Google Docs and Sheets Are Tools for Activism and Advocacy

Google Docs is more than just a free word processing and sharing tool. It’s a powerful equalizer for advocacy and activism. Yes, you can create, share and edit documents in collaboration with others, but it’s Google Doc’s ability to reach a wide audience instantly that makes disseminating of information and mobilizing a cause easier than ever before.

For example, the now hugely visited document entitled “False, Misleading, Clickbait-y, and/or Satirical ‘News’ Sources” (nicknamed the Fake News Bible) was created by a college professor during the last US election and made available on Google Docs to help readers verify which information circulating in the media was factual and which was not.

Google Docs eliminates the higher monetary costs historically associated with organizing and processing, freeing up valuable time to focus on action, policies and instantaneous information-sharing anytime, anywhere in the world.

In the education sector, Google Docs can be used to compile resources or contacts as well as analysis on the policies and funding changes that impact our work or require a co-ordinated response.

Google Docs is free to use, and no account is needed to access or comment on an existing document. Documents can be distributed via social media or email and embedded into a website.

Did you know you can easily create quizzes and surveys for your learners using Google Forms?

Our technology consultant Maria Moriarty created this three-minute video tutorial to show you how to:

• Access Google Forms.
• Create a quiz.
• Create mandatory and optional questions.
• Review and test a quiz.
• Share the quiz with students and view responses.

Online quizzes and surveys are easy to create, eliminate paper, and simplify marking and feedback.

Two-minute video lesson: Create an all-access Google Hangout link using Google Calendar

Did you know Google Calendar can generate Google Hangout meeting access links automatically?
Many people struggle with accessing the video calls. Complicated instructions, links and set-up times can delay calls and sap collaborative energy. In this two-minute Screencast video, Monika Jankowska-Pacyna, AlphaPlus Technology Coach and Consultant, teaches you to set up a meeting and create a simple access link for participants.
Avoid technical hiccups and use Google Calendar to:

• Create and schedule Google Hangouts.
• Automatically generate a single access link for participants.
• Send your meeting invite link to participants.
• Easily access the videos calls.

Check out the Screencast video here!

Coaching Story: Dixon Hall

We caught up with coaching client Maxine Brown-Simpson of Dixon Hall to see how moving her curriculum to a digital platform improved learning and her program.

Tell us a bit about your program.

Our program delivers literacy and basic skills for a wide group of learners who are working to upgrade their skills in math, English and basic computers. We are in the Regent Park Community Centre and serve a wide range of learners from a large catchment area.

How did you connect with AlphaPlus technology coaching services?

In 2014 we connected to work on a project to see how we could improve our programs using technology. Initially, they made a few suggestions including Google Drive, but we didn’t think it would be a good fit for our learners. Because we have a vast, multi-level group and a broad spectrum of abilities, we thought those (Google Drive) would be too challenging for the lower-level learners.

Why did you implement Evernote instead of Google Drive?

I needed a platform that all learners would feel comfortable using with minimal assistance on an ongoing basis. When we looked at Evernote, it presented that platform. It allowed us to move from a highly paper-based operation to a more technology-based operation.

How are you using Evernote in your classroom today?

I operate a single account. That way the learners don’t actually have an account and don’t have to manage it. Using my account, I create and assign a notebook to each learner. That means individual learners have their own notebook. Then I create a link the learners can use to access their own notebook in class, which includes lessons, test, videos and other learning material in English, math and basic computer skills.

How were you delivering learning modules before Evernote?

Prior to Evernote, I actually had a paper file folder for each learner. On Mondays I don’t have the learners come in, so I would be photocopying lessons for them and putting them in that paper folder for each learner. Each one had a folder with their name, and I had a filing cabinet where learners picked up their folder before class. So instead of doing that manually, now it’s done through Evernote.

Has moving to a digital platform impacted learners at Dixon Hall?

Yes! When we implemented Evernote, I was able to give both introverted and extroverted learners equal, individualized attention in a new way: by including videos and personalized learning tools in the notebook for each student. For example, if someone needed explanations or examples, I would source videos and other materials just for them and include them in their individual notebook, and they could go through the videos and get instructions from me.

Can they reach out with questions and interact with you through Evernote?

Yes. They can reach out to me at any time. Also, we have included a lot of online assessments. So they’re not just learning to use the tool but also to assess themselves. I noticed since we took on using Evernote, there is an increased sense of independence. Learners now get to decide what they work on each day and at what pace because I have uploaded quite the variety of activities to each notebook.

Has the independent learning and assessment been a big motivator for learners?

Absolutely! What makes it motivating for them is that they’re able to redo these assessments until they meet the competency. So that motivates them and they’re not afraid to try. They can see where they are at, and then they call me for help and redo the assessment to see if they improved.
It really helps with test anxiety as well because they are seated individually at a computer. Nobody knows what each other is doing. It gives them a lot of confidence to know that they do it as slowly or as quickly as they want to. So there’s more success in terms of really learning rather than just doing exercises.

You and your learners are doing an Evernote workshop at the Metro Toronto Movement for Literacy (MTML) Learners’ Conference. Tell us about what attendees can expect.

Our goal in this presentation is to get our learners to share their experience so that the other participants will be interested in seeing how Evernote can be useful in their program. I’ll have the learners share their experience of before and after implementation. We’ll have a notebook prepared for the conference, and our learners will guide the participants in the workshop in logging in, navigating the resources and showing them how they use it. The learners who are presenting are going to be posting activities from each of their notebooks so they can go around to assist the participants. Essentially, the learners will show one exercise they use and give participants something they can relate to.

What do you want others to know about technology coaching with AlphaPlus?

My greatest thing is this: I want to see it duplicated in programs, especially lower-level programs where some learners do not feel comfortable to function very independently and/or are not comfortable in a group setting. There is some hesitancy because practitioners are concerned about the work involved in implementing it. I would like to emphasize: Yes, it does take a bit of time at the outset but it is encouraging when you see the results.

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LiveBinders is a digital classroom organizer that helps you package and share information in a single place. Information is packaged like a binder or book, which makes it intuitive to navigate. Instructors and program coordinators can curate digital resources, store them in one easy-to-access place and share them with learners using a single web link.

Use LiveBinders to create a customized textbook that includes videos, text content, images, PowerPoint slides, Google documents and spreadsheets — all organized with tabs and subtabs. Make the entire binder available to students at once or in sections as lesson plans progress.

Organizations working with AlphaPlus technology consultants use LiveBinders to:

• Create a binder from their bookmark lists.
• Capture websites directly into the binder.
• Collaborate with other instructors and learners in real time.
• Collect, organize and share learning tools for classroom and student use.
• Annotate resources with key points, teaching instructions or other notes on delivering the material.

LiveBinder It!
Install the “LiveBinder It” button on your web browser’s menu bar to add web pages directly to your binder. Simply click the button when you visit a site you like and LiveBinders will ask you to add it to an existing or new binder.

Never lose an assignment again
Learners can access the binder and revisit information whenever they like. They can also complete assignments and tests within LiveBinders, which means no more keeping track of multiple files and papers.
To bring LiveBinders of other teach we love to your organization, contact our technology consultants.

Quick Tech Help Story: Prince Edward Learning Centre (PELC)

Prince Edward Learning Centre (PELC) uses Google Slides to help students develop multiple skills independently. Lori Farrington, a veteran classroom instructor at PELC, shares her experience using Google Slides with her learners.

Single tool, multiple skills
After struggling with PowerPoint, Lori switched to Google Slides as a presentation and collaborative learning tool. To get students to use it, she asked them to create a presentation on ancient Egypt. “Most of my learners are A2, B2 and D2. This gives them an alternative platform to use research, writing and computers skills,” she says. Her students found Google Slides easy to use and enjoyed the process of learning to manipulate photos and text while building the content for their presentations.

Building independence through virtual collaboration
Using the collaboration feature, Lori could answer questions and support her students while they worked at separate computers. “Most of my students have trouble with anxiety and don’t like people sitting right next to them, sharing one mouse and keyboard. It’s awkward.” Google Slides gives learners the freedom to experiment and the option to ask for help while maintaining their independence and personal space. Since Lori is the only instructor in her classroom, the collaboration feature also saves her from having to jump around from student to student. “We are able to watch each other edit and work on the slide. It makes editing much easier. I can show them how to do a certain action and then undo it and have them redo it.”

Not only did the switch to Google Slides eliminate version control issues and the need for USB drives, it got students learning multiple skills more independently.

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Coaching Story: Simcoe County District School Board

Charlotte Parliament is the Literacy and Essential Skills Program Coordinator at Simcoe County District School Board. Responsible for the MAESD learning programs, she is on the move around the county, supporting six learning centres delivering a range of programs. As someone in constant contact with individual instructors and coordinators, Charlotte decided to use AlphaPlus technology coaching services to build a digital program delivery system to complement their online student-learning platform.

Why did you decide to work with an AlphaPlus technology consultant?
Last year we learned our credit students would soon be accessing courses via a web-based platform. They’re no longer going to be using paper-based textbooks or be in a classroom with an instructor. They’re going to be in a classroom on their computer.

For a long time, each program had been using hundreds of USB sticks to help students save files and take them away from class. So after we learned we’d be working from a web-based platform in the future, I started talking about the cloud and how we should be teaching our students using Google Apps. I didn’t know much about it; I just knew it was there and I really wanted to figure out how to use it.

I started trying to learn Google Drive on my own but it wasn’t working. Around that time, I got an email from AlphaPlus asking if we wanted to sign up for technology coaching the next year. I thought it was the perfect time for us. We needed to do this!

When I got the call to talk about what I wanted, the cloud (getting on Google Apps) was the biggest thing for me. I wanted to incorporate it into everything we do — to learn how to use Google Drive not only for our students but also how we could use it in our programs and make sure we’re all comfortable with it.

Describe the training and learning activities you did with your coach.
After the consultations, we scheduled Technology Consultant Monika Jankowska-Pacyna to train our team during a few PD days. She ran a number of different sessions, from the basics of Google Drive all the way to creating and using the custom forms. She also helped us understand the difference between Google Drive and OneDrive, a tool more supported by our school board. To help us teach our students in the future, she directed us to a training site that would help us share our knowledge with students over the long term. It’s hands-on, and the time taken is well worth it for what we’ve learned in our program. There’s no way you can get this from going to a webinar and taking this back to your office and telling yourself you’ll learn how to use it.

Is your team using Google Drive to stay more connected?
Monika helped me implement weekly Google Hangouts with my instructors. This was something I didn’t even know I would be able to do, but we love it. We had tried this in the past but couldn’t figure out what platform would work with everyone’s laptops, tablets and cellphones. Nothing seemed to be compatible with all of them. So now I have a Google Hangout with my instructors once a week to talk about the system and keep the learning going.

What benefits have you noticed so far?
The technology coaching program has really been a benefit to us as a school board program. I know that some organizations will say, “I just don’t have the time as a manager to set aside,” but AlphaPlus has been very flexible, and it only takes a short time every couple of weeks.

The instructors are excited. The technology coaching sessions and support made them ready to share what they learned with the students. This is also important for our students who are going to go home and use a tablet or smartphone. With this cloud-based system, they can save a file and they can create or edit a Google document right on their tablet or laptop without having to pay for (or navigate) MS Office. So that’s a huge improvement, and it makes sure they’re ready and they know how to use the platform when they go into a credit program or an office. And we’re saving money on USB sticks!

Tell us about your next steps.
With this, you’re actually learning how to use technology. I’ve benefitted because Monika has been able to share with me the things that other organizations in the province are working on. So I get to learn from our changes but also what others are creating. We’re sharing the documents and to me, that has been a huge benefit.
Learn more about our technology coaching services or to sign up, contact Alan Cherwinski.

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Chromium OS is the open-source development version of Chrome OS, a Google operating system (OS) that Chromebooks use. An entirely free OS, Chromium converts PC computers and laptops into state-of-the-art CloudReady devices that work much like Chromebooks. That means outdated computer systems can be retooled with Chromium OS, including powerful Google Apps and tools.
Accompanied by a full suite of free Google Apps for Education, it gives learners, teachers and program administrators access to inexpensive and sustainable cloud-based digital tools and software without the added cost of new hardware. Chromium OS is an easy-to-navigate operating system that avails of Google Apps like Google Drive, Google Docs, Gmail and Hangouts with a one-time simple login.
Due to overwhelming response to our Chromium OS Conversion Pilot Project, only a few spots remain for adult education service providers to participate.
Get on the waiting list
For those wishing to participate at a later time, please contact Alan Cherwinski, Executive Director, at acherwinski@alphaplus.ca to be added to the waiting list.
To learn more, click here
For more information or to sign up, contact Alan Cherwinski at acherwinski@alphaplus.ca

Coaching Story: The Literacy Group (TLG) of Waterloo Region

AlphaPlus technology coaches can give your old laptops new life with a Chromebooks makeover (part of the Chromium OS Conversion PilotProject). Check out our conversation with The Literacy Group’s Program Manager, Chris Prosser, about how the Waterloo-based organization is building a Chromebooks laptop lending library for their clients.
Q: Why did you decide to engage in the Chromebooks Conversion Pilot Project?
A: We had old laptops that were once used for a mobile computer program that have older operating systems and no longer have valid updates. But even though they were older computers, their hardware had barely been touched and they look brand new. As a community-based organization, we don’t have the time or financial resources to upgrade or replace these computers, so theChromium OS Conversion Pilot Project with AlphaPlus was a great fit.
Q: Describe working with an AlphaPlus technology coach to convert old laptops into Chromebooks.
A: Working with Matthias was awesome! We had some old laptops and wanted to be sure they would work with Wi-Fi, since many learners don’t have Internet access at home. We wanted to maximize use by converting them to run the CloudReady Chromium OS so that learners could take the Chromebooks to coffee shops or the library, where Wi-Fi is available for free. Matthias was very kind to spend the whole day showing me how to load the program, which operating systems were free, and the difference between the individual and the classroom use. Because the laptops are all different, converting each one had its own challenge —either it was a different make or had a different reboot page. But Matthias was really helpful. If he wasn’t sure how to complete a conversion, he would take pictures of screens that would pop up and troubleshoot issues. He would go away, learn to fix an issue and send us the directions. I managed to get eight converted myself, and then Maria and Matthias gave our team training to show them the capabilities of the Chromebooks, which was great.
Q: What was your vision for the laptops once they were converted?
A: It’s a fantastic chance for our learners to improve. Our learners are at the lowest level of literacy and have very little or absolutely no computer training whatsoever. During on-site, in-class sessions, we teach clients computer skills, but they can be lost in the time between sessions. We decided the converted laptops would be put to use in a laptop lending library to give learners a chance to take them home and learn at their own pace, away from the pressure of the classroom.
Q: How will the laptop lending library operate?
A: Our lending policies have been crafted, and the Chromebooks have been tested, so the lab will be launching soon. Clients who want to access the Chromebooks can apply for a membership to the lending library. They must have been with us for six months and present the goal for which they want to use the laptop in order to be approved. It’s great because the Chromebooks have protection from viruses and downloads as well as a really simple platform that provides 90% of the things our learners want to do, like online learning through the learning hub, accessing Facebook or using Google Docs to do homework. Also, because the laptops are old and no longer a financial asset, we are less concerned about them being broken, lost or left on a bus.
Q: What benefits will learners gain from accessing the Chromebooks?
A: I love that Chromium OS is so user-friendly and I love the fact that learners can safely and securely go online to use the extensions and apps. Some find it really difficult to relate to a Windows environment because they’ve never used it, but because Chromebooks have similar functions to smartphones, it helps them relate to the technology better.
We haven’t set the Chromebooks to have an employment path but rather focus on our learners taking away a laptop and improving typing and navigation skills with a computer. Clients who have tested the library model have said that being able to use a computer at home has improved their understanding of how it works. They’ve also been able to use laptops to apply for work online and navigate job-training applications.
As we’re going along, we’re finding challenges but learning ways of making it more suitable for our learners. If one of these laptops is used in a learning experience, that’s great. But if they are used to help with the enjoyments of reading and engaging learners with online resources, that has made our day.
For more information about technology coaching, contact Alan Cherwinski at acherwinski@alphaplus.ca

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Have you ever wondered what our technology coaching services are really like?
In this Q&A with Jessa Reitsma, Learning Coordinator at Alexandra Park Neighbourhood Learning Centre, discusses her organization’s experience with AlphaPlus Consultant and Technology Coach, Monika Jankowska-Pacyna.

Q: How did having a technology coach help your organization achieve its digital learning goals?
A: Monika was awesome. Her coaching style was really effective for us. She helped us find technology tools that we were interested in and showed us how to apply bits and pieces of them in the classroom. Whenever things came up in the classroom with some of the barriers, she would always think of great solutions.

Q: What tools, strategies and equipment did coaching help you adopt?
A: Our technology coaching sessions allowed us to articulate what digital tools and program enhancements we wanted to work on. We did that as a team, which was awesome. During this process, we identified current challenges around technology, current barriers and ultimately created a list of ten key areas of focus. Each of us then had the opportunity to rate them and identify what was most important to us. In the end, we all wanted our learners and programs to be significantly improved by implementing tablets as a learning tool as well as integrating content management and learning apps.

Q: How did technology coaching change the way your team works?
A: Our coach really encouraged us from day one to get tablets for our learners. Because tablets are so much like a smartphone, and because everybody has a phone, it’s often easier for learners to apply that prior knowledge into greater understanding of that technology.
She also helped show our organizational leaders how much value they would bring to the classroom and helped us identify, track and present important data to justify the purchase.
The coaching experience also yielded a digital technology assessment that we now use in our intake process. Through this assessment, we are now able to determine where people are coming from when it comes to their digital literacy.

Q: How did the coaching sessions impact your learners and instructors?
A: For our program delivery team and instructors, just learning about the free apps that are available was amazing. There’s a lot of paperwork involved with our job, and the app we adopted, Quizlet, has made things easier for the instructors and for the learners.

With tablets, class time is spent learning instead of troubleshooting laptop issues. In fact, when things come up on the tablet, learners are often able to fix the issue independently. That’s a huge thing.

Q: Describe training and workshops the team received from the technology coach.
A: So that was really cool. The tablet learning is really interesting in the sense that it’s very hands-on. I think the best thing was we actually talked about this as a team because most of the instructors here are visual learners. We also had that conversation about our learning styles with Monika and she gave us instruction with that in mind.

Q: What’s the next project you’ll be working on with Monika?
A: She’s helping us with Chromebooks (part of the Chromium OS conversion pilot) right now. We’re hoping to convert about 12 of our old laptops into Chromebooks. I’m really excited about this because they’re image-based like a tablet and there’s only one browser that learners use and navigate, which makes it easier for them.

For more information about technology coaching, contact Alan Cherwinski at acherwinski@alphaplus.ca

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