Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Chromebook App: Google Cast for Education

Ok...this one's a good one. Technology brings up some issues as we transition from the traditional classroom to a 1:1 environment. But it also provides opportunities as well. Google (especially) has been at the forefront of both solving issues and creating opportunities.

Issue: How can we maintain a student-centered learning environment where students feel empowered to create, to solve complex problems, and work together to do so?

Solution: Have access to their screens through Google Cast - this will allow the students to display their work to the entire class via your projector, ask for student input on solving common problems and mistakes, allow students to be the experts in the room and explain how they arrived at a solution, or created a wonderful product, or to demonstrate their own mastery.

How it works....well, you download an app from the Chrome Store, your students download an extension from the same store. A few things to type and a few buttons to press and away you all go.  The product syncs all your Google Classroom classes so those using Classroom will find the adding students part very easy.

For all you visual learners, have a gander at this ace bloke from the UK demoing the basic functionality of it:


This tool is extremely powerful, and my mind drifts to other solutions it can provide as well. For instance, can it grant access to multiple screens so you can watch everyone's screen during an activity or, better yet, an assessment? Hmmmmmm <enter thinking emoji here>

Anywho, check it out and if there are any teachers already using it or want to try it out in their classrooms, I'd love to check it out and work with you to see how it plays with the students!

Thanks for reading!!

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Follow Up 9/15/16: The "Google Cast" Extension is blocked for students. Currently looking into solutions for that through the Tech Department.

Follow Up to the Follow Up 9/22/16: Was told that there were issues last year in using this product in class.  Looks like for the time being, students can not download the extension....I'm gonna keep shaking the tree

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