Tools I Use: issue 2 (Update unfortunately Evernote is ending support for this app so I will need to find another app That functions the same.)

 (Update unfortunately Evernote is ending support for this extension so I will need to find another tool that clears all the distractions off a web page.)

I already have found several that provide similar functions Pocket is one of my favorites. Pocket also works as a bookmarking tool for reading articles later. I will make a video Pocket shortly.

Clearly :

Clearly is an extension That I use to make articles on the internet easier to read. Once you install the extension the icon will be found in the top left corner of your browser window. 

To use clearly to clear up the page you click on the icon when you are on a page you want to read. Watch the video below to see Clearly in action.

Educational uses:

• Students can use the extension to make things easier to read on their Chromebook.
• Teachers can make it easier to read articles they are projecting for their class.
• Teacher can use it in conjunction with Chrome's print to drive feature to save articles to their drive in a format that is clear of ads and more print friendly if students don't have access to devices.

I often combine Clearly and Chrome's ability to print to Drive to save article to read later as .pdfs.

Tools I Use: issue 1

I have decided to do a series of posts based on apps I use.

I spend a lot of time trying applications and digital workflows, attempting to find the easiest and most efficient way to accomplish educational activities.  

My goal is to introduce applications I have found valuable while working in West Springfield. 

In an attempt to provide clear descriptions I will format my posts in this series 

goo.gl.com This is Google's a web address shortener, it is a tool that  makes links easier to share with a group. 

Once you have installed the extension, you use it by going to the page you want to share and clicking the extension icon.

The extension creates a short URL with 6 random letters or numbers.  It is important to know that the letters are case-sensitive.(i.e.it matters whether the letters are uppercase or lowercase) 

Once the extension has created your shortlink you can copy it and share it to your audience. 

Another nice feature is your shortlinks are saved for you in your google account.

Here is an example:

 https://goo.gl/c7ZViJ 

Educational Purpose: 
As a teacher one goal is to optimize time on task. This means more than just working, it means focused on your defined objective.

Using Goo.gl shortlinks help students avoid typing errors that are roadblocks to the site you want them to work on.

Goo.gl's are also great for when you want to use a Google form as an assessment or survey. Google forms have ridiculously long and complicated urls so having a short version enables a more smooth start to your test.

3 Useful Apps/Websites for Your Google Account.

I realize there are thousands of sites that post lists of applications and weblinks.

However, I thought it might be good to post a list that I know will work on our network.

1. Google drive templates 

 This is an app that brings you to the templates gallery for Google Drive tools, (i.e docs, spreadsheets, presentations, forms).

2. CK-12 

This web-app is a great online textbook site. When you use your Google account to login you can then customize an online textbook for you class they they call them flexbooks. My one issue with this site is that not all subjects are equally represented

            Another great aspect is that the flexbooks can be saved as .pdf as well as be  accessed on student's             smartphone or any of the top e-readers including Kindle, Nook, and ipad.

3. Diigo Bookmark Manager

 I have mentioned Diigo before, it is my personal choice for Bookmark management or collecting

Why: One of the most important skills to learn for using the internet is how to searching and evaluating websites. But once you find and evaluate the sites it is important to have a way to get back

What: A bookmark manager is an Browser extension you can add to your browser collect the sites you have determined to be valuable. 

What I like about Diigo is that I can highlight parts of pages and it saves the highlights and the link.

Diigo is an extension you can add to your browser for easy access to the Bookmarking tools.

All the above mentioned tools can be found in the Chromestore and are all free.