Terry's Tech Tips

Google always innovates and changes.  They have just added three new features to help you efficiently respond to email.  You will want to check them out! Schedule email: Next to the Send button while composing an email, you will notice a small arrow .  Click the arrow, and you will have the option to schedule the time the email is sent. From the G Suites Update Blog Why would you want to schedule your emails?    Have you ever emailed a parent, student, or colleague and they answered your email immediately?  You respond, they respond back, and before you know it half of the time you scheduled to do more important tasks is gone.  Email efficiency experts suggest you answer emails two or three times per day at a set time.  (For example, I respond to email first thing in the morning, after lunch, and right before I go home.)  They also suggest scheduling email responses to send during a time when you are scheduled to lo...

Google has been busy this week, updating both GMail and Google Drive! I have been excitedly waiting for the Intelligent Search feature in Google Drive.  Everyone could use a little help finding items in their Drive! You are familiar with the Quick Access files Google shows you via their Artificial Intelligence (AI).  Place your cursor in the search box located above your Google Drive. Courtesy of Google Artificial Intelligence, you see a new list of options: First:  Suggested search queries Next:  Top collaborators Next:  File types, edit history, priority items, and more! Do you miss the old search box where you have additional criteria you can add?  Click the Advanced Search found at the bottom of the box.  The advanced search dialogue box you opens for your use!

Google released a new feature within the past week to help you deal more efficiently with your emails. I often see emails in my inbox that I know precisely what action to take without the need to open them.  I might need to apply a label, move the email, type a one-word reply, or search for a different email from that user.  Now everyone can easily do that right from their inbox! While viewing your Gmail inbox, hold down the Control key and click your trackpad.  (This is equivalent to a right click on a PC.) Without opening the email, the following sub-menu will appear: Perform any of these actions without the extra clicks to open the email and select the appropriate action!

You are working on a document with bulleted or numbered lists.  Everything starts out fine.  Then you make some edits.  Suddenly, the spacing is weird, or the numbers or letters are off.  And you end up spending too much time trying to fix it, or worse, you end up just starting the list over.  Has this ever happened to you?  I have definitely experienced that!   If so, Shift + Return is your best friend! How does Shift + Return Help? Bulleted & Numbered Lists: When working in bulleted or numbered lists, place your cursor at the end of the line where you want to add a space or move down without creating a bullet. Hold down the Shift key, and while continuing to hold Shift, press Return .   You will see the space added without a bullet or number! Use the buttons pictured below located on the Google Docs or Slides toolbar to move items in or out within the list.  Place your cursor at the front of...

Most of us use Google Docs daily.  Are you tired of using the same font, or changing the font to the one you prefer all the time?  Perhaps you want a different default font size?  Check out how to set your default font (and size) in Google Docs quickly!  Follow the process shown in the graphic below, or the step by step directions that follow! Image courtesy of Julie Spang While in a Google Doc,  select the font (and size) you want as your default. Select the box to the left of your font selection (sometimes it says Normal Text, other times Heading 1, etc.). Click the arrow by Normal Text and select Update 'Normal text' to match . Last, under this menu, select Options>Save as my default styles. From now on, when you create a Google Doc, this font and size will be used as you start typing!

Do you use Google Sheets or tables in Google Docs?  (I personally love tables for making complex information clearer!)  Both Sheets and tables allow you to add additional rows and columns, but one at a time.  Here is a quick way to add multiple rows or columns with a few clicks! While in Google Docs: Using an existing table (you can determine how many columns/rows when you create): Highlight the number of existing rows or columns you would like to add Click Format>Table>Insert Row or Column (you specify where in the table) . The number of rows or columns you highlighted will be added to the table in the Doc! While in Google Sheets: Highlight the number of rows or columns you would like to add Click Insert>Number of rows or columns Left or Right The number of columns you highlighted will be added in the Sheet in the location you specified!

Do you use Google Sheets?  Here are a couple of quick tips to help make your experience more efficient! Search: If you have a lengthy Google Sheet, looking for specific information in cells can be hard!  Click Command + F , and a search box appears!   Type in your search, and click the up or down arrow next to the search box.  Sheets will take you to each instance there is a match on your search text and highlight the cell in green!  (Ignore the static green cells you see on this sheet to the right!) Move text to a new line within a cell: It can be really handy to start a new sentence or thought on a new line within a cell.  To do that, place the cursor after the line existing in the cell.  Click Command + Return to go to a new line within the same cell! Enjoy a restful and relaxing spring break!

Student alerts in Aspen (those small icons that you click next to your student's name)  provide valuable information about your students.  Click here to see the full list of alerts and the information they contain . They also provide critical information that impacts student learning.  Failure to comply with them puts CCHS in a potentially litigious situation. Don't see student alerts on your Student tab or GradeBook>Scores tab?  Follow these directions to make sure you have access to this valuable information! Enable Student Alerts: 1.  While in Gradebook>Scores , click the cog.  2.  Click the Student Information tab, and click Show student alerts : Click OK at the bottom of the page.   Do you see alerts next to your students name while on your Student tab or GradeBook>Scores tab now?  You are done!   I still don't see alerts!  Change default field...

I keep hearing about the great sessions people attended at the Mini EdTech Camp .  I am really glad that teachers found it valuable!  There were so many great sessions to attend, and we are fortunate to have so many talented instructors on our faculty. One of the Mini EdTech Camp sessions, Tell Aspen Who's the Boss , covered a tool each of us uses every day.  A couple of quick preference changes provides you more data, more efficiently.  I thought I would share them with everyone!  (Thank Anthony Beckwith for first noticing them when Aspen was updated a couple weeks ago!) Information Delivery (Thank Brian Miller for this gem!)  Scrolling from page to page in Aspen can be a pain.  Who easily remembers the alphabet anymore?  Change your preferences so you see 999 records per page, reducing the number of pages to scroll through! While logged into Aspen, click on your name, and then the Set Preferences option.   Under the G...

As Q1 grading kicks into high gear, it is a great idea to ensure your scroll bars are always available.  They really help you easily access current assignments by letting you quickly bypass the older ones! Go to Apple>SystemPreferences>General  and make sure that your scroll bars are always set to show!