Chrome Updates

Chrome Updates

Blog Google tips

Sunday Sit, Sip, and “Sync” ~ May 3, 2015

We highly recommend using the Chrome browser,
especially when working in Google Drive and Google Classroom.
It is important, though, to frequently check for updates to keep Chrome running smoothly and efficiently.
Our tip for this Sunday will help you complete that process in just a few minutes.

On the upper right-hand corner of the Chrome Toolbar, you’ll find a “Customize and Control Google Chrome Icon”.
This is a square made up of three horizontal bars. Click on that and you should see this menu:

Chrome Update 2

If your browser needs updating, you will find the “Update Google Chrome” message.
Clicking on the message will launch this window:

Chrome UpdateAfter you click on “Relaunch”, your Chrome browser will close, update, and reopen with the same tabs that you had before you updated.

Once the update has completed (and this takes about a minute), the menu should now look like this:

Chrome Updates 5

Click on the “About Google Chrome” bar,
and Chrome will once again check for updates.
With the update that was just completed,
it will only take a few seconds for the update check to run resulting in this message:

Chrome Update 4

We recommend checking for updates on a regular basis to keep Chrome running smoothly for you and your students.

Another beautiful day is promised for Central Illinois,
and we hope the same is in your forecast.
One more tip is to find some outside time with family and friends.

We would also like to highlight last week’s post if you missed it.
We are heading to EIASE once again this summer to host our own workshops.
If you haven’t already registered, we invite you to follow this link to do so online.
We’re featuring Google Classroom, iPad workshops, and general technology integration in your curriculum.
Each session is two hours long, and we promise to jump right in and give you what you need to get excited about next year!

[Tweet “Our tip includes a “how-to” with Google Chrome updates to keep your workflow running smoothly…”]

Quicker QR Codes

Quicker QR Codes

classroom management tips

Sunday Sit, Sip, and “Sync” ~ March 22, 2015

We are finding more and more of our teachers are adopting the use of QR codes to direct their students to resources and activities. If you are using Mozilla Firefox as your browser, there is a little add-on that can speed up generating your QR codes. By enabling the add-on, “QR Code Image Generator” by webdevmedia, you only have to right-click and scroll down to find your generator. This add-on will allow you to make QR codes of the current URL, selected text, or “free text”.

Quicker QR Codes
It also works offline.
If you prefer shortcut keys, just press CTRL-SHIFT-Q. 

Quiicker QR CodesQuiicker QR Codes

You no longer have to search for QR code generators or go to your bookmarks.

I took a substituting job last week, and the teacher had developed an activity for a math center. After students completed a worksheet on fractions, they used their iPods to check their answers using the QR codes next to each problem. Who doesn’t love to see the “fist pumps” and to hear whispered, “Yeses!” when our students scan the codes that lead them to a correct answer?
Just another way technology can motivate students to learn.

NOTE:
Oh, and I looked up the spelling of the plural form of “yes” and learned from several sites that either “yeses” or “yesses” are acceptable.
And the plural form of “no”? That would be”noes”.

Have a great week!

[Tweet “With this Mozilla Firefox add-on, generate QR codes quickly within your browser and while working offline.”]

Good-bye iGoogle…

tips

Sunday Sit, Sip, and “Sync” ~ 7-8-2012

It’s official.

iGoogle will be retired on November 1st, 2013,
and one of my “homepages” will be gone.

In 16 months, I’ll say “Good-bye” to iGoogle.

Good-bye to All of my iGoogle Apps:

  • My “Moon Phases App”,
  • My BIG “Date App”,
  • “Gmail App”
  • “Twitter App”
  • “To-do App”
  • “Google Calendar App”,
  • “Facebook App”,
  • “Now Showing Flixter App”,
  • “Swimming Koi App”,
  • AND my “Beach Theme”.

(Make sure you click on that image to get a CLOSE view!)

I have plenty of time to prepare and, in fact, have already started.

 Say “Hello” to Chrome.

“If Chrome was a man
…I would marry him.”

Well, not exactly.

At least not me.

It was something I heard at EdCamp-Chicago from an IT person at a high school where they not only use Chrome as their “go-to” browser, but have adopted 1-to-1 Chromebooks for their students and staff.

This piqued my interest,
and after I returned from Chicago,
I downloaded Chrome and began looking at it carefully.

And played.

With each new tab, my “homepage” was designed.

I visited the “Chrome Store” and chose the apps that I most often use.

And I shopped the themes.

Chrome isn’t my only browser,
not at all!

But when I need something a little more “personalized”,
it’s the one I choose.

If you have an iGoogle homepage,
make sure you’re ready when it says, “Good-bye”…