47,000 People Get Their Educational Technology Tips This Way
This morning when I checked my YouTube Studio account I noticed that my little channel had passed the 47,000 subscriber mark. Despite publishing videos on YouTube since at least 2009, I’ve never had a viral hit and probably never will. Instead of worrying about that I just try to make as many helpful videos as I can. […]
18 Google Calendar Tutorials for Teachers
Earlier this week I shared directions for creating appointment slots in Google Calendar. After doing that it occurred to me that I’ve made a lot of Google Calendar tutorials over the years. And while I have a big playlist of more than 700 Google Workspace tutorials, I’ve never broken out the Google Calendar tutorials into […]
How to Create a Reservation System in Google Calendar
This morning I answered an email from a reader who was looking for a suggestion for an alternative to using Google Forms for letting students book time in the library during the school day. Since the school was already using Google Workspace, my first suggestion was to try using Google Calendar with the appointment slots […]
How to Add Collaborators to Google Calendar
As I’m sure many of you do, I often play the role of “tech support person” for friends and family. That was the case a few days ago when a friend of mine who owns a local, small business asked for help with Google Calendar. My friend wanted a quick and easy way for his […]
Five Google Workspace Tips That Can Make Your Day Better
The best part of a being a teacher is making connections with kids. Making those connections takes time. Unfortunately, teaching also comes with a lot of procedural and administrative tasks that take away from the time that can be used to build those connections with students. But you can get some of that time back […]
How to Print Guest Lists for Google Calendar Events
Google Calendar, like most products in Google Workspace, has lots of little features that are often overlooked. Just because those features are overlooked doesn’t mean that they’re not useful. For example, you can print a guest list from an event on any of your Google Calendars. In the short video that is embedded below I […]
One Simple Tool Streamlined My Appointment Scheduling Process
For as long as it has been available I’ve used appointment slots in Google Calendar when scheduling meetings with colleagues and or students. That works very well when everyone is in the same Google Workspace domain, but it gets a little quirky when you try to use it with people who are outside of your […]
How to Change Google Calendar Notifications
I have some good news for you if, like another reader who emailed me this morning, you are trying to keep Google Calendar notifications flooding your inbox. It’s easy to adjust the frequency with which you receive email, desktop, and mobile notifications from Google Calendar. To do that simply go into the settings menu for […]
Five Google Calendar Features You Should Know How to Use
It has been a while since I made any tutorials about Google Calendar. The user interface, particulary the user interface for background settings, has changed a bit since the last time I published a tutorial about Google Calendar. So when a reader sent me a question about calendar sharing, I was prompted to create a […]
How to Use Google Calendar to Book Zoom Meetings
This week and next week at my school we have to hold short interviews with students who want to be in our technical programs next year. In normal years this happens in our classrooms. This year we’re doing it over Zoom. To streamline the process of scheduling Zoom meetings with prospective students I created a […]
JotForm Offers an Easy Way to Schedule Meetings
Yesterday I wrote a short overview of some tools for scheduling parent-teacher conferences. JotForm was one of the tools featured in that post. One of the things that is great about JotForm’s meeting scheduling tool is that it prevents double-booking of time slots. I made the following short video to demonstrate how easy it is […]
Get Organized With Google Classroom, Meet, and Calendar
Like a lot of you, I’ll be using Google Classroom, Google Meet and Google Calendar more than ever before this fall. I’ve been using these tools for years, but I know that many of you will be using them extensively for the first time. This Wednesday at 4pm ET I’m hosting a webinar for you! […]
Updated and Easier Way to Schedule Events in Google Calendar
This morning Google announced a small but helpful change to Google Calendar. The web browser version of Google Calendar will now present you with more options when you initially schedule an event on your calendar. Over next couple of weeks you’ll see more options appear when you click on your calendar to schedule an event. […]
Save Time With This Google Calendar Scheduling Tip
Here’s a little tip that I passed along to a colleague yesterday morning that might help some of you too. When you’re scheduling meetings that are going to happen on a consistent schedule you can go into the “more options” for the event on your calendar and set a custom, repeating schedule. This saves you […]
Schedule Individual Online Office Hours Meetings via Google Classroom
A lot of us are hosting online office hours for our students these days. Based on what I’ve seen from my colleagues as well as folks posting on social media, a lot of people are scheduling an hour of time and just hanging out in a Google Meet or Zoom meeting waiting for students to […]
How to Embed Google Calendar Into Blogger, WordPress, and Google Sites
Last week I got a couple of questions about an old video of mine in which I demonstrated embedding Google Calendar into Blogger. Google Calendar and Blogger have changed in the years since I made that video. That’s why last night I decided to create the following new video about how to embed Google Calendar […]
How to Publish a Google Calendar Without Showing All Event Details
Yesterday, I received a question on an old YouTube video of mine in which I demonstrated how to embed a Google Calendar into Blogger. The video is seven years old and Google Calendar has changed a bit since then, but the question was still a good one. The question was, “instead of showing all the […]
How to Avoid the Google Calendar Scheduling Mistake I Keep Making
Google Calendar is a great tool for scheduling appointments with students, friends, and colleagues. I use it all the time. Despite my regular use of Google Calendar I’ve made an annoying mistake with it twice in the last week. I’m using Google Calendar to schedule times to record episodes of a new podcast. I have […]
5 Highlights of Getting Organized With Google Classroom, Calendar, and Keep
This Thursday at 4pm ET I’m hosting a Practical Ed Tech Webinar titled Get Organized With Google Classroom, Calendar, and Keep. It is the first of four webinars that I’m hosting on Practical Ed Tech in August. In the video embedded below I highlight the key elements of Thursday’s webinar. Register Here 5 Highlights of […]
Get Organized With Google Classroom, Calendar, and Keep
The primary way that Free Technology for Teachers stays afloat is through the sale of my on-site professional development workshops and professional development webinars. As of this morning, more than 300 of you have purchased and participated in one of my Practical Ed Tech online webinars in 2019. Thank you! The next professional development webinar […]
5 Ways to Enhance Your Classroom Blog
A classroom blog can be used for so many purposes that it is still one of the things that I think every class should have. A blog can be used for communicating important information to parents and students, it can be used by students as a journal to reflect on lessons, it can be used […]
How to Add a Calendar to an Edublogs Page or Post
Having a calendar page on your classroom blog is a good way to help keep your students and their parents informed about upcoming events and due dates. Google Calendar is the tool that I prefer for making public event calendars because whenever I update the calendar it is automatically updated wherever it is displayed including […]
How to Make Appointment Slots in Google Calendar
All of this week I’m working with teachers in a charter school to help them improve their use of educational technology. Throughout the week I’m meeting with teachers individual and in small groups. To schedule the meetings I created appointment slots in Google Calendar. Using appointment slots in Google Calendar makes scheduling very easy compared […]
How to Display the Same Event on Multiple Google Calendars
On Thursday morning Amira asked me, “do you happen to know if you can copy an event on multiple calendars on Google Calendar?” My answer to her question was, “yes, you can.” In the following video I demonstrate how to display the same event on multiple Google Calendars. There are lots of reasons why you […]
How to Hide Google Classroom Assignments from Your Personal Calendar
Last week I received an email from a reader who needed a little problem with her personal Google Calendar. The problem was that every assignment that she posted in Google Classroom was also showing up on her Google Calendar. This isn’t a big deal if you only have one Google Classroom. However, if you teacher […]
Did You Get the Text? – Google Calendar to Stop Sending Texts
From the department of “no one uses that feature anymore,” Google has announced via text message and on the G Suite Update blog that as of January 7th you’ll no longer be able to receive text (SMS) notifications about Google Calendar events. Until I read the notification this week, I did not realize that getting […]
How to Change the Color of Google Calendar Events
This week I answered an email from a reader who was looking for a way to add background images in the new (current) version of Google Calendar. Unfortunately, the current version of Google Calendar doesn’t have a native capability for adding background images. However, you can change the color of the events that are displayed […]
By Request – Get Organized With Google Classroom and More
A few weeks ago on PracticalEdTech.com I hosted a webinar titled Get Organized With Google Classroom, Calendar, and Keep. 75 people joined that webinar to learn all about the new features of Google Classroom and how they can be used in their classrooms this year. In the last couple of weeks I’ve heard from many […]
Three Good Tools for Scheduling Meetings With Students, Parents, and Colleagues
Trying to schedule a meeting with just one other party can sometimes be challenge. Throw in a second, third, or fourth party as often happens with IEP meetings and picking a meeting time can feel like an impossible task. Fortunately, there are some tools that can make scheduling meeting times a little bit easier than […]
Join Me Tomorrow Evening to Get Organized With Google Classroom and More
Tomorrow at 7pm EDT I’m hosting a Practical Ed Tech webinar titled Get Organized With Google Classroom, Calendar, and Keep. In the webinar I will showcase the new features that were added to Google Classroom for the 2018-19 school year. We’ll then dive into how you can use Google Classroom, Calendar, and Keep to stay […]
View Upcoming Google Classroom Assignments in Google Docs
A new little side panel option recently appeared in my Google Docs. In fact, it appeared while I was in the middle of a workshop in which I was showcasing some Google Docs add-ons. The new side panel in Google Docs provides quick access to Google Calendar, Google Keep, and Google Tasks. You can view […]
Get Organized With Google Classroom, Calendar, & Keep
If you have been following this blog throughout the summer, you know that Google has made a bunch of updates to Classroom. If you haven’t kept up with those updates or you just need some guidance on how they will affect you, join me next Thursday at 7pm Eastern Time for a Practical Ed Tech […]
Google Tasks to Become a Core G Suite Service
In late April Google launched a new stand-alone app called Google Tasks. Last week Google announced that at the end of June Google Tasks will become a core service of G Suite. It will be on by default for all domains. Google Tasks is kind of like Google Keep without a bookmarking function. At its […]
A Convenient G Suite Update
On Thursday Google announced a small update to G Suite that could prove to be convenient and reduce confusion for folks who have more than one Google account. In the next few weeks G Suite administrators will be able to add custom images or logos to appear next to users’ profile pictures. This will mean […]
Google Calendar Is Changing – It’s Nothing to Worry About
As I wrote last week, Google Calendar is changing soon whether you like it or not. By the end of February all users will be migrated over to the new version of Google Calendar. If you’re worried about the switch, don’t be. As I demonstrate and explain in this video, there are not any significant […]
Google Calendar is Changing Whether You Like It or Not
Back in October Google announced a new user interface for Google Calendar. Many folks who use consumer Gmail accounts to access Google Calendar are already using the new version of Google Calendar. Those who use Google Calendar within G Suite for Education will soon forced to use the new interface too. Yesterday, Google announced migration […]
How to Create Appointment Slots in Google Calendar – Best of 2017
As I do during this week every year, I am taking some time off to relax and prepare for the new year. Every day this week I will be featuring the most popular blog posts of the year. This was one of the most popular posts in April. Whether you’re looking for a way to […]
Zapier – Connect Your Favorite Tools
Zapier is a fantastic tool for improving your workflow between the services that you use the most. For example, let’s say that you’re a devoted Evernote user and a devoted Dropbox user. Zapier will let you connect the two so that you can send your Dropbox files to Evernote. Or maybe you use Twitter all […]
Updates to Google Calendar
Google Calendar released some updates last week. If you have not already noticed these changes, you will see them very soon. The new version of the calendar is more visually appealing and some features are easier to use. You can add new events to your calendar with a single on any open space. A double […]
How to Avoid a Common Google Calendar Mistake
Google Calendar has many fantastic features for keeping track of appointments, to-do lists, and for scheduling meetings. Using the event invitation feature is Google Calendar is a great way to schedule meetings and phone calls. However, there is one element of Google Calendar invitations that can cause some confusion. That is the automatic addition of […]
5 Tips for New Google Calendar Users
On Monday morning I shared a few tips for new Google Docs users. This morning I have tips for those who are new to using Google Calendar. If your school has made the switch to G Suite for Education, these tips are for you. In the above video you will learn: How to create an […]
How to Print a Guest List From a Google Calendar Event
Google Calendar, like most products in G Suite, has lots of little features that are often overlooked. Just because those features are overlooked doesn’t mean that they’re not useful. For example, you can print a guest list from an event on any of your Google Calendars. In the video embedded below I demonstrate how to […]
Get Your Year Organized With Keep, Calendar, and Classroom
Tomorrow afternoon at 4pm EST I’m hosting a Practical Ed Tech webinar titled Keeping Track With Google Keep, Calendar, and Classroom. In the webinar you will learn: 1. How to streamline your workflow through Google Classroom. 2. How to organize and share resources with students. 3. How to keep track of goals (yours and your […]
5 Google Calendar Tips for New Users
My life runs on Google Calendar. From keeping track of the classes I’m teaching to remembering when the babysitter is available, Google Calendar keeps me on track. If your school is transitioning to G Suite for Education, you need to get to know Google Calendar. Once you understand it, you’ll find that it runs your […]
Keeping Track With Google Keep and Calendar – PD Webinar Tomorrow
From keeping track of the websites you bookmark to keeping track of your to-do list to scheduling appointments, Google Keep and Google Calendar have you covered. In Keeping Track With Google Keep and Calendar you will learn how to use these powerful tools to bring order to the task lists in your professional and personal […]
How to Create Appointment Slots in Google Calendar
Whether you’re looking for a way to let students schedule office hours with you or you’re trying to streamline scheduling meetings with parents, Google Calendar provides a convenient solution in the form of appointment slots. In the following video I demonstrate how to create appointment slots in Google Calendar. This coming Tuesday I will be […]
7 Google Product Updates You Might Have Missed in March
It can be hard to keep up with all of the changes and updates that Google makes to the products that have become an integral part of many teachers’ lives. Some of the changes are minor and insignificant to the average end-user while others are significant to a larger portion of end-users. Here are some […]
Google Calendar Now Optimized for iPads- Finally
My life seems to be run by Google Calendar and Google Keep these days. I use it to schedule and keep track of appointments, to keep track of how many hours the babysitter worked in a week, and to remind of the things I need to do everyday to reach my goals. The one complaint […]
Two New Google Calendar Features Help You Schedule Meetings
Google Calendar’s web interface got a helpful update this week. It now includes the same “smart scheduling” features for rooms and times that the Google Calendar Android and iOS apps provide. This means that Google Calendar in your web browser will now suggest a meeting room for you based on the rooms that you have […]
5 Good Tools for Scheduling Follow-up Meetings After Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent-teacher conference season will be upon us shortly. Most schools have a system in place for scheduling the conferences so that the burden of coordinating all of those meetings doesn’t fall onto teachers. But when it comes to scheduling follow-up meetings with parents, that responsibility often falls to teachers. Here are some tools that can […]
How to Create Shared Google Calendars
Last week on the Free Technology for Teachers Facebook page someone asked me for a recommendation for creating and maintaining a shared calendar. My immediate suggestion was to use Google Calendar. Google Calendar can be used in your web browser as well as in its respective iOS and Android apps. In the video embedded below […]
Google Calendar Now Helps You Find Mutual Meeting Times
Parts of this post originally appeared on my other blog, Android4Schools. A couple of weeks ago Google added a goal setting feature to Google Calendar that helps you identify times to work on personal goals like exercising or reading for pleasure. Today, Google put some of that same technology into a new Google Calendar for […]
Set and Track Goals in Google Calendar
The Google Calendar app on your iPhone or Android phone had a great new feature added to it this week. Google Calendar now helps you set and track goals. Now when you tap the “add item” icon in Google Calendar you will see an option to set a goal. When you select “goal” you will […]
Three Google Apps Updates You Might Have Missed Last Week
Last week Google added a convenient polling option to Google Classroom. That update proved to be a huge hit as comments that I saw about it on Facebook and Twitter included, “finally,” “sweet,” and “woo hoo!” The update to Google Classroom wasn’t the only update to Google Apps that should be of interest to teachers. […]
Google Calendar Reminders Coming Soon to a Browser Near You
The Google Calendar Android and iOS apps have offered task reminder alerts for quite a while now. I certainly appreciate most of the reminders that pop-up on my phone. But I don’t always have my phone next to me or have audible alerts turned on when I’m working on my computer. That forces me to […]
How to Mix Privacy Settings on Google Calendar – And a Handful of Other Google Calendar Tutorials
This afternoon I facilitated a short workshop on using Google Calendar in school settings. One of the things that I shared in that workshop was the idea of putting lesson outlines in calendar events then making the calendar public so that parents could see what was happening in your classroom. Someone in that workshop raised […]