Adding voice-over to Google Slides/Presentations

Google Slides does not have built-in functionality to insert audio, so how can you record narration and have it play over a slide? Here’s a technique I use. Note that you need to do this for each slide that has audio


Install the Screencastify extension (if you don’t already have it).


In Screencastify, choose “Record Tab.” You’ll get a countdown (3-2-1), then just start speaking. When done, choose Stop from the Screencastify icon.


You have now created a video of your screen with the audio you want.


In Google Slides, go to the appropriate slide and choose Insert...Video. Click the Google Drive option. You’ll see the “video” you just created. Insert it.


Click on the icon for the video. Resize it so it’s much smaller. Click Video Options. Select “Autoplay when presenting.” The video will now start as soon as the slide opens, providing your narration. You can also trim off time from the beginning or end, if needed.


If desired, you can hide the video icon by creating a shape with the same color as the slide background and dragging it over the icon.
Here’s all this in action.  Open the presentation and click Present.  Make sure your sound is turned up.

You can use a similar technique for PowerPoint 365 (the online version of PowerPoint). Note, however, that you'll need to put the video on YouTube for it to work.

Google Slides now has a Grid (Slide Sorter) view

Here's a nice new addition to Google Slides-- you can now view your slides in a grid view (like"Slide Sorter" in Powerpoint).  Just click on the icon on the lower left of the screen and your slides will show up in a grid, like so:

In grid view, you can move slides around or select a group of slides to apply a transition to, etc.

Here's another idea--I just read a post about a teacher  who using grid view with her students.  Each student has one slide in a presentation. By viewing the presentation in grid view, the teacher can see the progress each student is making.

Office 365

As I mentioned at the last faculty meeting, we now have Office 365 available to all students and faculty.   Here is some info about Office 365.

What?

Online version of Word, PowerPoint, Excel.  You can open documents from others or create your own.  Most features are included, but not all (for example, there is no sound in PowerPoint-- for that, you would still need the installed version of ppt).

Uses "OneDrive" to save documents.  OneDrive is to Microsoft as Google Drive is to Google-- where all your Office 365 documents are stored.  It has a "Shared With Me" area just like Google Drive.  While you can share with others, the real-time collaboration not as good as Google.

Why?

Gives you and students choice.  Office tools are widely used. You may have a Word document or PowerPoint slides from another institution, for example, that you would like to edit in Word.  Now you can.

How?

Get account passwords from IT or Charlie.

What about G Drive/ G Suite?

Google Apps will still be the tools you use most.  They're the best for collaboration.

Made to Stick Google Slides Template

Many teachers (and maybe students) have read the book Made to Stick,  which is subtitled, Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die.

I was working on a new Google Slides presentation today and I noticed the the Heath brothers (who wrote the book) have created a Google Slides template.  It might be worth a look the next time you are putting together a presentation in which you want your ideas to, well, stick.

Another  great resource for effective slide decks is the  book Presentation Zen (available in the CVU library) and the companion website

New templates in Google Slides (Presentations) and Sheets, too!

image from pixabay.com

Yesterday I posted about the new templates in Google Docs.  What I didn't mention is that they're also in Slides (the "Powerpoint" of Google Docs) and Sheets (spreadsheets).

There are templates for things like calendars and monthly budgets (in Sheets) and science projects (in Slides).

Check them out at:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/u/0/

and

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/

Simple animation technique for presentations

When creating a series of slides in Powerpoint, Google Presentations/Slides, Keynote, etc., it is often effective to have elements appear one at a time (as opposed to all at once).  These applications have the ability to apply those kinds of animations on slides, but there's another very easy way to accomplish the same effect.

• Create the final version of the slide (with all the text, images, etc. on it)
• Make several copies of that slide 
• Moving back through the slides, selectively remove elements

Here it is in action:

And here is a very short screencast on how to do it:

PowerPoints in Google Drive

As you probably know, two popular choices for presentations are Google Presentations and Microsoft PowerPoint.  Google Presentations are great because they are so easy to collaborate on and share.  One reason that you might use PowerPoint,. however, would be if you needed to incorporate sound or advanced animations in the presentation.  The question then is, how do I share my PowerPoint?

Answer: you can use Google Drive to store and share PowerPoints, without converting them into Google Presentations. So, if you have a PowerPoint that has embedded sound or other special elements that aren't available in Google Presentations, here's how you can share them:

1. Open Google Drive and click on the Settings icon (looks like a gear).


2. From there, choose "Confirm settings before each upload" as shown.

You will only need to this once and the settings will stick.

3. Click the upload icon to upload your PowerPoint.

4. Find your file and upload it.  You will get the message shown below.  Do not check the box that says "Convert documents..."

5. You can now share the file as you would any Google doc.  For the people on the other end to have the full effect (including sound, for example), they will need to download it, using the arrow icon shown.

Tools for presenting learning

Students, here are some ideas for tools you can use to present your learning.  I wrote it up for a specific class, but thought it might be useful as a general resources.  I've given a brief description and pros and cons of each tool.  Do you have any other tools that you think should be on this list?  Please let me know at cmacfadyen@cvuhs.org

Tech Tools for Presenting Your Learning

Powerpoint.

What it is- set of linked slides

Pros- you probably know how to use it already.  It has lots of features to enhance your presentation.  

Cons- doesn’t work well with YouTube video.

Google Presentation.

What it is- set of linked slides

Pros- web-based, easy to use.  Incorporates YouTube video.

Cons- no sound (other than from video).  Not as fully-featured as Powerpoint.

Prezi

What it is- a canvas with elements that are linked by a path.

Pros- allows for a creative path between elements, including zooming in and out. Has nice templates to start from.

Cons- Not great for lots of text.

Powtoon

What it is- a set of linked slides, but with animated features on each slide.

Pros- Professional looking and engaging.  You can control when things appear and disappear from slides.

Cons- Can’t do narration slide-by-slide. Only for the whole presentation.

Educreations (for iPad)

What it is-  use your iPad to record your screen

Pros- record while you draw on the iPad.  Can also import images and add text.

Cons- Can’t run other apps while recording.

Dipity

What it is- a tool for creating timelines.  

Pros- you can add multimedia to events on the timeline

Cons- Limited to content that is time-based (dates).

Pixton

What it is- comic strip creator.

Pros- sophisticated control of the character drawings.

Cons- not the easiest to use.  Need parent permission for account unless you’re 19.

Comix

What it is- comic strip creator

Pros- Easy to use.  Supports multi-languages, including Latin.  Comic strips can be printed or e-mailed

Cons- comics cannot be saved, so they need to be done in one shot.  Best to have the dialogue written out first, so you can just do the pictures and add in the text.

Glogster

What it is- online digital poster creator

Pros- Easy to use. Incorporates video and images easily.

Cons- Limited space on poster.  

WeVideo

What it is- online video editor

Pros- Nice editor. Easy to use. Make videos from still pictures and video clips

Cons- web-based, so you want decent wifi connection.  Can export 15 minutes of video per month with free account

Google Sites

What it is- create a web site with linked pages

Pros- can insert all kinds of content (video, Google Docs, maps, etc)

Cons- Hard to incorporate sound.

PhotoStory (for PC computers)

What it is- upload a series of images and add narration/commentary

Pros- easy to use, can record your voice directly into the app

Cons- No video.  Limited functionality.

VoiceThread

What it is- like Photostory, except you can put multiple comments on each slide.

Pros- web-based, mutlti-media can draw on screen to highlight while speaking

Cons- Intended more for group conversations than individual presentations.

iMovie (mac computers and iOS)

What it is- movie editor

Pros- It’s already on your mac.  Has templates you can use.

Cons- Titles and other elements can be hard to work with.  Not easy if you want to do more than use the template.

Windows MovieMaker (PC computers)

What it is- movie editor

Pros- Easy to use

Cons- Limited features.

MonkeyJam (PC computers)

What it is- stop motion animation software

Pros- create animation using legos, clay, etc.

Cons- I don’t know this software well, so…

GarageBand (mac computers)

What it is- audio recorder and editor

Pros- Lots of prerecorded “loops” for background music. Easy to use.

Cons- Interface can be challenging for beginners.

Audacity

What it is- audio recorder and editor

Pros- free download.  Lots of features.

Cons- Need to learn how to work with multiple tracks and importing audio, if needed.  No pre-installed “loops” (as in GarageBand)

Powtoon

Students and teachers,
Looking for a new presentation tool?  Here's a nice one that is fun and easy to use. It allows you to create animations on each slide and incorporate images and video.  Check out Powtoon in this short demo I made:

Downloading Attachments in GMail

You may have noticed when someone attaches a document to GMail, you now see a preview thumbnail image of the document in the lower left of the message (as in the first image below). If the document is a Microsoft Office doc (Word, Powerpoint, Excel), it is often better to click the download icon than to click on the thumbnail image.  The download icon appears when you hover over the thumbnail, as shown in the second image.

By downloading the document, then opening it in Word, Powerpoint, or Excel, you will see all the original formatting.

If you do click the image, the document will open in Google Drive.  This may be fine for simpler documents,  but if you need it in its native format, please use the download approach.

This preceding is just one little tidbit from my "What's New With Google Workshop," which will be offered one more time-- tomorrow (12/10) after school.  Hope to see you there!

Have you tried Prezi lately?

I was in Lezlee's class the other day helping the students were make Prezi presentations.  It reminded me that the interface has changed quite a bit since the early days.  If you haven't made a Prezi in the past year or so, you may be surprised at how much easier it's become.  There are also more templates available to get you started quicker.  One of my complaints about Prezi is that while it is often described as a "non-linear" presentation tool (in opposition to Powerpoint, Google Presentations, Keynote, etc.),  it is really just a different way to create a path between what would be called "slides" in the other applications.  The new interface makes that clearer-- you create a series of "frames" along a path that shows up on the left.  The big difference is that in Prezi, the entirety of the presentation is on one canvas,  so you can zoom in a particular detail, return to an earlier frame, etc. with ease.  Definitely worth taking a look. You can add narration, video, and more.   As always, I'd love to help you and your students with getting started!

Here's a Prezi about Prezi:

Embedding YouTube into PowerPoint (update 12/12)

Well, it was good while it lasted.  PowerPoint 2012 had the ability to play YouTube videos inside a presentation.  I say "had" because this required embed code from YouTube that is no longer available.  So how can you show videos during a PowerPoint?  Here are three ideas:

1. Put a link to the video in the PowerPoint (this is what we all used to do).  The video will play in a browser, separate from PowerPoint.  You may also want to have the video queued up in a browser, so you can exit the PowerPoint and start playing immediately.
2. Try this tool, which promises to deliver the required embed code: http://www.tools4noobs.com/online_tools/youtube_xhtml/.
3. Don't use PowerPoint.  
1. Google Presentations play YouTube videos very nicely (note that YouTube is owned by Google).  They don't, however play sounds.  Or...
2. Have you checked out SlideRocket?    It's listed under "More" in our Google Apps.  SlideRocket is a professional-looking presentation tool that has some nice templates. Works with both video and sound, which Google Presentation doesn't.
3. Prezi also works with YouTube video.

Computer Basics

After working with a freshman class the other day, I realized that there were certain computer concepts that we might consider basic that some of them didn't know.  This is particularly true as we see more and more use of phones and tablets. Thus, this post to remind us all (including myself) that it never hurts to review some of the basics when the students are working with computers.

Here's a partial list-- feel free to add your ideas in the comments.

1. Save vs. Save As.

   Created a presentation in Keynote, but you need to play it on a computer that doesn't have Keynote?  Save As allows you to save a file in a format different from the standard format for the application.  You can save that Keynote as a Powerpoint, or a Word file as a PDF, or a Powerpoint as a set of images, etc.  Save As also allows you to make a version of a file without changing the original.

2. Visibility of on-line content

   Shared a link to a Google doc with people, but they can't open it?  When you create online content (such as Prezi, YouTube, Glogsters, GoogleDocs, VoiceThreads, etc.), you have to pay attention to the visibility of that content.  To use Google Docs as an example, you don't need to individually share a doc with each person.  You can just click on Share, then change visibility to "Anyone with the link."  Copy the link and provide it on a blog, web site, e-mail, etc.

3.  Local and network file management

   Don't just hit save and hope for the best!  At CVU, G: indicates your storage folder, while C: refers to the particular computer you are working on.  

4. Secondary clicking (right-clicking)

   Right-clicking (on a PC), or control-clicking (on a Mac) on something typically brings up a menu of options that apply to that thing.  Want to increase the font size of a word?  Right-click it!  Need to change the color of a drawing object?  Right-click it...

5. Creating hyperlinks

   When you enter or paste in the text of a hyperlink (a web address), some applications will automatically convert it into an active link (meaning that clicking on it will take you to that web page).  Moodle and Mahara (among others) do not always do this.  To create the hyperlink yourself, 1) select the text, 2) look for the hyperlink icon (it is typically a chain link or a globe), then 3) enter or paste in the web address.

Digital poster projects

(Originally posted 1/7/11)

If you have a project that involves students designing a poster, consider a digital tool.

Why? Digital posters are

• Multi-media- incorporate images, video, and sound.
• Multi-dimensional- use hyperlinks and “hot-spots” to extend.
• Sharable- beyond the classroom.
• Engaging- students tend to enjoy working with digital tools

How?
Here are some tools to consider (with examples of actual student work):

• Glogster http://felicia22.edu.glogster.com/grapesofwrath
• Prezi http://prezi.com/pq1f-tgzlefi/the-battle-at-the-nile/
• VuVox Collage http://www.vuvox.com/collage/detail/0ac64b387
• Students can also use productivity tools such as Google Presentation (great for embedded YouTube video), Google Sites, or Microsoft Powerpoint.

Students can be given the choice of which tool to use, with the constant being the content to be "displayed." I would love to come into your class and support this kind of project.

What's new in Office 2010

Here are two features available in Microsoft Office 2010 that may be helpful to you:

1) Screen Shots- you can now add images of your computer screen to Word, Powerpoint, and other Office docs. This is useful if you are doing a "how-to," for example, and you want to show students exactly what they should be seeing when they complete a particular step in a process. Go to Insert..Screen Shot. You will then be given thumbnails of all open windows. Click on the one you want and an image will be inserted.
Here's a video on how to do it:
http://www.youtube.com/v/21phJ6pk5UE

2) YouTube in Powerpoint- you can now embed video from YouTube (and other streaming video sites) into Powerpoint. For YouTube, first find the video you want. Click on Share, then Embed, and check the box that says "Use old embed code" (you\'ll know the code is correct if it starts with object, rather than iframe). Copy that code. Back in Powerpoint, click Insert..Video..Video from Web site, and paste the code into the dialog box that appears.
Important Note- the video will only play on computers running Office 2010 (all computers at CVU). If you want students to watch at home, this is NOT a good choice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI0e4WDuTBA

(originally posted 10/20/11)

Using the new Google Presentations editor

Google Presentations (the "Powerpoint" of Google) has a new editor that features slide transistions, animations, "fair use" image search, and real-time collaboration among editors. It (still) doesn't require any software other than a web browser (and connection to the internet) and it allows a group of students to all work together on a presentation. Oh, and YouTube video is easy to embed.
If you haven't tried it lately, it's worth taking a look. Here's a video I made that demonstrates some of the new features:
http://bit.ly/tkUhT8

(originally posted 12/20/11)