New Google Sites: Sometimes Simpler Is Better

I will openly admit that I was not a fan of the "Classic" Google Sites (that's Google-speak for the old version of Google Sites). I know I am supposed to be a techie person, but I just found it clunky to use and felt like I was on a scavenger hunt every time I was looking to edit something. Granted, there were quite a few options for how I wanted my site set up, but the user-UNfriendliness of the site turned me away.

So far, my experience with the new Google Sites released at the end of November, is pretty much the exact opposite. It may have a lot fewer bells and whistles, but that, in my opinion, is made up for in ease of use and practicality for the busy teacher.  I am highlighting 3 of the things I like about the new Google Sites in this blog, but the "Classic"Sites is still going to be around for a while yet if you decide the new version is not for you. Be aware, however, that there is currently not a way to convert between the 2 versions, so you might want to consider starting with something that is not high-stakes.


1. It is EASY to edit!
To get started, you just have to select what you want to do on the navigational menu to the right, or (I found out by accident) by double clicking on the page to bring up a smaller round version of the menu.

You can select to add text, add an image, add a URL link, add an item from your Drive, or upload an item directly to the page. You can even embed items directly to your page with a click or two. Additional pages on your site can be seen by clicking on the Pages tab at the top of the large navigational menu, or you can check out the different themes available by clicking on the Themes tab.

 
Uploading items from your Google Drive is super simple, and while you can still create links to your items the old fashioned way, you can also load a scaleable version right to the page. The options on the page are very drag and drop oriented. You can even drag some items right from your desktop to the page, and rearrange by moving items around where you want them.


















2. It can make you look good!

Even those of us who are design-challenged, can make a site that is relatively clean looking and visually appealing with little effort. While you don't have a lot of font or theme options, this can actually be a good thing. The theme-based design format provided helps you set up a theme and then only allows you to choose fonts and components within that theme. So, for those of you that just don't know when to stop and end up adding 13 different fonts and 6 different backgrounds to the same document, consider yourself reined in. Once you play around with your options a bit, you are bound to find a combination that is aesthetically appealing and still easy to navigate.

Four section options based on theme.

Four text options for each section of text.

I would provide one cautionary bit of advice, however. The ability to put complete documents on your page is definitely a benefit, and while it helps share immediately what you want to communicate, you might not want to do this with every document or your page will get extremely long. You can alleviate the issue by simply creating an old-fashioned link to some of the items or by creating separate linked pages to display different groups of items.

 3. It is EASY to publish and display!

When it comes time to publish, the new Google Sites is just as easy as it is to edit. Actually, it is easier. Just click on the Publish button at the top and you will be walked through your options. Once again, they are pretty simple and streamlined, so it is quick and painless. And BONUS... your new sites are now stored in your Google Drive so they are easy to find when you want to edit them!

Another positive for the new sites is that it is designed to automatically adjust the display for optimal viewing on phones, tablets, and large screen devices. It even allows you to see how your page will display on each of the devices in the preview menu. 

While I wasn't completely sold at first, I have quickly decided that the new Google Sites is a good move. I am definitely a fan of having a lot of options in creating useable technology, but in my opinion, the ease of use and cohesion of options in the new version more than makes up for the minor limitations. 

I have recently helped a couple of teachers use new sites in their classes and they seem to like it, but there's only one way for you to decide if it works for you. Give it a shot and see what you think. As always, don't hesitate to chat with one of the instructional coaches if you have any questions or ideas you want to pursue. We love to help!

Here are just a few example sites to spark some ideas how you can use the new sites: 

Click here to view a simple site with lots of images that was put together to introduce Google Arts and Culture to teachers.

Click here to view a site put together by Tracy and I to provide easy access tech resources to students.

Click here to view a site put together as a portfolio for my master's work. The pages are not populated yet, but the skeleton is there. This format would work really well for teaching portfolios.

Duh! Keep It Simple for Engagement

Anyone in education that tells you student engagement is not a constant battle is delusional.

That may sound a bit harsh, but, come on, we have all been in the trenches long enough to know that students are never the same, and they never respond the same way. What works for one group one year sometimes fails miserably the next year. Not to mention, in each class you may have different reading levels, attention spans, behavioral plans, multi-grade classrooms (high school and elementary), and a whole host of other variables. 

It is not easy (understatement of the year).
It kind of reminds me of this commercial:

So, what do we do about it? I love this question, by the way, because if we are asking it, that means we have moved beyond the complaining and commiserating stage to the problem-solving stage where stuff gets done.

It has been one of my professional goals to focus on engagement this year. I have spent quite a bit of time searching for those "magical" strategies that will solve all our problems, but, surprisingly (sarcasm, in case you could't tell), they don't seem to exist. What I have found, however, is that there are lots of effective options out there. Better yet, most are SIMPLE! In fact, I think that is why we tend to overlook them so much. After all my time spent searching for amazing new strategies and techniques for engagement, I finally came to a DUH! moment in an online class I am taking.

What was this amazing revelation? 
Quit searching for a magic bullet and start implementing some simple, yet effective strategies to start building engagement A BIT AT A TIME instead of expecting miracles. 



I am sure you have seen some of these strategies used at PD sessions or trainings. You know the ones I am talking about. They are the ones I admittedly grumble about when the presenter gives the instruction to get up and discuss your thoughts with a peer, or give an example of how you could use this in your classes. I secretly roll my eyes (at least I hope it's secretly) because I am perfectly content in my seat and don't want to get up. 
But, you know what? It's effective. I DO get up and start discussing the prompt. I DO start thinking about how I can use the idea in my classroom.
I AM ENGAGED. I may not like it at first, but it does get
easier, and it doesn't even seem so annoying anymore because we start to have great discussions, and I start to make connections.  

DUH! That's where we need to start with our students. 

I am totally overthinking this!

You are probably even using some of these strategies already. But, if you are like me, sometimes we just get so wrapped up in getting the lesson moving that we forget to throw in a 3 minute engagement check now and then. I even think posting some of these strategies on a wall in the classroom would be a good idea to remind myself to periodically reign back in those students a bit too comfy in their seats.


Below, I am including some simple, yet effective, engagement strategies that are extremely easy to implement and will help gently nudge our students into higher engagement. Some students may like them immediately. Some may roll their eyes, but, hopefully, they will connect a bit more with the lesson, and it will start to become routine for students to engage the more you use them. I weeded through 43 strategies on these neat Strategy Cards, to compile a list of 
SIMPLE, YET EFFECTIVE ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES 
that could be easily implemented in almost any class. If you are looking for more, you will definitely want to scan through the other engagement strategies mentioned as well. I love how they not only explain the strategy, but also give examples for differentiation and variation.

Feel free to share some of your favorite simple, yet effective strategies with colleagues in the comment section below!

Measuring Growth

When my son Scott was a toddler, he would grip the windowsill of our farmhouse, stand on tippy toes, and peer out the window to supervise farming activities. Grandpa, who lived in town but worked on the farm, took great pleasure in monitoring Scott’s growth through the window. First, just the top of a tiny head and bright eyes were visible. Before long, the toddler grew and a wide grin revealed itself to the outside world while little hands pressed against the pane. Grandpa and the little overall-clad boy shared a common goal; both were waiting for Scott to reach a size suitable for tagging along and helping with calf chores. The window made measuring progress toward that goal easy.

Wouldn’t it be great if we had a window that allowed us to monitor the academic growth of our students? One online tool that may prove valuable is Formative. While there are many online formative assessment tool options, Formative has several advantages. Teachers may integrate images, videos, audio recordings, and even embed learning tools in Formative. Check out an introductory video here.

In addition to multiple choice, true/false, and short answer, responses may include drawings and uploaded images. Students like that they sign up using their Google accounts and appreciate the clean, clear interface of Formative. Quizzes may be taken by simply entering a Quick Code, which is easy for younger students; however, the creation of classes makes saving and exporting results possible. Quizzes may be assigned to selected classes, and Formative will automatically score most types of questions.

Tools within Formative allow teachers to override scores and provide immediate written feedback while watching live results. Student names may be made invisible to project an answer to discuss with a class.

Learn about these features and more on the Formative community page, which includes excellent, short video tutorials.

You just may find that Formative provides a window through which to view students’ academic growth. Contact me or another instructional coach if you would like assistance getting started.

How do you measure students’ progress toward a goal and provide feedback? How do your students track their own growth? Add a comment if you have a tip to share.