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Tuesday, June 22, 2021

40 Google for Education Updates for Summer 2021

Summer is a nice time to take a break and relax, but Google has instead been busy working on new updates and features for schools. 

On June 22nd Google hosted their "Anywhere School 2021" event (http://goo.gle/tas21) where they covered loads of announcements concerning 40 updates for Google Classroom, Google Meet, Chrome and Chromebooks, and Google Workspace tools in general.

In case you missed it, or are just trying to review through everything that was shared, see below for a list of all 40 updates that were shared at the event.


  Google Classroom updates


#1 - Roster import

  • Allows admins to automatically set up classes and keep rosters in sync with their Student Information System, powered by Clever.
  • ⚙️ Google versions -  Education Plus
  • 📆 Timeframe - In the coming weeks



#2 - Schedule assignments to multiple classes
  • Teacher’s #1 requested Classroom feature will help teachers and co-teachers easily schedule assignments to multiple classes
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - Coming later this year


#3 - Classroom add-ons
  • Seamlessly bring your favorite content and edtech tools right inside Classroom.
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Teaching & Learning Upgrade, Education Plus
  • 📆 Timeframe - Coming later this year


#4 - Measure student engagement activity
  • Easily see when a student was last active, including when they last submitted work or participated in the class through comments.
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - Coming later this year



#5 - Keep learning going, offline
  • Working with the Classroom Android app enables students to continue work offline. They can review assignments, open Drive attachments and even write assignments in Google Docs - all without an internet connection. 
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - Coming in a few months

#6 - A safer Meet in Classroom experience
  • Powerful updates to how you can use Google Meet in Classroom, making it easier, safer and more secure. 
  • All co-teachers in a class will also automatically be co-hosts in the meeting
  • Only students listed in the Classroom roster will be able to join the Meet.
  • Students will have to sit in a “waiting room” until a teacher has joined the meeting link.
  • Guests outside the class roster will have to “ask to join” so no unwanted participants get into meetings. 
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - Coming in a few months



  Google Meet updates



#7 - Refreshed user interface
  • See your presentation content and students at the same time. Easily unpin your presentation to see more of your students on the call. And names are always visible so you can quickly see who’s who.
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - Live


#8 - Multiple moderators
  • More easily partner with other people helping manage a class. You’ll be able to choose hosts in meetings, and all meeting hosts will have access to safety controls
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - In the coming months


#9 - Hand raising improvements
  • Improved notification and sound so you can easily see how many people raised their hands and in what order. Finally, when a student with a raised hand is done talking, we’ll automatically lower their hand. 
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - In the coming weeks


#10 - Multi-pinning
  • Pin multiple tiles to customize what you want to focus on. Students, for example, can easily pin a sign language interpreter in addition to the teacher so they can see both at the same time.
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - In the coming months


#11 - Closed captions in additional languages
  • Help people follow along and stay engaged
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - Live


#12 - Live translated captions
  • With the presenter speaking in one language, you can get live captions translated into another language in real time. 
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Teaching & Learning Upgrade, Education Plus
  • 📆 Timeframe - Coming later this year


#13 - Closed captions in live streams
  • Make live streams more accessible with closed captions.
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Teaching & Learning Upgrade, Education Plus
  • 📆 Timeframe - In the coming months


#14 - Public live streaming
  • Host public livestreams that anyone outside of your school domain can attend, making it easier to host school board meetings, school events, and more.
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Teaching & Learning Upgrade, Education Plus
  • 📆 Timeframe - Coming later this year


#15 - Safety controls on mobile 
  • End meetings for everyone on the call and mute everyone at once from your tablet or mobile device. 
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - Live on iOS, Android in the coming months


#16 - Video lock
  • Turn off everyone’s video at once to quickly prevent distractions.
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - In the coming months

#17 & #18 - Breakout room safety improvements
  • Moderators can choose to have breakout room safety settings match the safety settings from the main meeting.
  • When you end breakout rooms, participants will be forced back into the main meeting.
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Teaching & Learning Upgrade, Education Plus
  • 📆 Timeframe - In the coming months


#19 - New admin controls 
  • Control which meetings users in your domain can join with new settings in the Admin console.
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - Live


#20 - Admin controls for meeting access and chat 
  • Control Quick access and chat lock at the group or OU level in the Admin console as well. 
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - In the coming months


#21 - Admin end meeting for all 
  • Admins can end any meeting in their organization directly from the investigation tool. 
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Standard, Education Plus
  • 📆 Timeframe - In the coming weeks



  Google Workspace updates


#22 - Smart canvas
  • A new experience that enhances collaboration in the apps that you use every day - like Docs, Sheets, and Slides - by making them even more interactive and intelligent. 
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Feature availability depends on edition
  • 📆 Timeframe - Launch timing depends on feature


#23 - Smart chips
  • Type the “@” sign to pull in helpful information from other Google Workspace products while working in a document. Quickly embed files from Drive or tag other people.
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - Live


#24 - Interactive checklists  
  • Stay on track with whatever you’re working on. Checklists are similar to bulleted lists, except you can mark items once they are complete
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - Live


#25 - Table templates 
  • Topic-voting table templates let you easily gather feedback directly in docs. 
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - In the coming months


#26 - Writing tips 
  • Get warnings about offensive words and language, as well as other stylistic suggestions. Admins can easily turn this off if they prefer not to have it on in their domain. 
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Plus
  • 📆 Timeframe - Coming later this year


#27 - Assisted analysis 
  • Assisted analysis in Sheets will provide formula suggestions that make it easier for everyone, not just data analysts, to derive insights from data. 
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Plus
  • 📆 Timeframe - Coming later this year


#28 - Present to Meet from Docs, Slides and Sheets
  • Easily present your content to Google Meet directly from Docs, Sheets, and Slides with the click of a button. 
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - Live


#29 - Present to Meet in Docs, Slides and Sheets
  • Embed your live Meet video calls in Docs, Sheets and Slides. This will make it even easier to see each other while collaborating together. 
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Plus
  • 📆 Timeframe - Coming later this year


#30 - Simplifying settings in Forms
  • New “SETTINGS” tab at the top of your Forms, with key settings made more discoverable, like the option to make a Form a Quiz, and control default settings.
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - In the coming months


#31 - 20 new fonts in Forms
  • Make your Forms more fun and personalized
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - In the coming months


#32 - Autosave in Forms
  • Forms would soon start automatically saving your draft responses for 30 days, or until your submission was complete.
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - In the coming months


#33 - Enhanced protections in Drive
  • Admins can enable enhanced protection within their organizations' internal Drive to further defend against insider threats and accidental sharing of malware
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Fundamentals
  • 📆 Timeframe - In the coming weeks

#34 - Drive labels
  • Classify files stored in Drive based on the contents’ sensitivity levels, and enforce strong data loss prevention rules according to that classification. Even set up Drive to automatically classify files for you.
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Standard, Education Plus
  • 📆 Timeframe - Beta in the coming months

#35 - Drive trust rules
  • Advanced controls around how files can be shared within and outside of your organization.
  • ⚙️ Google versions - Education Standard, Education Plus
  • 📆 Timeframe - Beta in the coming months



  Chrome OS updates


#36 - Chrome Insights Reports
  • View AUE dates for your device fleet, to understand when and how many devices will reach AUE.
  • 📆 Timeframe - In the coming weeks


#37 - PIN logins for Edu users
  • Login to your Chromebook with a simple six digit PIN, instead of lengthy and hard to remember passwords.
  • 📆 Timeframe - In the coming months


#38 - Point Scanning 
  • A new navigation mode for Switch Access enables users to select any point on the screen by having a user choose horizontal and vertical locations.
  • 📆 Timeframe - Live


#39 - New panning method to full screen magnifier
  • Keep the mouse centered on the screen and have the viewport pan as you move the mouse.
  • 📆 Timeframe - Live


#40 - ChromeVox tutorials
  • Introducing new tutorials, a quick orientation for new users, and a practice area for a small set of lessons.
  • 📆 Timeframe - Live



Post by Eric Curts. Connect with me on Twitter at twitter.com/ericcurts

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