Thread by @MsMalinowska

Given that so many are teaching synchronously right now, I thought I might share the tips and tricks that have been shared with me through my #remotelearning journey this year (disclaimer: I’m not an expert on virtual teaching by any means, just #teachershelpingteachers) 👩🏼‍💻

Add the “Google Meet Attendance” Chrome extension by allan.caughey - this will save you SO.MUCH.TIME when trying to keep track of who is logging in to class in the mornings/afternoons

Add the “Google Meet Breakout Rooms” Chrome extension by @hudektech - this is a GREAT way of allowing students to collaborate in the same way they might face-to-face

Alternatively, if your Chrome can’t run too many extensions at once, open separate Google Meets and c+p the links into a Google doc for students. Share that Google doc and group students manually - this is something I also like to do to ensure Ss collaborate w a variety of peers

#Jamboard and #PearDeck are AWESOME websites to also use for whole class collaboration - you can open a #Jamboard manually and share the link OR click the “...” button in #GoogleMeet and “Open a Jam” from there - Ss love the sticky note features

When presenting a screen to share a video in #GoogleMeet, click “Present Now” > “A Tab” to share *just* that tab and ensure the video/sound plays for your Ss

Create a separate 1:1 #GoogleMeet to conference with Ss who would prefer to ask questions in private (not everyone wants to use the main chat!) - remember to mute/turn off your camera in the main #GoogleMeet to respect Ss privacy as you conference 1:1 w Ss (but still monitor it)

If you are using #Brightspace, use the “Checklist” feature in the Nav Bar to create weekly checklists - Ss find it particularly help if you chunk the tasks by day (esp. if they miss a day and have to catch-up)

LINK content, assignments, etc. in daily announcements on #Brightspace - this makes navigating the course site so much easier for Ss (and will save you the headache of repeating “First, click this. Then, click this..” for Ss who join late or have trouble following along)

Post a daily schedule in the #Brightspace course homepage in a separate widget. This will help Ss understand when they are required to login to #GoogleMeet for live instructional time versus when they can work through content on their own

Utilize the “student portfolio” in #Brightspace - this is like an online binder that students can upload their work to for feedback or completion. Also helps Ss understand what is formally assessed vs what is formative

But be careful - there are different buttons for portfolio in the Nav Bar in #Brightspace - “Student portfolio” is for Ss, “Portfolio” is for the teacher view of ALL portfolios. Add both to the Nav Bar!

That’s all I can think of for now. Feel free to respond with any tips YOU might have - I’d love to hear them! 😃

OH, and play O Canada a couple minutes after you give Ss time to join your #GoogleMeet in the morning. This helps to structure your day just like face-to-face learning. I like to cycle through different versions, but this one is a class fave lately: