#txgeg: Getting creative with Google Slides, GEG Innovation Challenge

In case you missed +Krissy Venosdale  talk about getting creative with Google Slides tonight, you can catch it all on our GEG Innovation Challenge or on our event page. She shares how to use Slides for posters, portfolios, class planners, timers, and more!

We are still looking for more presenters. So, if you're interested, be sure to fill out this form! You only need to present for 30 minutes. Topics are your choice, but should be themed in Google. You don't have to be a Google Ninja to present. Just share the things you are doing to innovate.

And, if you do watch, we encourage you to do the innovation challenge portion of the hangout. And, by that, we mean to try out the ideas present and post your successes/obstacles into the event page. The goal is to not only watch and learn, but to try and to innovate.

Those who innovate will be featured in our "spotlight educators'" section of our GEG Website. Want to learn more? Check our our Website for past hangouts and innovation challenges! You can also subscribe to our GEG Innovation Challenge Playlist. Happy innovating!

GEG Innovation Challenge: April Edition #txgeg

This month, we continued our GEG Innovation Challenge by featuring Christopher Evans and how to use Google Drawings for badges.

We are still looking for more presenters. So, if you're interested, be sure to fill out this form! You only need to present for 30 minutes. Topics are your choice, but should be themed in Google. You don't have to be a Google Ninja to present. Just share the things you are doing to innovate.

And, if you do watch, we encourage you to do the innovation challenge portion of the hangout. And, by that, we mean to try out the ideas present and post your successes/obstacles into the event page. The goal is to not only watch and learn, but to try and to innovate.

Those who innovate will be featured in our "spotlight educators'" section of our GEG Website. Want to learn more? Check our our Website for past hangouts and innovation challenges! You can also subscribe to our GEG Innovation Challenge Playlist. Happy innovating!

GEG Innovation Challenge #txgeg

I get to work with an awesome bunch of Google innovators through my work as a GEG leader. A few months back, +Kasey Bell shared an idea to revamp Hangouts on Air with an Innovation Challenge. The twist: once a month, educators share out an awesome idea they are implementing in 30 minutes or less. And...after the Hangout, viewers must share ways they have taken the strategy and implemented it. The goal is that more ideas will be generated and innovation will spread.

Tonight we featured, +Alicia Brooks, an awesome educator and fellow Texan, who spoke of using DocAppender as a text response tool. In case you missed it, you can watch the event here. And, don't skip the challenge at the end.

I challenge you to try out Alicia's suggestions and share out how you have been able to use DocAppender.

You can find all of our Innovation Challenges on our Website. In the meantime, get to learning!

Follow GEG CENTX & NORTX & #txgeg for more updates.

GEG Lesson Plan - afterthoughts

Earlier this week, several chapters of GEG Texas led a pilot of Google's Lesson Plan Jam with 30 educators in Google's Austin offices. In the planning process, we weren't entirely for sure of the outcome, but that's the beauty in it. It's great to not have a known outcome and to let learning guide the day. At the end of it, I was surrounded by 30 educators determined to make a difference for their students for 8 hours. And, what more could a girl ask for?

Other than, perhaps, Chrome cookies! 

The day was full of pods of innovation, connected in the context of one room. 

And a team of MCs with a passion for creativity and learning. 

Wait! And, more Chrome cookies. 

The day started off with discussing current frustrations in the classroom via sticky notes. Problems ranged from frustrations on document naming conventions to a lack of admin involvement in PD. 

And, after a brief tour of the Google Austin offices, educators were sent back to develop unit plans - either as a group - or individually met to innovate or target those problems.

3-4 educators were paired with a subject-area lead learner who helped pair the technological leader with the content expert. 

The pairing led to a room of inspired educators.

 With great collaboration not just on technology, but in person and on drawing boards. Sometimes, there is no substitute. 

 

Like teachers presenting to teachers their ideas through Demo Slams and project share-outs.

Or teachers just having fun, having the time to plan and collaborate. 

Guest appearances by Google for Education. 

And a late afternoon share-out of the day's learning.

Educators have a week to complete the lessons/unit plans started at the Jam. Once completed, lessons and unit plans will go up on our GEG Lesson Plan Jam site for others to search and adapt. The goal is to share learning and ideas. And, though many educators chose to integrate GAFE into their plans, the end goal was meant to be on the students - sharing, collaborating, and innovating the existing educational wheel. 

Check out our event's Google Site for more details on the lessons submitted. 

In the meantime - how can you get involved? Join your area GEG and what not join GEG CENTX while you're at it?! Stay tuned for more events - both virtual and face-to-face - in the coming weeks.