Recently, I wrote a post called iPad and Google Apps for the Classroom: Part 1. In it I shared a number of quick tips and ideas on how students and teachers can take better take advantage of using Google apps on their iPad. The following post is part 2 in this series.
1. Switching Between Accounts on Shared iPads
One of the challenges of using G Suite apps in a classroom with shared iPads is the problem of dealing with multiple student logins. If multiple students are using multiple iPads, then it can quickly get messy. You don't want students accessing each others files accidentally, and especially not on purpose.
The solution is passcodes. When Student A logs in to the Google Drive, Docs, Slides or Sheets app on the iPad, get them to add a 4-digit passcode in the app Settings. This protects their account from unauthorized access on that device. When Student B wants to use the same Google app on that iPad, they add their account and also choose a passcode. From this point onward, when you launch the app all students need to do is choose the account they want to log in to, and then enter their 4-digit passcode!
Now, I know what you are thinking. What if students forget their passcode? Easy. Simply go to the app Settings, tap Manage Accounts, then Manage, and remove the account that the student forgot the passcode for. The student can then sign in again and choose a new passcode. This is not a perfect system, but with practice, it can be pretty efficient because it does solve some of those login issues you typically get with shared iPads.
The solution is passcodes. When Student A logs in to the Google Drive, Docs, Slides or Sheets app on the iPad, get them to add a 4-digit passcode in the app Settings. This protects their account from unauthorized access on that device. When Student B wants to use the same Google app on that iPad, they add their account and also choose a passcode. From this point onward, when you launch the app all students need to do is choose the account they want to log in to, and then enter their 4-digit passcode!
Now, I know what you are thinking. What if students forget their passcode? Easy. Simply go to the app Settings, tap Manage Accounts, then Manage, and remove the account that the student forgot the passcode for. The student can then sign in again and choose a new passcode. This is not a perfect system, but with practice, it can be pretty efficient because it does solve some of those login issues you typically get with shared iPads.
2. Working Offline
Did you know that you can create new Docs, Slides or Sheets without any internet access at all? Well, you can! Once you get connected to Wi-Fi again, the app will automatically sync that file with your Google account in the cloud. By default, this only works for new documents, but you can work on existing files offline too by tapping the three dots next to the file you want to work with and toggling the button next to Available Offline. This saves a local copy to your iPad that will be available when you have no network connection, and it will sync to your account when you get back on Wi-Fi. If you tap the menu icon in the top left-hand corner, you should see an Offline filter. This is a quick way to see what files you have saved for offline access. You may want to check this periodically because offline files do use up storage space on your device.
3. Save Websites to Drive as Annotated PDFs
If you or your students are collecting research or want to archive a version of a web page as a PDF, you can do that quickly and easily from the Share menu on your iPad. Here's how...
In iOS 11, all you need to do is navigate to the web page you want to save, tap the Share button, and then tap the Create PDF button from the bottom row of icons. This quickly converts the website to a PDF and opens it in a new window. All you have to do now is tap the Share arrow again, and choose Drive. From here you can pick a folder to store your newly created PDF.
In iOS 10 (and earlier), navigate to the web page you want to save, tap the Share button, and then tap the Print button. Next, pinch outwards with two fingers on one of the print preview thumbnails. This quickly converts the website to a PDF and opens it in a new window. All you have to do now is tap the Share arrow again, and choose Drive. From here you can pick a folder to store your newly created PDF.
If you want to take some notes or add highlights to the text, be sure to tap the pen icon to open the annotation tools before you save to Drive. This reveals a selection of pen tools, shapes, and text objects that you can use to annotate your PDF. This can be useful for reminding you why you saved a particular article or to call out sections that you want to use in your research.
In iOS 11, all you need to do is navigate to the web page you want to save, tap the Share button, and then tap the Create PDF button from the bottom row of icons. This quickly converts the website to a PDF and opens it in a new window. All you have to do now is tap the Share arrow again, and choose Drive. From here you can pick a folder to store your newly created PDF.
In iOS 10 (and earlier), navigate to the web page you want to save, tap the Share button, and then tap the Print button. Next, pinch outwards with two fingers on one of the print preview thumbnails. This quickly converts the website to a PDF and opens it in a new window. All you have to do now is tap the Share arrow again, and choose Drive. From here you can pick a folder to store your newly created PDF.
If you want to take some notes or add highlights to the text, be sure to tap the pen icon to open the annotation tools before you save to Drive. This reveals a selection of pen tools, shapes, and text objects that you can use to annotate your PDF. This can be useful for reminding you why you saved a particular article or to call out sections that you want to use in your research.
4. Present LIVE on the Web with Google Slides for iPad
Many presentation tools like PowerPoint and Keynote give you the ability to present your slides over the web in a live broadcast. With this option, people can follow your slides in real time and hear you presenting the content. To do this in Google Slides, tap the Play button and choose Present to new or existing meeting. Next, create a meeting ID and tap Invite to share your presentation with others. Then all you have to do is tap Present to get started.
You can turn on your microphone as required and toggle between your slides and a webcam view by tapping the camera icon once you are live. This is one of the simplest ways to start a live broadcast with others because they can see your presentation in a web browser and they don't need an account or other software in order to join the learning! Note that this is a one-way communication. Your audience can't talk to you or ask questions, but it could be a good accessibility option for students who need that accommodation.
You can turn on your microphone as required and toggle between your slides and a webcam view by tapping the camera icon once you are live. This is one of the simplest ways to start a live broadcast with others because they can see your presentation in a web browser and they don't need an account or other software in order to join the learning! Note that this is a one-way communication. Your audience can't talk to you or ask questions, but it could be a good accessibility option for students who need that accommodation.
5. Create Stylish Graphics with Snapseed
Snapseed is a powerful image editor that Google acquired a few years ago. It has a lot of fantastic options for creating striking images with the filters and adjustment tools. However, one of the lesser used options is the ability to add text over an image that you captured with your camera or one that you retrieved from your Camera Roll. There are a number of stylish, modern "word art" styles to choose from. You can change the color, size and position of the text on your image. This can be a great way to share magic moments from a conference keynote, to create blog post images, or simply to share the learning in your classroom with parents. It's quick, easy to do and gives professional looking results. Alternative apps for this purpose include Canva, Adobe Spark Post and Word Swag.
Wait, there's more...
If you have enjoyed this series of posts, stay tuned for part 3 where I will round up some more of my favorite tips and tricks, and if you haven't read part 1 yet, you can do that here. If you are a seasoned Google iPad user, feel free to leave a comment below with your own favorite uses for making the most of Google on the iPad. I would love to hear what you are doing in your school.
Jonathan Wylie (@jonathanwylie)
Digital Learning Consultant, Grant Wood AEA
Digital Learning Consultant, Grant Wood AEA
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