teach kids and teachers Ctrl/Cmd-F!
• td;lr means too long, didn't read [frown]
• Meta Literacy - being literate about being literate. Must know how to find what we don't know.
• The longer it takes to search, the less accurate you are.
• 4 R's: Reading, 'Righting, 'Rithmetic, Research

What Does it Mean to be Literate in the Age of Google?

This morning's keynote speaker at the New England Google Summit at Burlington High School was Dan Russell of Google.  This keynote was fantastic! I wish every teacher was in the audience, too.

His essential question for the day was "What does it mean to be literate in the age of Google?"

Here is the link to his slides, which don't do the session justice as Mr. Russell was brilliant in building the case for all of us to become expert searchers and researchers.  We must all become literate in informacy (like numeracy).  Over lunch (yes, we got to have lunch with him!) he said he plans to make a video of his talk to go with the slides. I will be sure to post it as soon as it is available.
For now, you can watch Mr. Russell present at Princeton University.  Note: there is an issue with background audio buzz but one can hear Mr. Russell.

Mr. Russell has created a MOOC course on Power Searching so he can reach hundreds of thousands of people, rather than just one auditorium at at time.  I recommend that you check it out.

Google also has resources to help build these vital skills. Try the Google A Day Challenges.