The Chromebook Classroom Podcast

As you set up your classroom and get ready for a new crew of students, you might be thinking, "What's something new I can try this year?" Each year I select five strategies, tools, or ideas you can use to engage your students and shake things up a bit. These five tools and strategies are all about making your life easier and your students' learning more engaging. Let's dive in!

👉 EPISODE SPONSOR: Google Trainer Academy

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Thanks for tuning into the Chromebook Classroom Podcast! If you enjoyed today's episode, I would appreciate your honest rating and review!

You can connect with me, John Sowash, on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. I would love to hear your thoughts on the show!

The Chromebook Classroom podcast is back with a special episode recorded live from Google's Chicago offices with special guest Liz Bocci. This episode dives deep into our experience at the recent Google Champions Symposium, an exclusive gathering of Google for Education's top educators.

Episode Sponsor

Interested in becoming a Google Champion? Join me and a small group of educators starting October 9 to become a Google Certified Trainer! This LIVE virtual experience will help you assemble your trainer application and portfolio. Learn more: GoogleTrainerAcademy.com.

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Thanks for tuning into the Chromebook Classroom Podcast! If you enjoyed today's episode, I would appreciate your honest rating and review!

You can connect with me, John Sowash, on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. I would love to hear your thoughts on the show!

As part of my daily routine, I scan dozens of blogs, visit a handful of Facebook groups, and skim through Twitter.

The goal: find the most helpful resources, tools, and articles that I can share with my teacher friends (that's you!).

Here are my favorite links for April 2025

1. Custom Reading Content for Read Along - Teachers in EDU Plus domains can now upload custom content to Read Along. This means you can provide students with reading support for your own stories, articles, and assignments.
2. Google Vids Education Film Festival - teachers can submit their Google Vid creation to be featured in a Google For Education blog post. Submission deadline is May 15, 2025. Google Vids is available for EDU Plus and Teaching&Learning domains.
3. New sidebar menu for Google Slides - this handy menu provides quick access to templates, building blocks, and other features, based on your Google license.
4. Clone yourself in minutes - my latest YouTube video discusses three ways to use video in your classroom. It's not as hard as you might think!
5. 5 end of year project ideas - I know it's hard to believe, but the end of the school year is not far away. Take some time to plan an end-of-year project to help students reflect on their learning
6. Audio Overview for Gemini (and docs!) - This popular feature first appeared in NotebookLM, but is now available in Gemini as well. It is especially useful when using the "deep research" model. Audio overviews for Google Docs is coming soon.
7. Canvas for Gemini - When working on longer, complex writing projects, "Canvas" makes it easier to use Gemini as a co-writer. This is a great tool to use when developing lesson plans or assignments.
8. 5 advanced Gemini features - Google has added a LOT of impressive features to Gemini. If you aren't using these, you are missing out!
9. A Classroom Teacher's take on AI - Blake Harvard, HS social studies teacher from Madison Alabama, shares his honest thoughts on the incursion of AI in education.
10. uBlock Origin Lite - you may have noticed that some of your Chrome extensions are no longer available including some popular ad-blockers. uBlock Lite is an alternative that will work, although not quite as well as the original.

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Thanks for tuning into the Chromebook Classroom Podcast! If you enjoyed today's episode, I would appreciate your honest rating and review!

You can connect with me, John Sowash, on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. I would love to hear your thoughts on the show!

This month, we're taking a look back at some of the big updates, developments, and edTech trends from 2024. We'll also peer into the crystal ball to consider what might be on the horizon for 2025.

Episode Sponsor: Logitech for Education Logitech Education is your partner in innovation for the classroom. Logitech designs high quality hardware including headsets, microphones and cameras that are used in classrooms around the world. You can view these best in class products including the Zone learn wired headset by visiting logitech.com/education.

• Tend 1: classroom specific AI tools for teachers
• Trend 2: Improvements in AI image generation
• Trend 3: Google Gemini expands and improves
• Trend 4: NotebookLM blows us away!
• Trend 5: AI detection debate
• Trend 6: Chromebook PLUS devices for teachers
• Trend 7: Premium gets better
• Trend 8: Google Drive updates
• Trend 9: Google Classroom Updates
• Trend 10: Goodbye Jamboard, Hello Vids
• Was education improved in 2024?
• Final thoughts and resources

Show notes for this episode: https://www.chrmbook.com/s9e5/

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Thanks for tuning into the Chromebook Classroom Podcast! If you enjoyed today's episode, I would appreciate your honest rating and review!

You can connect with me, John Sowash, on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. I would love to hear your thoughts on the show!

Happy Thanksgiving friends! I'm grateful that you have chosen to journey through the world of edTech with me! As a small thank you, I am offering a special sale! Anyone who registers for my winter Google Certification Academy between now and December 15 will get free access to my Wednesday Webinar program ($99 value). Click here to register!

Episode Sponsor: Logitech for Education

Logitech Education is your partner in innovation for the classroom. Logitech designs high quality hardware including headsets, microphones and cameras that are used in classrooms around the world. You can view these best in class products including the Zone learn wired headset by visiting logitech.com/education.

Here are my favorite updates for November 2024:

1. New templates for Google Slides
2. Essay writing tips from OpenAI
3. New buildikng block templates for Docs
4. Google Vids for EDU Plus
5. Gemini for iPhone
6. Scholar & Arts & Culture celebrate milestones
7. Machine learning crash course
8. How to organize a complex document
9. Figjam gratefulness wall
10. Thankfulness turkey

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Thanks for tuning into the Chromebook Classroom Podcast! If you enjoyed today's episode, I would appreciate your honest rating and review!

You can connect with me, John Sowash, on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. I would love to hear your thoughts on the show!

Happy fall, friends! Sip on some cider or your favorite pumpkin flavored drink while we review Google updates, classroom ideas, and news stories for the month of October. 🍁🎃

***Episode Sponsor: @vizor-cloud for Chromebooks*** Track your devices, repairs, loaners, and more with VIZOR's best-in-class asset management system. It's not too late to get started: http://vizor.cloud/cbc

All of the resources mentioned in this episode are available here: https://www.chrmbook.com/s9e3/

Episode Topics:

• 0:00 Intro
• 2:00 Gemini for Teens
• 3:28 Star rating for Google Forms
• 4:55 Tabs for Google Docs
• 6:10 Cover image for Google Docs
• 8:00 Gemini for Google Classroom
• 11:26 Parents sue school over school discipline over AI usage
• 15:00 Pumpkin carving with Google Slides
• 17:10 The museum of frights featuring @googleartsculture
• 18:30 Halloween Choice board
• 19:30 Figurative language + AI images

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Thanks for tuning into the Chromebook Classroom Podcast! If you enjoyed today's episode, I would appreciate your honest rating and review!

You can connect with me, John Sowash, on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. I would love to hear your thoughts on the show!

Every month I try to summarize a few important updates and share some new tools and resources you can use in your classroom. Let's see what's happening for the month of September!

***Episode Sponsor: VIZOR for Chromebooks***

Track your devices, repairs, loaners, and more with VIZOR's best-in-class asset management system. It's not too late to get started: http://vizor.cloud/cbc

All of the resources mentioned in this episode are available here: https://www.chrmbook.com/s9e2/

Table of Contents:

• 0:00 Intro
• 2:15 Manage your Chromebooks with VIZOR
• 4:15 Data protections for Google Gemini
• 7:00 AI training for teachers & students
• 8:40 Enhance your Gemini experience with Gems
• 13:17 NotbookLM adds audio summaries
• 19:50 Google Docs has tabs
• 25:13 Google Classroom supports student groups
• 28:40 First impressions of Google Vids
• 33:30 Jamboard is going away
• 35:50 GenType (via Jeremy Badiner)
• 38:40 Gear Sketch (via Brad Dale)

Additional links and resources:

• Blog post with links to all of the above updates: https://www.chrmbook.com/s9e2/
• Get the EDU update delivered to your inbox each month: chrm.tech/update

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Thanks for tuning into the Chromebook Classroom Podcast! If you enjoyed today's episode, I would appreciate your honest rating and review!

You can connect with me, John Sowash, on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. I would love to hear your thoughts on the show!

The beginning of a new school year is both exciting and challenging. There is a lot to look forward to and a lot to get ready for!

In my 17 years working in education, I've learned some things and created some classroom templates that help me get the year started. Today I'm sharing those resources with you.

👉 If you are feeling overwhelmed, I hope these classroom templates will bring you some peace and confidence.

👉 If you are excited about the possibilities of a new school year, I hope these classroom templates will inspire you with some new ideas.

1. Google classroom checklist for teachers
2. Student skills checklist
3. Classroom resource template
4. Chrome extensions for students
5. Chrome extensions for teachers
6. Google Classroom requirements
7. Student Chromebook agreement
8. AI and plagiarism policy
9. Google Classroom checklist for teachers
10. Classroom resource template
11. Free time activity template
12. Parent contact log
13. Peer editing practice
14. Google Classroom quiz
15. Selfie card lesson

All of the resources mentioned in this video are available here: https://www.chrmbook.com/back-to-school-survival-kit-13-classroom-templates-every-teacher-needs/

***Episode Sponsor: VIZOR for Chromebooks***

Track your devices, repairs, loaners, and more with VIZOR's best-in-class asset management system. It's not too late to get started: http://vizor.cloud/cbc

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Thanks for tuning into the Chromebook Classroom Podcast! If you enjoyed today's episode, I would appreciate your honest rating and review!

You can connect with me, John Sowash, on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. I would love to hear your thoughts on the show!

We're at the peak of summer, but the EDU updates don't stop! Here's a rundown on some important updates, changes, and ideas for you to consider as you sit poolside or enjoy friends and family.

As part of my daily routine, I scan dozens of blogs, visit a handful of Facebook groups, and skim through Twitter.

***Episode Sponsor: VIZOR for Chromebooks*** Track your devices, repairs, loaners, and more with VIZOR's best-in-class asset management system. Schedule a demo TODAY and beat the summer rush! Use this exclusive link to save 20% off your first year: http://vizor.cloud/cbc

Here are my favorite links for July 2024:

1. Ask Gemini about documents and emails
2. Google Vids in Beta
3. Can you spot the AI image?
4. Wednesday Webinars are back for 2024-25
5. eSignatures in Google Docs
6. Pre-configure Google Meet from Calendar
7. LaCrOS is dead
8. World Emoji day
9. Great stuff from Figma
10. The Art of Online Writing (book review)

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Thanks for tuning into the Chromebook Classroom Podcast! If you enjoyed today's episode, I would appreciate your honest rating and review!

You can connect with me, John Sowash, on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. I would love to hear your thoughts on the show!

June 24 marks the start of the 2024 ISTE conference, and Google is making a big splash by announcing lots of cool updates and new features for the 2024-25 school year! Join me on this episode to explore the latest updates to Google Classroom, Chromebooks, Gemini, Google Drive, and more!

***Episode Sponsor: VIZOR for Chromebooks*** Track your devices, repairs, loaners, and more with VIZOR's best-in-class asset management system. Schedule a demo TODAY and beat the summer rush! Use this exclusive link to save 20% off your first year: http://vizor.cloud/cbc

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Thanks for tuning into the Chromebook Classroom Podcast! If you enjoyed today's episode, I would appreciate your honest rating and review!

You can connect with me, John Sowash, on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. I would love to hear your thoughts on the show!