Articles tagged "Soundtrap"

Weekly post #39 - Co-hosts, watermarks, and leveling up your Soundtrap skills

Add a co-host to a Google Meet

You can now assign co-hosts in a Google Meet.

Why would you want to do that? Maybe you are presenting to parents or a large group of students and you want somebody else to take the lead in admitting participants, muting etc. so that you can focus on what your the message you are sharing. If this is the case - you need a co-host!

Read more here → support.google.com - Add Co-hosts in Google Meet

Add a watermark to a Google Document

You can now add image watermarks directly into Google Docs. This watermark image will repeat behind the text on every page of your document.

Read more here → support.google.com - Change page settings on Google Docs

Soundtrap Academy

All staff and students in the secondary school at the International School of Geneva - Campus des Nations have access to a Soundtrap account.

Soundtrap is a very capable online application - but should also be your first stop for recording simple audio clips for classes etc.

Soundtrap offers the Soundtrap Academy where you can "learn to use Soundtrap to the fullest, empower your students, and become a Certified Soundtrap Educator."

Is it just me?

Google Workspace Status Dashboard

It might be...

If you are experiencing a problem with a Google Workspace application it can be worth checking the Google Workspace Status Dashboard to see if it something 'bigger than just you'.

Making the most of our digital tools (with half an eye on a return to remote learning)

Google Meet - ‘Set up’

ContentContextsupport.google.com
Bookmark your Meet linkBookmark the URL of your Meet (the one that is shared via the Google Meet links for PTC & home-based teaching/learning_August 2020 document).

Ensuring that your Bookmark Bar is visible can make life a little easier.
Create, view & edit bookmarks
Blurring or changing your backgroundYou can do this before you join a Meet using the icon in the bottom right hand corner of the preview window.

You can also change it from within a Meet. Go to the three dots in the bottom right hand corner of the screen →

Change background.
It will work better if there is a large contrast between you and your background.
Change your background in Google Meet
To see what your webcam is sharing as part of the Tiled layoutMove your cursor to the small preview of your webcam output in the top right hand corner of the screen → click on the button that looks like four squares with one shaded in to add your webcam to the tiled display.

You can only do this once somebody has joined the Meet.
Google Meet Crib SheetClick here for a useful crib sheet about how to split your screen etc.

The crib sheet was created using LucidPress. All staff and students have access to LucidPress accounts.

Google Meet - ‘Control’

ContentContextsupport.google.com
LayoutClick on the three dots in the bottom right hand corner of the screen → Change layout → Tiled → Set the maximum tiles to display as high as you want.

This needs to be redone for every meeting and seems to default to 16.
How to view people in Google Meet
Host ControlsQuick access - when off -,all participants from inside and outside of your domain must ask to join the meeting.

Share their screen - when off - only you, the meeting organizer, can share your screen.

Send chat messages - this setting allows participants to read but not send chat messages.

Solution for PTCs to stop colleagues (who are parents) entering a discussion with another parent - turn off ‘Quick access’ → “All virtual classrooms should be conducted on Meets via links shared with senior leaders so that virtual classrooms are as freely accessible as physical classrooms.” 5.5.6 - Safeguarding and child protection policy.
Manage participants in a video meeting
AttendancePotentially still currently in the ‘roll-out’ phase.

The meeting host will receive a Google Sheets spreadsheet of attendance (name, email, join time, exit time) as long as there are 5 or more participants.
Track attendance in Google Meet
Accept 'knocks' in bulkPotentially still currently  in the ‘roll-out’ phase.

You can now accept all pending ‘knocks’ in bulk.
Add or remove people from a Google Meet video call
RecordingIf for any reason a Meet is recorded to support teaching, this can only be done by the teacher and the consent of all those involved should be sought prior to the recording beginning. The recording will be stored in the ‘Drive’ of the member of staff.” 5.5.6 - Safeguarding and child protection policy.Record a video meeting

Google Meet - ‘Engagement’

ContentContextsupport.google.com
Breakout roomsClick Activities → Breakout rooms.

In the Breakout rooms panel, choose the number of breakout rooms (max 100).

Call participants will then be randomly and equally distributed across the rooms.
You can manually move people around.
Use breakout rooms in Google Meet
PollsClick Activities → Polls → Start a poll.

Enter a question and add options for the poll.

Then either Launch the poll or Save it for later.

After a meeting, the moderator is emailed a report for any polls conducted in the meeting. The report includes the names and answers of the meeting participants.
Conduct polls in Google Meet
Q&AClick Activities → Q&A → Turn on Q&A.

In the lower-right corner, click Ask a question.

The moderator can delete, hide or mark a question as answered.

All meeting participants can upvote a question.
Ask participants questions in Google Meet
So... what would you use the chat function for?I use it regularly to share links to documents, resources, video clips etc.Send chat messages to video call participants
JamboardIn the video call at the bottom right, click More options (the three dots) → Whiteboard.

Either ‘Start a new whiteboard’ or ‘Choose from Drive’ (for one you have prepared.

If you're a G Suite for Education user, participants are given view-only access by default. You'll need to grant them edit access to the Jamboard.
Use a whiteboard in Google Meet
Best practice for presenting/sharing a video during a MeetCan the students be shared a link, asked to leave the Meet and watch the video, before returning for discussion etc?

Present now → A Tab.

The Campus des Nations Digital Toolbox

ContentContext
PadletGreat online collaborative space for brainstorming, responding to questions, reorganising items.

All staff have access to a Padlet Pro account.
padlet.com → Log in → Log in with Google → use your @ecolint.ch account.

Students do not need Padlet accounts to use your Padlets.
ScreencastifyScreen recorder for Chrome.

All @ecolint.ch accounts have access to ‘full subscriptions’.

Record your screen as you explain a concept (or similar) while recording your voice. A useful tool when ‘flipping the classroom’.
KahootThe school has 36 Premium+ accounts - of which 28 are in use - 8 subscriptions have still not been activated - so please contact me if you would like to take advantage of these.

Interesting developments away from just being an online quiz platform - new ‘study tools’ on the smartphone apps have a part to play in ‘active recall’ revision approaches.
SoundtrapAll students in Y7 to Y11 have soundtrap accounts which gives them an online platform with which they can record and layer ‘tracks’ - which can be audio or music.

Already being successfully used in the Arts, Enrichment and by Individuals and Societies.

Weekly post #8 – Soundtrap and 'should we be showing Netflix in school?'

Three things to check out

Should we be showing Netflix in school?

No... unless...

We work with ProLitteris to be able to work with copyrighted materials in school - such as the playing of DVDs etc.

ProLitteris has advised us that although the viewing of Netflix documentations in the classroom in Switzerland is permitted under copyright law (any use of a work by a teacher and his class for educational purposes being allowed by copyright law), we should be aware that such a use might violate the Netflix Terms of Use.

Some Netflix Original educational documentaries are available for one-time educational screenings. To find out which titles are available for educational screenings, go to the "Only On Netflix" section of media.netflix.com. From there, navigate to "All Alphabetical". Titles that are available for educational screening will display the a certain 'grant of permission on their details page' the wording of which can be found here.

For example - The Social Dilemma does not show that 'grant of permission'.

EDU in 90: Explore in Google Slides

EDU in 90 is a month vlog from Google for Education and is well worth subscribing to in YouTube.

The most recent clip focuses on Google Slides and the use of the Explore feature.

Soundtrap

A students in Years 8 to 11 now have a Soundtrap account.

Soundtrap empowers students and teachers to explore creative sound recording in all subjects, for all ages and ability levels.

Soundtrap for Education

If you would like to discuss how Soundtrap could be used in your subject area - please get in contact.