Google Meet Attendance Template (Non-Enterprise Version)

Google Meet does have a built-in feature to collect attendance but that is only available for people who are using the Enterprise version of G Suite, which means schools that pay for the Google tools. 

Note: If your school does use the Enterprise version, then be sure to check out my other post that explains how to use the built-in attendance feature here: Google Meet Attendance Template (Enterprise Version)

However, if your school uses the free version of the Google tools, then the attendance feature will not be available for you. So to help with this, I came up with a possible workaround to collect attendance during a Google Meet, and to track attendance over time.

So what is this workaround? For this option we are going to use a template I created that includes a Google Form for the students to submit their attendance, and a Google Sheet to collect the attendance, and then a pivot table to track and summarize the attendance over time.

See below for a short 7-minue video explaining how to use this option to collect and track attendance, as well as a link to get your own copy of the templates.

How to Save the Chat and Captions Transcript in Google Meet

Google Meet is a powerful video conference tool, with many features including live closed captions and a panel for chat messages. What would be great though would be an easy way to save all of the captions and the chat messages from the meeting.

This would be especially valuable for teachers to have a detailed record of student participation in the session, including everything said or typed, and by whom, and at what time.

Unfortunately Google Meet does not have a built in option to save the live captions, and the only way to save the chat messages is to record the video of the meeting as well.

Thankfully there is an excellent and free extension called Meet Transcript that does all of this and a little more.

To help explain how to use this tool I have recorded a short 6-minute video on how you can save the transcript for the chat and live captions in Google Meet. See below for the video, as well as a detailed explanation of the process.

New Online Video Course - Enhancing Special Education with G Suite

I am excited to announce a new online video course that I have created through Kiker Learning, called "Enhancing Special Education with G Suite"!

This course covers tools for accessibility and accommodations either from Google or that work within the Google suite of products. These tools can be so helpful for all learners, whether in person or when working remotely.

In the course we take a look at four specific categories of tools:

• First, text to speech tools that will read aloud content for our students.
• Next, speech to text tools that will allow our students to simply speak and have what they say automatically typed up for them.
• Third, readability tools which will make it easier for students to read what is on a webpage.
• And finally reading comprehension tools to help students better understand the content they have read.

See below for all the details on the course and how it can be accessed.

New Online Video Course - Canvases for Design: Google Drawings and Jamboard

I am excited to announce a new online video course that I have created through Kiker Learning, called "Canvases for Design: Google Drawings and Jamboard"!

This course covers how you and your students can create, design, diagram, brainstorm, collaborate with others, and more, using Google Drawings and Jamboard.

In this course we take a look at both of these tools and learn all about the features they provide. Then we explore exciting projects that our students can complete with these tools including: graphic organizers, desktop publishing, interactive images, green screen images, math activities, and much much more.

See below for all the details on the course and how it can be accessed.

Play Backgammon with Google Slides and Drawings

So I am a big fan of tabletop games, as my bookcase full of games will show. They are a great way for people to connect, as well as build critical thinking skills. Although I mostly play newer games, I still love some classics such as backgammon.

Recently I created a backgammon template in Google Slides and Google Drawings that anyone can use to play the game in person or remotely with a partner.

See below for links to templates so you can get your own copies, as well as a short video and written directions on how to use the templates.

Translating Google Meet Menus, Chat, and Captions Live

Google Meet has done a great job connecting people from across town or around the world. However what if the person you are connecting with speaks a different language?

It turns out that Google Meet has a built in option to translate in real time the Google Meet menus, the chat conversations, and the live closed captions. This can be especially helpful for students who do not speak English as their primary language.

To help explain this feature I have recorded a short 5-minute video on how you and your students can translate content in Google Meet. See below for the video, as well as a detailed explanation of the process.

Using Originality Reports in Google Classroom

When students are writing in school, it is important for them to cite their sources properly and to avoid plagiarism. Even when students try their best, they may still miss a passage that needs to be cited. Likewise when teachers are grading dozens and dozens of papers, it can be a challenge to identify possible plagiarism issues or citation needs.

Thankfully if you are using Google Classroom, you and your students have "Originality Reports" to help you!

With Originality Reports in Google Classroom, you and your students can compare their written work against billions of webpages and millions of books to identify possible areas of plagiarism or passages that may need proper citation. This can help students catch problems before they submit their work, and allow you to easily check student writing while grading.

To help explain this feature I have recorded a short 8-minute video on how you and your students can use the Originality Report tool. See below for the video, as well as a detailed explanation of the process.