Two ways to participate in ISTE 2016 from afar ...

One of the biggest technology conferences in the world is about to take place next week - ISTE in Denver, Colorado in the USA. However if you are not attending here are two ways to participate from afar for free:

a) Join the NOTATISTE online Google Community
Experience similar fun events with them. This group was formed by Jennifer Wagner last year. I joined in and it was a really great experience. https://goo.gl/LF6UZF  I've joined again for this year.

b) Join in the EdtechTeam's ISTE ON AIR event

This is what the EdTechTeam says:
"Can't make it to ISTE in Denver this year? Don't fret -- we're providing the #NOTATISTE crowd some fun and learning virtually! Door prizes given all day, so stop on by! We'll be patched in LIVE from the EdTechTeam Teaching Theater Booth all day, Monday, June 27th. RSVP and pop into this link at any time to pick up some just-in-time inspiration on a ton of different learning topics! We'll be highlighting sessions on Creating UnGoogleable Questions, Using Data in the Classroom, Telling Stories with Tourbuilder, Critical Thinking with Google, and MORE!"

Date: Monday, June 27th

EdTechTeam backchannel: http://todaysmeet.com/edtechteam

Landing page to watch this live event, and RSVP: http://bit.ly/isteonair

Some of the presentations to listen to live:

• How to Create an UnGoogleable Question 
• Apps That Make You Say HMMMM - Cool Apps for the classroom and professional use
• Google Cardboard - See the world in Virtual Reality 
• Let the data do the talking 
• Trending Up: Critical Thinking with Google Trends 
• Digital Portfolios with Google Tools 
• Google A - Z: The Unknown Google Gems 
• Souped Up Searching - Getting just what you need just when you need it
• Telling Stories with Tourbuilder - Creating Context with Geo Location 
• Shake Up Learning with Google Apps 
• GAFE Trail Mix: Creating Engaging Lessons for Learning
• Google Slides, More than Just a Presentation Tool 
• Keeping it Real While on the Go - Google Keep

The biggest technology conference in the world, ISTE, is due to take place in Denver, USA this month. I have once again joined the NOTATISTE Google Community which runs parallel to ISTE with exciting ideas and great sharing. It’s amazing what you can learn from this community! I have already picked up some great things about Periscope, the free broadcasting app, by reading something that Tony Vincent posted in the community.

What is Periscope
Periscope is a free, live-streaming app. It was purchased by Twitter and made its debut March 26, 2015. It is available on Android and iOS devices. It allows you to “go live” via your mobile device anytime and anywhere. You almost become a live broadcasting station, streaming video and audio to any viewers/followers who choose to join your broadcast. Read more here. I have used Persicope once as a live broadcasting tool,  but I sometimes tune into the little whistle that tells me that a live Persicope session is taking place.

Last year Tony Vincent took Periscope and his iRig Microphone HD to ISTE 2015 to interview teachers who were presenting poster sessions. At that time Periscope only recorded vertical video but with its updates it now broadcasts vertical video. I learned so many interesting things by watching Tony's video of his Periscope recordings on YouTube. I’ll share one of the poster sessions he recorded of the 'From wandering to wondering' project on using the Big6 for teaching information and technology skills. I learned about two interesting applications/ideas from this interview:

1. The Big6?
I hadn’t heard about this before but the“Big6 is a six-stage model to help anyone solve problems or make decisions by using information and technology. Some call it information literacy, information communication, or ICT skills, or a process, but we call it the Big6.”

2. Smore.com
Smore is a way to display a beautifully designed newsletters or posters online.

The interview using Periscope
I used Tube Chop to cut this Periscope interview on the Big6 out of the YouTube video. The URL: http://www.tubechop.com/watch/8070310



The Smore example
Here is the project 'From wandering to wondering' outlined in Smore: https://www.smore.com/1pcw1-from-wandering-to-wondering. In this project the students brainstormed the things they 'wondered' about  and then they each chose their own wonder to research. "The method was simple ... sticky notes and a bulletin board! Posting wonders in the classroom encourages more wondering ... students can wonder any time of the day and post it up on the board. And, can begin the research process anytime in the classroom!"

Tony Vincent is going to be broadcasting from ISTE again this year using Periscope's updated features. Follow his blog post and find out more at http://learninginhand.com/blog/iste2016  

An introduction to Google Photos (Alas, no more Picasa!)

Most of my photo collections are stored on Google's Picasa. Now I hear that in March 2015 Picasa will be no more!!! Help! So today I am researching Google Photos. 

Google is retiring Picasa
The Google Picasa blog says: We’ve decided to retire Picasa over the coming months in order to focus entirely on a single photo service in Google Photos. We believe we can create a much better experience by focusing on one service that provides more functionality and works across mobile and desktop, rather than divide our efforts across two different products..."The date is March 15th.

When did Google Photos start?
The official Google blog says in a post entitled, 11 things to know about Google Photos "Google Photos was created in May 2015...we wanted to make all these experiences even better—with unlimited high quality storage so you never need to worry about where to store your snapshots, automatic organization and great search so you can quickly find the photo you’re looking for, and easy sharing so you can send any photo to anyone with just a link." This sounds amazing! By October 2015 100 million people were using Google photos!

The GIF that keeps on GIFing
As I read through the post on the official Google blog itt makes an interesting read. It mentions what it has noticed about photos so far with the 100 million+ people's uploaded photos. I want to try this one! "Haven’t made a GIF yet? Start by selecting photos, tapping the + button, then select “Animation.”

Are videos included?
Google says, "With Google Photos, you can now backup and store unlimited, high-quality photos and videos, for free. We maintain the original resolution up to 16MP for photos, and 1080p high-definition for videos, and store compressed versions of the photos and videos in beautiful, print-quality resolution. For all the storage details, visit our help center" (it is worth clicking on this Help centre link).

How do I find Google photos?
Google describes Google Photos as "a new, standalone product that gives you a home for all your photos and videos, helps you organize and bring your moments to life, and lets you share and save what matters." You won't find it in your Google+ account, I noticed, but you will find it connected to your Google Account. So log in to your Google account and then type in:  

https://photos.google.com/ and there you have it! 

How do I automatically back up photos from my mobile phone?
I discovered that it is best to download the Google Photos App. from the Google Play stores (for Amdroid) or iTunes  (for iOS). You can then set your phone to automatically upload photos that you take whenever you are using WIFI.