Watch Out for These Common Google Slides Audio Errors

Last year I wrote quite a few blog posts about a Chrome extension called Mote that lets you record and add audio to almost anything in Google Workspace. As great as that extension is, it's not for everyone. In fact, earlier this week I got an email from a reader who was looking for some help adding audio to Google Slides without the use of a Chrome extension (her school won't allow them to use Mote). 

Helping that person earlier this week inspired me to create a new video that addresses the three mistakes that I most often see when people are adding audio to Google Slides. Watch the video to see what they are and how to avoid them. 

In the video above I explain the following mistakes and how to avoid them:

• Trying to find a direct record or upload option in Slides. 
• Not changing the default settings.
• Not sharing the audio file with collaborators or viewers. 

Three Great Google Maps Features for Teachers

Google Maps is one of my favorite tools to use in history and geography lessons. I've been using it for at least as long as I've been writing this blog (15 years). Like all Google products it has evolved over time and some features have gone away while others have been added. And there are some features that are "hidden" in plain sight that can be helpful when creating lessons that incorporate the use of Google Maps. 

In this new video I demonstrate three great features of Google Maps that are helpful when creating and conducting history and geography lessons. 

In the video I demonstrate:

• How to create and share lists of places with your students. 
• How to share specific Street View imagery. 
• How to use different base layers in Google Maps. 

To learn even more about how to use Google Maps and Google Earth in your classroom, enroll in A Crash Course in Google Earth & Maps for Social Studies.