Articles tagged "ManageBac"
Weekly post #59 - Chrome Actions, Chromebook Touchpad tips, translated captions in Google Meet, ManageBac certification and Discord
Type Create Google doc into the Omnibox, and Chrome will…
Chrome Actions enable you to complete tasks from the browser quickly. Omnibox is Google's name for the address bar at the top of the Chrome window. As well as showing the address of a web page, you can also use it to search.
If you type 'Create event' in the Omnibox, you will see an Action clip - see image above - click the Action Clip and bingo, you are creating an event.
There is a whole range of useful Chrome Actions - here are some highlights →
- Create presentation
- Manage downloads
- Translate this page
- Delete history
- Incognito
Read more here → support.google.com - Use Chrome Actions to quickly complete tasks
10 Chromebook Touchpad Tips
Speed up what you are doing with your Chromebook and show off some slick skills with the touchpad tips outlined in the poster above.
Read more here → Control Alt Achieve - 10 Chromebook Touchpad Tips and FREE Poster [11 November 2022]
Translated captions in Google Meet
Translated captions provide real-time translations of the speaker's language, helping to make meetings more inclusive and collaborative for meeting participants.
You can use translated captions to translate English to or from these languages:
- French
- German
- Portuguese
- Spanish
Google has recently expanded this feature so that you can now →
- Translate English calls into Japanese, Mandarin (simplified), and Swedish
- Translate French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish calls into English
Read more here → Google Workspace Updates - Expanded language support for captions and translated captions in Google Meet [16 December 2022]
ManageBac Certification
ManageBac has formally unveiled its complete ManageBac Certification programme.
The Certified Educator programme formally allows administrators and educators to test and demonstrate their expertise with our platform.
Each asynchronous, online exam can be undertaken whenever, wherever – with helpful resources provided to support meaningful, self-paced revision, and assessments tailored to specific roles and academic programmes.
managebac.com/blog - ManageBac Certification [20 January 2023]
Upon successfully completing their chosen exam, users receive a digital certificate and badge, evidencing their status as a ManageBac Certified Educator.
Read more here → managebac.com/blog - ManageBac Certification [20 January 2023]
What is Discord?
Discord is popular with specific groups of our students.
This article from Childnet gives a good overview → What is Discord? A guide for parents and carers [21 June 2022]
Weekly post #56 – ManageBac subject pages, Sites updates and the iPhone 14
ManageBac subject pages
ManageBac is working to development more community around the use of the platform. Expect to see various community focused initiatives over the coming months.
Something to check out straight way are subject pages.
Log into ManageBac → from your Home page → click on → Curriculum → Explore Subjects → then either use the search box or look through until you find the subject you are looking for.
You will find a page which includes an external newsfeed, resources from ManageBac, resources from the IB as well as additional resources suggested by the 'Subject Leader'.
Google Sites updates
There has been a recent slew of Google Sites updates. Here they are with links to the necessary explanations and support →
Embed content as a full page in new Google Sites → Site editors can now add content as a full page from the following sources: custom code, other websites, and Google apps, such as Maps and Docs.
Import existing custom themes to new Google Sites → You can now import a custom theme from one new Google Site to another.
Adjust spacing between content in Sites using new density theme setting → Site editors using new Google Sites can now adjust the spacing between the content on their site with a custom theme setting that offers Compact, Cozy, or Comfortable spacing options.
Conveniently connect site visitors with social channels in new Sites → Site editors can now insert stylized social media links into pages within their site.
Wiki2Map
Wiki2Map is a useful research tool. It takes a Wikipedia page that you give it and turns it into a mind map.
Certainly useful you helping break down a 'big' topic or idea.
Apple's iPhone 14 event
Consumer electronics → this week saw the annual Apple iPhone announcement. If you missed the hour+ long event check out this 8 minute super-cut:
Using your Chromebook stylus to digitally annotate a document
[This post is focused upon educators using a Lenovo C13 Chromebook]
Your C13 Chromebook has a rechargeable USI (Universal Stylus Initiative) pen stowed on the front edge of the device, below the keyboard on the right hand side.
There are a number of ways to use the stylus to annotate a document - whether it be signing a document, adding annotation to an extract or adding feedback to a piece of student work. The ways range in complexity and flexibility. It is worth trying them all and seeing which best fits the task you are trying to complete.
We will focus upon the use of a PDF document.
Using the Gallery app
- Make sure the PDF document is downloaded onto your Chromebook, so that you can see it in the Files app, under Downloads.
- Double click on the PDF file. This will open the file in the Gallery app.
- On the top menu bar - there is a squiggly line - the Annotate tool. Click on the squiggly line.
- You then have the choice of a pen or highlighter, the thickness of the line and colour.
- Once you have finished annotating the document you can click Save - or use the little drop down option next to Save, to Save As - which would save an annotated copy of the original.
Using Kami
- Make sure the PDF file is in your Google Drive.
- Go to kamiapp.com.
- All educators at Campus des Nations have access to a Kami account.
- Click on 'Sign in' → Continue with Google → use your @learning.ecolint.ch account.
- Choose → Open file from... → Google Drive → find the file and click on it.
- The file will open in Kami and then you have a range of choices on the left hand side.
- Have a look at the 'Markup' and 'Drawing' tool sets.
- Once you have finished there is a 'Save' icon on the top menu bar.
Using ManageBac
- This starts with you creating a task which includes a dropbox for students to upload a final product. Require the students to submit a PDF document.
- For each student you have the choice to Annotate and Grade the document.
- The document will open in ManageBac. There is a Drawing tool on the top menu bar.
- The tool seems to have an amount of 'smoothing' which doesn't work well with my hand writing - but others may have more success.
- The annotations auto-save.
Weekly post #45 - New features from WeVideo and ManageBac
Google A - Z - Tools, Extensions, Programs and Courses from Google for Education
This super informative document, produced by Google for Education, outlines useful tools from Google and other trusted sources.
Some you might have forgotten about, such as A Google a Day, and others you may be complete new to you, such as Auto Draw.
Well worth 15 minutes of your time to have a look through!
NEW - WeVideo Classroom
WeVideo is an online video editing platform. Students and staff at Campus des Nations have access to WeVideo accounts.
WeVideo has just released a interesting development → WeVideo Classroom.
If you would be interested in exploring how WeVideo Classroom could be integrated into your teaching and learning - please get in contact with Richard Allaway and we can have a conversation about the possibilities.
NEW ManageBac feature → Task Due Date extensions
WeVideo has introduced a new Task Due Date extensions feature, which will you to easily extend due dates for student coursework submission.
Simply navigate to the Task and scroll to the Dropbox section to Extend Due Dates by selecting a student. This will automatically notify the student of their approved extension and adjust their due date submission cut-off (Early / Late status).
NEW ManageBac Home Menu arriving soon
ManageBac reports that they will be releasing a new Home Menu in January.
"As the first landing page when you login to ManageBac, the new Home Menu has a cleaner, minimalist look & feel."
The new Home Menu will be fully customisable, so you can optionally toggle on/off sections, and pin your most important menu tiles and classes for fast access.
Weekly post #36 - ManageBac subject pages, Cursive, how does Google Search work and Mote updates
ManageBac subject pages
ManageBac now has 'subject pages' for IB Diploma and MYP.
Our new Subject Pages for IB Diploma and MYP provide searchable, dynamic, curated support, resources, ideas and unit plans to support IB teaching and learning.
managebac.com/blog/subject-pages
Subject Pages are accessible by Teachers from the Curriculum Tab via the Subject Centre Tile.
Read more here → ManageBac - Subject Pages [23 August 2021]
Cursive - a new note taking app for Chromebook users
Cursive is a new note taking app from Google but it isn't an app store app - it is a web-based 'progressive Web App' and that means anyone (with a Chromebook) can use it now.
It is still 'early' in it's life and I will try and share more about it in the future. If you are a Chromebook user - visit the URL cursive.apps.chrome, unleash your stylus and give it a test drive.
Discover how Google Search works
We all use Google Search - regularly! We rely on it to find the answers to our questions. Seeing we are so dependent upon it maybe we should take an opportunity to learn more about it.
Google has recently updated their 'How Search works' website. It is worth a couple of moments of your time.
Mote - recent updates and developments
Mote is a platform that allows you to record audio comments and the like in Google Workspace applications. For example - if you are commenting upon a student's Google Document you can leave audio comments in the comment boxes - rather than texting.
Staff at Campus des Nations who are interested in giving Mote a try - please let me know and I will sort you out with a subscription.
Mote has made the following recent updates:
- Pause recording in Google Classroom and Google Slides
- iOS app
- Extension and iOS app localization into Chinese, French and other languages. Find out how to switch your language.
Weekly post #4 - ManageBac notifications and Google Meet participants
The wonderful world of educational technologies continues to spin during our summer holidays. There have been a number of developments related to platforms that we use. Several companies have also released roadmaps of future changes.
A request...
Please sign into Chrome with your school Google Account. This not only allows your bookmarks etc to be synchronised etc but it allows us (IT) to support you more easily.
A useful read from Google here → Get more out of Google Meet with these tips.
Four things to check out
ManageBac Mobile Push Notifications
We are excited to introduce advanced Push Notifications for both the ManageBac Android and iOS mobile apps. All important messages and notifications can now be sent directly to your mobile device via the Push Notifications.
Read more here → ManageBac Mobile Push Notifications
Anonymous users are now blocked from Google Meet for G Suite for Education meetings by default
Anonymous users (users not signed into a Google account) can no longer join meetings organized by anyone with a G Suite for Education or G Suite Enterprise for Education license
Read more here → Anonymous users will be blocked from Google Meet for G Suite for Education meetings by default
Block Google Meet participants from knocking again
If a meeting moderator rejects a knock twice from the same participant, the participant will be blocked from knocking again. This means the moderator won’t see any additional knocks from that user for the duration of the existing meeting.
Read more here → Block Google Meet participants from knocking again
The Google Meet Grid View Extension has broken
The Chrome extension we have been using to give the grid view in Google Meet is a 'hack'. It's not an official release from Google but is it from a respected source. Google have changed some of the magic sauce they use and therefore the extension no longer works. If you are signed into Chrome with your school Google account the next time to turn off-on your laptop in school the broken extension should be removed. I recommend that you remove the broken extension if it doesn't happen automatically. Google have announced a 7 by 7 (49 participants) grid view in Google Meet from September (but they didn't say from when in September).
Coming soon…
A useful (and possibly exciting read) from Google here → More details on what's coming to Meet and Classroom.
Filter out disruptive noise in Google Meet
To help limit interruptions to your meeting, Google Meet can now intelligently filter out background noise like keyboard typing, doors opening and closing, and construction outside your window.
Read more here → Filter out disruptive noise in Google Meet
An integrated workspace in G Suite to help you make the most of your time
A new integrated workspace experience that brings Chat, Meet, and Gmail together on desktop and mobile
Read more here → Coming soon: An integrated workspace in G Suite to help you make the most of your time