Save Time With Bookmarks: Document Templates

I don't know about you, but I use Google Slides for #allthethings.  I am constantly opening Google Slides and then changing the size of my slides.  I realized, with a simple two minute investment, I can save time and clicks each time I need a Google Slides file sized a certain way.

You can do this with any size, but I am going to show it with the three documents I use the most, 8.5 x 11 portrait and landscape slides as well as a landscape document.  Portrait documents are default so I didn't need a shortcut for that.

Step 1:  Create a folder in your Google Drive and call it something like Templates or Shortcut Templates.  This will give you a place to store these template documents you are about to create so that you remember what they are for.

Step 2:  Create a folder in your bookmarks bar.  You can do this by right clicking on the bookmarks bar and choosing "Add folder".  Name the folder "Templates" or whatever you wish to call it.

Step 3:  Inside the folder in your Google Drive that you designated for the templates, create a new Google Slides file.  Rename the file to be "Portrait Slide" (or whatever you want to call it).

Step 4:  Change the slide size to be 8.5 x 11 to make a portrait slide set.  You can do this by going to File --> Page Setup and choosing Custom.  Then change the units to inches and set it to 8.5 x 11.

Step 5:  Now that you have your portrait sized slides file, click on the little star to the right of the web address in the address bar to create a bookmark for this page.

Step 6: Change the Folder option to be the Templates folder you created in step 2.  Then before you save, click on the "More" button to get more options.

Step 7: Name the bookmark whatever you wish.  Then look at the URL (web address).  At the end of the URL, there will be something that says "/edit...".  It might have some other characters after it, but that is ok.  Change the /edit and everything after it to say "/copy" and then click "Save". See the pictures below.  

Step 8: Now repeat steps 3-7 to create bookmarks for a Slides file that is landscape and a Google Doc that is landscape.

There you have it!  Now whenever you want a Google Slides or Document file that is one of those sizes, you just click on your templates folder on the bookmark bar.

When you click on one of your template shortcut bookmarks, it will prompt you to make a copy of your template. 

Now you'll have your already resized document and be ready to go.  It took a little bit of set up, but so many clicks are saved each time you do this.  Enjoy all your extra seconds.  :)

Google Keep Chrome Extension

I've introduced you to Google Keep before - basically a website where you can store digital sticky notes with access across all your mobile devices.  Click here to get more information about Google Keep.

They now have a Google Keep extension for Chrome that is just wonderful!  You can click on the extension and it will take the web address and title of the web page you are on and let you add a note to it.  It will put it directly in your Google Keep notepad without you having to actually browse to the site.  Super useful!

To get this handy extension - browse to the Chrome Web Store or click this link.  Search for "Google Keep" and watch for it under the extensions - NOT apps.  Go ahead and click the blue "Add to Chrome" button.

It will prompt you for permission.  Click "Add extension".

Now you will see the Google Keep icon next to your address bar (Omnibox).

Next time you are on a website that you'd like to save for a specific purpose, you can just click on your Google Keep icon and it will pop up a little box for you to add a note to.  When you are finished typing your note, just click the Google Keep icon again to close it.   It saves automatically.

Now when you visit Google Keep on your computer or mobile device, your note will be there along with the web address ready for you to return when you need it again.

So handy!  I know I'll certainly make good use of it!  Hopefully, you will too.

TabCloud Chrome Extension

There are times when I know I need a certain set of tabs open in my Chrome browser.  For a specific lesson or presentation, I'd like certain things to be open each time I start.  TabCloud is my hero in these situations.

TabCloud is a Google Chrome Extension that takes all the tabs I have open in my Chrome window and saves them.  I can give that tab set a name, and then reopen it on any device I'm logged into that has a full Chrome browser (does not work on iPad, tablet, etc.).  Whenever I need that tab set, I can click on the TabCloud icon and load my saved set.  It's a beautiful thing.

To get TabCloud, head on over to the Chrome Web Store and search for TabCloud (one word).  Then click on the blue "Add to Chrome" button.

It will ask you for permission - click "Add extension".

Now you will see the little TabCloud icon in the upper right of your Chrome Browser.  The first time you use it will ask you to click to log in, then you will have to allow it access to your account.  You should only have to do that once.  After that, whenever you have a set of open tabs you'd like to save, click on the cloud, name your set, and click the little disk icon to save it.

To load a saved set, click on the TabCloud icon and click the green plus sign next to the set you'd like to load.  Then watch the tabs open right before your eyes.

Now when you go to teach a lesson or do a presentation where you need multiple tabs open - the preparation is quick and easy.  Walk in, log in, load your saved TabCloud and you are ready to go in just a few clicks.

Google Chrome: Save Space on Your Bookmarks Bar

You can't have too many bookmarks.  If you look carefully, most bookmark icons are highly identifiable.  Capitalize on that and save a ton of space on your Bookmarks Bar.

Here is a little .gif that shows the process.

CraftyCursor Google Chrome Extension

I learned about this great Chrome Extension from my friend Amanda Taylor (@TeacherandGeek).  Head on over to the Chrome Web Store and search for CraftyCursor.  When you see it, click on the blue "Add to Chrome" button.

After you install CraftyCursor, you may need to refresh your Chrome browser before it will work.  Click on the CraftyCursor icon in the upper right of your screen when you are ready to use it.

You can set your color using the drop down and then click "Start highlighting".  Now you will get a highlighted circle around your cursor to help your audience track with your mouse movements.

To stop highlighting, simply click on the CraftyCursor icon again and click "Stop highlighting".

CraftyText Extension

Ever needed to give students or an audience a word, code, website, etc. to copy down or type in and you have to spell it out loud repeatedly so they can get it?  I've got a solution for you.  CraftyText Extension!  With just a click you can have giant text displayed across your screen.

Browse to the Chrome Web Store by typing "Chrome Web Store" into Google or just clicking on this link.  Type "CraftyText" into the search bar and then hit enter.  You'll see CraftyText listed under extensions.  Click the blue "Add to Chrome" button.

You'll be prompted for permission to install.  Click "Add Extension". 

The extension will now be installed and you can see the little CT icon to the right of your address bar.

Now when you have text you'd like to share with your audience, just click on the CraftyText icon and a little box will open for you.  (Sometimes you need to refresh your Chrome window before it will work the first time after you install it.)  Type whatever text you'd like displayed into the box and hit enter.

Then you will see the text displayed giant size across your screen.

When you are done with the text, click the CT icon again and it will go away.  If you have any trouble getting it to work the first time, go ahead and refresh your browser. 

If you like CraftyText, you'll definitely want to give CraftyCursor a try!  It will put a little colored dot around your cursor to help your audience follow along with your movements around the screen. 

These are two of my very favorite extensions.  Enjoy!

Zoom in on Google Chrome

Ever been reading a web page with text too small to read comfortably?  An email that came in with an extra small font?  Maybe you are showing your class a Google Doc or web page, and it is too small for the kids in the back to read.  No problem - easy fix!

In the upper right hand corner of your Chrome window, you will see the menu button.  It has three lines stacked on top of one another.  This menu is often referred to as the "hotdog" or the "hamburger".  Click on it to access the Zoom options in the drop down menu.

You can then click on the little plus sign to zoom in closer.  Of course - if you want to zoom out, you can use the little minus sign.  Here is what it looks like when I zoom in a few times.

If you have adjusted the zoom in any way - you will have a small magnifying glass in the upper right hand corner of your address bar (also called the Omnibox).  If you click on it, you can adjust your zoom from there, or you can hit "reset" to go back to normal.  

Happy zooming!

Creating and Managing Bookmarks in Google Chrome

One way to make your internet browsing experience easier is to make bookmarks for the sites you visit most frequently and have them readily available in your bookmarks bar.

To check and see if your bookmarks bar is showing, look under the address bar.  Do you have a bar there with some links on it?  If so, your bookmarks bar is on.  If not, it is off.

Bookmarks bar off:

Bookmarks bar on:

If your bookmarks bar is off, you can turn it on with just a few clicks.  Click on the hotdog menu (with the three horizontal lines) in the upper right hand corner of your screen.  Choose "Bookmarks" from the menu and then choose "Show Bookmarks Bar" in the second menu.  Your bookmarks bar will now appear.  You can also use the keyboard shortcut to toggle the bookmarks bar off and on, which is Control+Shift+B on a PC and Command+Shift+B on a Mac.

To add a bookmark to your bar, browse to the site that you'd like to add.  Then look at the address bar and click on the star you see on the far right hand side.  A box will pop up so that you can name your bookmark and then click "Done" at the bottom.

Your bookmark will now show up on your bookmarks bar.

If you'd like to edit the title of your bookmarks, you can do so easily.  Right click on the bookmark you wish to edit, and then click "edit" from the menu.

You can now change the name to whatever you'd like it to be and then press "Save" at the bottom of the window.  Shorter is better because it will take up less space, allowing you to fit more bookmarks on the bar.

If the icons are distinct enough, like Google Drive, Gmail, Twitter, Google+, etc., you can delete the name altogether and just have the icon on the bar.  Edit the bookmark the same way you change the name, except you delete all the text in the "Name" box and then click "Save" at the bottom.

Deleting the names saves so much space, and I personally think it is easier on the eye.

Happy bookmarking!

Set Chrome to Open Your Favorite Tabs

There are probably a few websites you visit everyday.  Email, attendance, Google Drive, maybe even Hapara Teacher Dashboard.  Did you know Google Chrome can open all those tabs automatically each time you open the app?  It's really simple to set up.

First, open all the tabs that you want to have up each time you open Chrome and make sure they are in the order you want them to be in.

Then click the hotdog menu (the three little lines) on the upper right hand corner of your browser window and choose settings.  

Look for the "On startup" section.  Select the option for "Open a specific page or set of pages" and then click the little blue link that says "Set pages".

At the bottom of the window that pops up, click the button that says "Use current pages".  Then click "Save".  

That's it!  Now when you open up Chrome, all of your tabs will open just the way you want them to.  

*Note - If you use a Mac, these pages will only be opened each time you re-launch Chrome and not each time you open a new set of windows.

Sign in to Google Chrome

It's no secret that my favorite internet browser is Google Chrome.  Some people like it, some people don't.  If you are going to use it, you should sign in.  Many people are using Chrome, but they aren't getting all the benefits of using it because they aren't signed in.  You may be signed in to Google, but not be signed in to Chrome.

To see if you are signed in to Chrome or not, click on the three dots menu on the top right side of your browser and click on "Settings".

If you are signed in to Chrome, at the top of the Settings page you can see who you are signed in as.

If you are not signed in to Chrome, it will give you a "Sign in to Chrome" button.

Click on the button and go ahead and sign in using your Google Account.  You will probably get a window that asks if you want to "Link your data".  This is where the magic happens.  If you are using a computer you will use frequently - one that is not a public use computer, then it is safe to link your data.  This means that all of your bookmarks, Chrome extensions and apps, and your settings will travel with you.  It is a wonderful thing!  I have my school account data linked on my work computer, my work Chromebook, and my home computer.  All three will keep my current bookmarks, extensions, and settings so that I can move seamlessly between devices.

Another nice thing is that you can create profiles for Google Chrome.  Between my husband and I, we have about 10 Google Accounts - some are work, some are personal.  We have Chrome set up so we can simply change profiles with a few clicks to be logged in to all those accounts - each one with its own bookmarks, extensions, settings, etc.  This can be handy if you want to access your work email or Google Drive at home or your personal email or Google Drive at work.

To add another profile on Chrome, click on the three dots menu and click "Settings".  In the top section, click "Manage other people".

A window will come up that shows all of your Chrome profiles.  At the bottom right you can click, "Add Person".

When you click "Add Person" it will open a new browser window and have you log in to your Google Account just like you did when you signed in to Chrome the first time.  You will again want to choose to "Link your data".  You can even choose an icon or picture to go with each profile.  You can name each profile as well.

To change the name or icon of your profile, you must be logged in under that profile.  Then go to the three dots menu and click "Settings".  Near the top where you see who you are signed in as, there is a little right arrow icon.  Click on that icon.

You can change the name and/or icon for your profile. 

Once you have more than one profile in Chrome, you can easily switch back and forth between them.  For a Mac, look at the bar across the top of your screen when you have Chrome open.  One of the options will say "People".  If you click on that menu, you can easily choose which profile you'd like to use.  For a PC, you should see the name of your current profile in the upper righthand corner of the browser window.  If you right click on that name, you will see the list of all your Chrome profiles and you can choose the one you'd like to switch to.  

Having different profiles makes it very easy when you need access to more than one Google Account on your computer.  Remember though - you want to always be sure you are doing this on a computer that is specifically for your use.  Doing this on a public computer could put your account and information at risk.  Creating different profiles instead of just switching between Google Accounts will help keep your information straight and you won't have any access issues because Chrome is trying to use the wrong account to access a file.

I hope you find this helpful!  Stop in again soon for more handy tech tips!

Log Out Remotely

Did you log into your Google account somewhere other than normal and realize you forgot to log out?  Have you noticed anything suspicious going on with your account?  Click here to see a blog post by EdTechTeam with some great security tips for you!  Thank you, EdTechTeam!

I want to highlight one of their tips.  Tip number 3 - Log Out Remotely.  If you have logged into your Google account somewhere and you realize you may have left it logged in, there is a quick and easy solution.  Log into your Gmail account and scroll all the way to the bottom.  On the bottom right, you will see some small text that says "Last account activity: 27 minutes ago" or however long ago you had some activity on your account.  Underneath that is a little link that says "Details".

Click on the "Details" link and it will pop up an account activity window.  This window will tell you if your account is actively open in another location.  It also lists the type of access, location and IP address of the computer that accessed your account, as well as the date and time.  All mine just said United States of America, so it isn't super specific, but it is still good information.  I blanked out all the IP addresses in this picture for my own security purposes.  You can see the button near the top that says "Sign out all other web sessions".  Probably not a bad idea to do this every once in a while.  

I hope you will take a second to check out the EdTechTeam blog post I mentioned.  You can never be too safe online.  

Thank you for stopping by the TeachingTechNix blog!  Stop in again soon for more helpful tech tips!