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Episode 31
This week on the show, I look at how you can use Adobe Spark apps to allow your students some creative freedom. Plus, there’s news and updates from Formative, Google, and Microsoft.
News & Updates
- Formative
- Partner school/districts: Record a video to add to a question or content block (in beta)
- See your students’ activity in Formative: when open & submit, answer questions, etc.
- Enhance pdf files: switch out an updated version without losing the attached questions
- Also drag and drop questions onto other pdf pages
- Undo student submissions without erasing answers
- Click on a student’s name, in the 3 dots menu click undo submission
- Drag & drop images
- Google
- Chrome Spaces
- Revamped Chrome profiles
- Everyone who’s sharing a computer (or your multiple Google accounts)
- Customize color schemes, backgrounds, bookmarks, saved passwords
- New feature: reading list
- Syncs across devices
- Tools to make children’s books easier to read
- Read & Listen: listen to the book read aloud; choose whether pages turn automatically or manually
- Tap to Read and Kid Friendly Dictionary: tap a word to hear it; get kid-friendly definitions with illustrations
- In the Google Play store or Google Books, look for books designated 0-8, the majority of which have these tools enabled
- Sign in to RSVP via hyperlinks in Google Calendar email invitations
- You’ll have to be logged in to RSVP to Calendar events
- Chrome Spaces
- Microsoft Teams
- Dynamic View: intelligently arranges content and participants during a class
- Makes it easier to see everything important
- Presenter Mode
- Educators have the option of how to arrange video & content
- Standout mode: video in front of shared content
- Reporter: content as a visual aid above the shoulder
- Side-by-side: video and content next to each other
- Educators have the option of how to arrange video & content
- PowerPoint Live
- Content, slides, notes, students all in a single view
- Students can navigate content at their own pace or use the screen reader to access the content
- View Switcher
- Allows you to change views
- Together mode, focus, gallery at top, full screen
- Live reactions available for students
- Download attendance reports after class
- Invite-only option
- New lobby setting only allows participants who were explicitly invited
- Disable video to remove distractions
- Meeting chat moderation
- Disabled, during meeting, enabled
- Assignments in Teams
- Link thumbnails preview in Assignments
- Support for large file sizes
- Dynamic View: intelligently arranges content and participants during a class
Treasure Chest: Wisdom from The Twilight Princess
- “A sword wields no strength unless the hands that hold it has courage.”
- Don’t just give students tools and information
- Encourage and empower them to use them confidently
Boss Battle: Spark Creativity with Adobe
Adobe Spark – 3 main products full of pre-built, customizable templates
Spark post – Create beautiful graphics
- Social media posts: facebook, Twitter, Instagram
- Print media: posters, flyers, business cards
- Ads
- Templates
- Click and edit (Remix)
- If you can click on it, you can edit it
- Text, colors, images, icons, backgrounds, etc.
- Images: Creative Commons
- Icons from Noun Project
- Design assets: illustrations, brushes, frames, textures, overlays
- Click and edit (Remix)
- Right-hand menu
- Color scheme options
- Animate text or image
- Background layouts
- Resize to different pre-built sizes
- Designs – create other variations of designs in a single click
- Create a library to share with a class to use
- Add brand logos, colors, fonts, etc.
Spark video – create beautiful videos from scratch or with templates
- Can pick from a story template
- Example: Teach a Lesson
- Overview, Concept, Example, Explanation, You Try It, Summary
- Add in videos, text, photos, or icons for each
- Record audio voiceovers
- Layout options: fullscreen, split screen, caption, title and text
- Example: Teach a Lesson
- Choose theme for color and text
- Resize to widescreen or square
- Add some background music
Spark page – create web pages that look great
- Create a web page from templates to embed anywhere
- Photo journal, newsletter, portfolio
- Add a title and image, then scroll down to add more content
- Button to link to other sites
- Embed videos
- Photo grids
- Add a glideshow (images and text as you scroll)
- Split layout
- Choose from different themes
- Automatically adds licensing information at the bottom
- Publish and share
- Send to Google Drive
Spark for Education
- Free education account – allows you to create classes and assign projects to students
- .edu and k12.state.gov accounts sign up easily
- Other domains, get your IT admin to set it up
- Safe search
- Coppa & FERPA compliant
- Premium features are free
- Education Exchange – pre-done lessons that you can download into Google Docs
Crew Members’ Board (#8BitCrew)
QOTW: What’s one way you could use Adobe Spark to add a little creativity in your classroom?
Use #8BitCrew on Twitter, tag me @comicsocks, or post longer stories in the comments section here.
Get connected
- Twitter: @comicsocks & #8BitCrew
- Web site
- Youtube
- Email: 8bit.instructor@gmail.com
- Support the show on Patreon.
Check out my Google Classroom Udemy course.
Credits
Music by David Fesliyan (https://www.fesliyanstudios.com/)
- Intro/Outro: “Retro Platforming”
- Boss Battle: “Boss Battle Rock”
- Crew Member’s Board: “Pirate Dance”
- Wrap up: “Game Over” by Patrick de Arteaga
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links to products or services. I may receive commissions or bonuses from your actions on such links.
