Showing posts with label Add Ons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Add Ons. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

"Do the Math" with Google Forms

One of the best reasons for adding technology to the classroom is that it can have an immediate impact on the quality of formative assessment. With technology, teachers can collect student responses and aggregate data in real time. Formative assessment only really works when teachers can turn this data into feedback for students, and tools like Google Forms make this entirely possible.

I typically love Google Forms for its ease of use. It mimics other Google products in the idea that you can start really simply and gradually build in more complex functions. Math teachers might not agree. There is not a built-in equation editor like with Google Docs, so entering algebraic expressions becomes a bit cumbersome.

Of course, there's an Add-on that can step in and help. The gMath Add-On is available for Google Docs, Forms and Sheets (use the "Add-On" menu within each app to search for and add gMath).

From there, there are multiple ways to create a quiz with even the fanciest of math expressions (or graphs if you are feeling particularly adventurous). Regardless of your method, you will need to get used to the format of typing in math expressions (you can use some basic text entry like 3x^2 + 1/2 x - x^2 and it will help you with the format - or you can choose pre-made pieces of the expression and then edit the variables using LaTeX). There is always an image preview so you really just have to keep adjusting the expression until it looks correct. Here's a LaTeX / Docs tutorial if you need more of an introduction.

I test-drove a bunch of different ways to integrate gMath and Google Forms; here are the options I liked in order of increasing complexity...

Method #1: 
Write your expressions in Google Docs (it's kind of nice to see all the problems before you build the actual quiz) and then add the images to Forms.

Here's a tutorial for that (it's the old version of Forms but it's all the same function as the current version). I put this method first because the video shows a bit about how to edit the LaTeX expressions - helpful if you've never done so.


For this type of quiz (as well as Method #2) you are creating a quiz that is formatted with technically two fields for each question: Image 1 (the "question" - your expression, graph, etc.) , Answer 1. Image 2, Answer 2. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Method #2: 
Use the gMath add on directly in Forms to "Create a Math Expression." With this method, there is no need to work back and forth with Google Docs.



When you are ready for a question that requires an expression or graph, choose gMath from the Add-Ons menu in Forms. I was able to experiment with all the options except for "Multiple Choice." I'm not sure if it's a bug or just something wrong with my technique, but the directions in that choice were blurred out and I was left to just guess how it worked... unsuccessfully.

Instead, keep it simple and just write a new expression. When you do so, it inserts the expression as an image field, and adds an answer field directly after the question. You can always change the type of answer to something other than the default short answer text.

Method #3:
Use Google Sheets to create a question bank of images. You can create the images with the gMath Add-On for Sheets, or even find existing images from the Web. Have access to online databases of questions? You may be able to add them to your question bank.

 You can add a different expression or graph to each of the cells in Google Sheets. If you want them in a certain order, work only in one row or column. Each of these cells is going to become a different question - so think about how you want the text or directions to appear as well as the expression itself (you do this all with the gMath Add On the same way you create the images in methods 1 and 2 above).

The next part is the cool one - select ONLY the questions you want to build into your quiz, and use the gMath "Quick Quiz Creator" to make a new form. Once again, the new form is built in the same format with an image field followed by an answer field. You can edit the form after it's built to enhance how it looks.



The BEST part of this is that you could create a continuous bank of quiz questions throughout the course of the year. Then, select only the questions you want before building the quiz. It would be great as you go along as well as during review time.

Method #4:
Use Google Sheets to build your entire quiz - questions, answers, everything. This is an advanced technique, but in the end so much better than trying to build complex questions individually in Forms. When the questions and answers are on a Spreadsheet, you can easily look through them, re-order, edit, etc.

You'll need the formCreator Add-On for Google Sheets. Once it's installed, run the Add-On so it can format your sheet. It will put in all the column headings that you see below.



Use those column headings to add two types of questions. The "Image" type should be your gMath expression. Run the gMath Add-On while you are in the cell for ImageURL and add your expression. Follow that up with another question type such as Multiple Choice, Text, Check Box, etc. This is where you should set up your answer field if you want your form pre-populated. Do this for as many questions as needed. Using the Multiple Choice option will allow you to run your Google Form as a Quiz and enable Auto Grading.

When you are ready, use the formCreator Add-On to create the actual Form. In the end, it might be worth the trouble of figuring this way out because the format of the Spreadsheet makes entering questions / answers really quick - not just for math quizzes but for all subjects.

***One note: I had to edit the ImageURL text to be sure that the URL is https:// and NOT http:// like it defaults - I'm not sure why it wouldn't create my Form otherwise. If you've stuck by this method this far, you'll know how to do that! (Save time and run a "Find and Replace" from the Edit menu. Have it search within formulas to find every instance of http and convert it to https.)

I'd love to hear if you try it out! Unfortunately there are aspects of each method that are just not intuitive - you have to play with it and go through the experience to see what works best for you. At any point if (and when) you get stuck - just post a comment and I would be happy to help you out!

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Summer Snapshots... #2 - Google Apps, Extensions and Add-ons for Chromebook Classrooms

Having a Chromebook to use in the classroom for the first time is as exciting as opening up a fresh spiral notebook or personalizing a new 3-ring binder. (I secretly think that I became a teacher so I could continue to buy new school supplies each year.) Chromebooks are intuitively simple machines - they are not loaded with "extras" that you have to spend hours exploring. Their power, then, is fully realized when you begin using the suite of Apps, Extensions and Add-ons that Google curates for all types of users. 



Sifting through the thousands of options in the Chrome Web Store can be daunting, so here's a list of the ones that I have used over the past few years that I think are worth exploring right away (note that the descriptions are, for the most part, directly from what was provided in the Web Store):


Google Chrome Apps:


Apps are web applications that run on the Google Chrome Browser. When you use a Chromebook, they appear in the "All Apps" icon when you hit the Launcher button (the little magnifying glass in the lower left corner), so they are almost like the "Programs" that you might be used to with a Windows-based system. Lots of apps are already available when you sign in to a Chromebook, especially if you are a GAFE (Google Apps for Education) school. You can pin apps to the "Shelf" (i.e. Taskbar) by right-clicking (that's done by two-finger clicking on the touchpad of the Chromebook) on the icon you want to pin. Start by pinning Google Classroom and Google Drive - you'll access them a lot.




Apps to add to your collection (via the Chrome Web Store):


Google KeepQuickly capture what's on your mind and share those thoughts with friends and family. Speak a voice memo on the go and have it automatically transcribed. Grab a photo of a poster, receipt or document and easily organize or find it later in search.

PadletPadlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world. It works like a sheet of paper where you can put anything (images, videos, documents, text) anywhere, from any device (pcs, tablets, phones), together with anyone.

PowToon - PowToon lets you create awesome presentations and animated videos - it's like a hybrid between a slideshow and a video, with a great drag-and-drop interface. Students love creating and animating with this app; teachers love the ability to create dynamic presentations.

EDpuzzle - EDpuzzle empowers teachers to make any video your lesson. Crop a video, explain it with your own voice and embed quizzes at any time. Take any video from YouTube, Khan Academy, Learn Zillion, etc. make it perfect for your classroom and more engaging for your students. Make any video a true lesson by making it to the point, personal and effective, plus get all the data about your students so you know if they truly understand the lesson.

Pear Deck (as well as Socrative and Nearpod which have very similar features) - Interactive presentations and formative assessments to engage every student in your room, every day! Plan and build interactive presentation deck directly from your Google Drive. Launch a live, interactive session on the projector. Every Single Learner joins the live session on his or her device and participates.


Remind - Remind offers teachers a free, safe and simple way to instantly text students and parents. Teachers can send or schedule reminders, assignments, homework, assessments, or motivational messages directly to students' and parents' phones. Interactions are safe because phone numbers are kept private, and messages are sent with no open replies.

Google Chrome Extensions:


Extensions help you configure the Chrome browser itself. They can again be accessed through the Chrome Web Store, and when added will appear as small icons in the upper-right corner of the browser. Extensions are designed to modify and enhance the functionality of using Chrome. You are also likely to run across links to add extensions from websites that you frequently use (Pinterest, for example, has an extension).




Extensions to add to your collection:


Share to Classroom - Get your class on the same (web) page, instantly. Web Page Sender allows users of Google Classroom to collaborate in realtime. Teachers can "fling" or share urls with students, and students can fling urls to teachers.

Save to Google Drive - The Save to Google Drive Chrome extension helps you save web content or browser screenshots to your Google Drive.

Readability - Readability is a web and mobile app that zaps clutter and saves web articles in a comfortable reading view... provides a better way to read online, turning any web page into a comfortable reading view right in your web browser.

Google Drive Add-ons:

Add-ons are tools built by third-party developers to enhance the functionality of Google Drive tools (Docs, Sheets, Forms, etc.). Unlike apps and extensions, you don't access them through the web store. Instead, they can be searched by clicking the Add-ons menu button from whatever Google tool you are using. Choose "Get add-ons" to search for what you want to add. Each one comes with options and help instructions once they are added. If you find yourself thinking "I wish Google Docs did [insert some advanced function from Microsoft Office]..." chances are there is an add-on to help.

Easy Bib - Automatic bibliography citation generator
Sorted Paragraphs - Sort your paragraphs, lists, bibliography and individual table rows or columns in either alphabetical or reverse alphabetical order.
g(Math) - Create graphs of functions and inequalities (including plotting points and finding the line of best fit) and write complex math in the sidebar & insert it directly into your document.
MindMeister - Turn any bullet-point list into a visually appealing mind-map and insert it directly into your Google Doc.

Save as Doc (for Google Sheets) - Convert any Google Sheets spreadsheet into a Google Document for improved legibility of lengthy cell text entered manually or through a Google Form submission. Basically, this will make Google Forms submissions readable!