OK Google, What’s New?

One thing we can always count on with Google for Education – updates and improvements! Google listens to users, working to make their products functional and efficient. This was especially evident when schools shifted to online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. Since the Google updates keep coming, I’ve worked to put together a list of some recent (and some not-so-recent) things that will be useful for music educators. Enjoy!

Google Classroom Updates

Teachers who use Google Classroom rejoiced this spring when Google finally gave us the ability to schedule assignments to multiple classes at once. When creating the assignment, you can select all the classes the assignment is for. Instead of clicking “Assign,” use the arrow to click “Schedule.” You’ll be able to specify a publish date and due date for each class, or copy the same settings to all classes.

If you’re looking for some ideas to clean-up your Google Classroom, check out this great post by Eric Curts from Control Alt Achieve, End of Year Google Classroom Clean-up Tips.

Google Docs Updates

Google Docs has also had some exceptional updates in the last few months. The first is the addition of emoji reactions. Not only can you add comments to a Google Doc, you can also add emojis! In edit mode, simply select text and you’ll see the emoji option on the right. Emoji reactions (and comments) can only be seen by users who have edit or commenting rights.

Recently, Google introduced Smart Chips in Google Docs – the ability to add a person, file, date, or event to a Google Doc. By typing @, you can easily link to something or someone right in the Doc. These options have expanded to include several additional building blocks, such as meeting notes, lists, media, headings, tables, and more. The most exciting is the dropdown menu. You can now insert and customize dropdown menus, which will be great for rubrics, project planning, and various creative activities.

Google Calendar Updates

Google Calendar has made it even easier to offer appointment scheduling and create a booking page. To do this, you need to be in Week or Day view – it will not work in Month view. Begin by creating a new event and selecting “Appointment Schedule.” From there, you can determine the appointment duration, choose your availability, and customize your booking page. Once everything is set up, you’ll get a link to share with people so they can book appointments. This is great for having students sign-up for lessons, auditions, or parent conferences. You can automate the entire process!

Ready to learn more?

The Google Teacher Center is a great place to find tips, tricks, and tutorials for many of the Google for Education tools. It’s where you can find information about the Google Certified Educator training programs and exams. There are also training courses to assist with distance learning and using Chromebooks in the classroom.

Check out these blog posts to learn even more about using Google in the music classroom:

• Using Google Slides in Music
• Hidden Gems Within Google Arts & Culture
• Getting Started With Google Jamboard
• Optimize Your Chrome Browser With These Three Tips
• Three Tips to Organize Your Google Drive