Tag Archive for: google

502 – Be Internet Awesome

WELSTech 502 is packed with awesomeness in the form of a new digital citizenship effort from Google for middle- and upper-elementary children. Plus, Sallie has graphic organizer templates, and Martin has helpful gesture shortcuts for Windows 10. Community feedback and a mission update round out the show.

The discussion:

Interland Flyby – Martin and Sallie look at a new release from Google, Be Internet Awesome, that boasts a curriculum and kid-friendly video game which can be used to teach all aspects of digital citizenship.

Picks of the week:

Community feedback:

Featured video:

From the WELSTech “Likes” list on Vimeo, watch the Summer update from our Latin American outreach efforts through Academia Cristo.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 503 – Martin shares ideas on using iPads for ministry. Release date: Wednesday, June 28.

Get involved:

Desktop Publishing in the Cloud

As more and more of our work moves to “the cloud” and away from locally installed software, desktop publishing is one area which lacked a suitable online replacement. The desktop publishing standard, Microsoft Publisher, has long provided flexibility when it comes to layout so you can place images and text wherever you desire. Contrast this to word processing software which imposes strict rules around positioning text and images on the page.

Now with a simple modification of online presentation software, Google Slides, users can experience a parallel free-form layout environment for creative endeavors. The key is to change the page setup dimension from the traditional 4:3 or 16:9 ratio to A4 dimensions – 8.5:11 (portrait) or 11:8.5 (landscape). Watch this 1 minute video to learn how:

Application/audience

The work of church and school is greatly enhanced by excellent communication. From bulletins to event flyers to study materials to newsletters, called workers, church office personnel and volunteers alike will appreciate having this flexible design/layout tool in their digital toolbox. And moving this work to the cloud “ups the ante” on ease of sharing and collaboration during the development stage.

This sample 8.5 x 11 newsletter was created in Google Slides. It includes several different layouts for text as well as images and mailing space. Once the design work was complete, the files was downloaded in PDF format for printing.

Related resources

Try out different Slides themes, including the built in themes (Help) and those available from SlidesCarnival.com, to enhance design work.

Visit the Learning in Hand blog for a step-by-step tutorial on using Google Slides to print custom Post-It notes.

Also, Canva.com offers an alternative cloud-based design option. They have tons of professionally-designed layouts which can easily be customized. Much of their content is free, but some of the most desirable images do come with a price tag. Still, the cost is low (typically $1 per image) for superb design.

See All Ministry Resources

489 – Showered With Community Feedback

This week WELSTech hosts Martin and Sallie take time out from wedding showers to share some great community feedback. There’s lots to learn – from Google news to electronic giving to several sites for learning math. Apple’s latest announcement may have you seeing red, MLC invites you to tour Luther land, and Sallie shares a video gold mine.

The discussion:

Community chatter – This week Martin and Sallie share the latest news and discussions on the WELSTech social scene.

News in tech:

Apple’s iPad upgrades makes it cheaper and faster that the iPad Air 2

WELS now:

Celebrate Reformation 500 with Martin Luther CollegeConsider a 2018 Tour of Luther Lands

Picks of the week:

Ministry resources:

WELS Video On Vimeo

Featured video:

From the Google Plus Office 365 Schools discussion, we learn more about FluidMath, Tablet and Interactive Whiteboard Math Software, a new addition to the WELSTech Product Demo playlist.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 490 – Jason Schmidt joins Sallie for what promises to be a lively edtech discussion. Release date: Wednesday, March 29.

Get involved:

437 – Lots of Things to Bookmark!

This week on WELSTech the community of viewers share links and ideas including open source resources for educators, using Google Keep for notetaking, several free conferences and webinars, and a great deal on Microsoft Office 2016 for school faculty and staff. Martin shares a method for granting emergency access to your LastPass account, plus the listener-contributed ministry resource may prove helpful for those developing materials for Bible and religion classes.

The discussion:

crownOfThorns145x125The community speaks – Martin and Sallie share all of the latest news and discussion from the various WELSTech channels.

WELS now:

Take the WELSTech Photo Challenge for March

Picks of the week:

Ministry resources:

A Helpful List of Short Apologetic Videos

Featured video:

Consider using this video as a discussion starter – Did Jesus Rise from the Dead? – new on the WELSTech Presentation & Teaching playlist on YouTube.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 438 – Martin is away, but Jason Schmidt is a sunny stand-in as we discuss robotics and virtual reality in the classroom. Release date: Thursday, March 31

Get involved:

433 – Feedback and Skinny Snowmen

On WELSTech this week the community is front and center as we share feedback and explore new tech finds that can have a positive impact on church, school and personal ministry. Tech news includes a controversial customer letter from Apple, and this week’s picks leads to an “official” name for a new design element from Google.

The discussion:

skinnySnowman2 145x125From all the channels – Martin and Sallie share tips and tricks from the WELSTech audience via all our social channels. From printing the moon to church websites to digital media, there’s WELSTech goodness of all flavors represented!

News in tech:

Picks of the week:

Ministry resources:

On My Heart Lutheran Memory Work Program

Featured video:

New to the WELSTech “Like’s” list on Vimeo is a promotional video tour of Divine Savior Lutheran Academy in Doral, FL.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 434 – Gail Potratz is in the {virtual} house for what promises to be a lively discussion of the edtech horizon. Don’t miss it! Release date: Wednesday, March 2

Get involved:

431 – Our Digital Habitats

This week’s WELSTech features a discussion of the hardware, software, browser extensions and devices which Martin and Sallie use in their day-to-day digital work. We also take a look at the newly redesigned Martin Luther College web site, discuss open source church software and feature a video from Lakeside Lutheran High School’s uber popular YouTube channel.

The discussion:

mergedc145x79Information workers – Martin and Sallie share the tech that makes them smile {big monkey grins}!

Hardware

Desktop

Software

Browser & Extensions

Devices

News in tech:

Google for Education Presents – Content 2.0 Webinar

WELS now:

Ministry resources:

Open Source Church Software Roundup

Featured video:

This week we feature Lakeside Lutheran High School’s Soaring to New Heights video on the WELSTech Promo YouTube Playlist.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 432 – Chapter 6 of With All Your Heart, the WELSTech book project, is on the docket. The focus will be volunteers, and we’ll talk with folks from the Member Ministry team at St. Paul’s Lutheran in New Ulm, MN. Release date: Wednesday, February 17

Get involved:

423 – You Can’t Forget Bob Ross!

WELSTech wraps up 2015’s community feedback with a lengthy list of notable sites, mobile apps and videos covering all types of ministry applications. There are special tech deals, news of a new STEM classroom, and church history resources shared as well. Let’s make some happy little clouds in our world!

The discussion:

Bob RossSpotlight the community – As we often say on WELSTech, we learn and grow our use of technology in ministry when listeners share their first-hand experience “with the class.” This episode is dedicated to just that as we share recent community feedback we’ve received from across our many WELSTech channels. And there’s a happy little waterfall happening over here!

News in tech:

WELS now:

Take the December WELSTech Photo Challenge! We’re looking for photos of Advent, Christmas and John 1:9. Submit your entries at welstech.wels.net/photochallenge, and don’t forget to browse our public domain image album at bit.ly/wtchallengealbumIn life you need colors!

Picks of the week:

Ministry resources:

Featured video:

Enjoy the Advent music of WELS artist Mike Westendorf as he sings In the Waiting – Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel from the WELSTech Music YouTube Playlist.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 424 – Tune in for our special Christmas week interview with Pastor Paul Prange, Administrator of WELS Ministerial Education. Trees get lonely too, so we’ll give him a little friend! Release date: Wednesday, December 23

Get involved:

412 – Google Classroom

School is back in session, and that means the monthly WELSTech focus on educational technology is back also! Gail Potratz joins the conversation to share an overview of Google’s learning management system, Classroom. Young engineers are in the news, and Martin shares a sunny way to manage your schedule.

The interview and discussion:

Google Classroom Logo145x125Learning Google-style – Martin and Sallie welcome Gail Potratz from Emanuel in New London, WI back to the semi-regular classroom technology correspondent share for a new season of edtech knowledge sharing. This month the topic is Google Classroom as Gail walks through creating classes and sharing assignments, even using some of her favorite Google extensions, Doctopus and Goobric.

News in tech:

Congrats to the Shoreland Lutheran High School Engineering Team for winning the GE Design & Build Challenge at the Milwaukee Maker Faire!

WELS now:

Announcing the WELSTech Photo Challenge October categories … Reformation & Fall.

Picks of the week:

Ministry resources:

Brainscape flashcards

Featured video:

This week we’ve added a video from the WELS Hymnal Committee to the WELSTech “Like’s” list on Vimeo. Enjoy a special setting of In Christ Alone, one of the 50 favorite hymns identified in their recent survey. Learn more.

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 413 – Martin and Sallie welcome Missionary Mike Hartman to WELSTech as he shares an update on the tech enhanced work happening in Latin American Missions. Join us Tuesday, October 6 at 4 pm Central – welstechlive.wels.net

Get involved:

364 – Create a Google Site

This week on WELSTech you can learn the basics for creating your own free Google site for church, school or personal use. Martin may not be back in the co-host chair just yet, but he lends his comments throughout the show. And Sallie announces a new online training opportunity for FinalWeb users.

The discussion:

Google SitesEveryone can build a Google Site – A free web site builder – sites.google.com – comes along for the ride with your individual and Google Apps accounts. Sallie shares the steps for creating Google Sites for church, school or personal use as well as resources for setting up student ePortfolios.

News in tech:

Ministry resources:

Tips & picks of the week:

WELS insider:

Need to know:

Community feedback:

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 365 – The virtual WELSTech studio will be full to capacity next week with Martin’s return to the co-host chair and Jason Schmidt’s guest hosting appearance as we talk STEM on a shoestring.  (Broadcast date – 10/28/14)

Featured videos:

New this week on the WELSTech Instruction YouTube channel is Adorama’s The Where To Start Chart video overview and super cool interactive chart

 

Get involved:

344 – Resources and Reviews

WELSTech is on the road, broadcasting from Kettle Moraine Lutheran High school with coverage of the Tech and Teach event held today. And we select winners of the shiny tech giveaways for Ministry Resources and Listener Reviews.

The interviews:

MandS200x140190 techie teachers – Martin and Sallie, along with Kurt Gosdeck from St. Lucas in Kewaskum, WI and Rachel Pierson from Trinity in Waukesha, WI, share their experiences at the Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School Tech and Teach event.

Ministry resources:

  • Lesley Bergemann shared instructions for using Vimeo Channel RSS
  • Pastor Steve Daley recommends BulletJournal.com
  • The winner of the Apple TV giveaway is … Brent Nemmers

Listener reviews:

Coming up on WELSTech:

Episode 345 – The summer WELSTech Wiki reboot kicks off. (Broadcast date – 06/10/14)

Featured video:

From the WELS Schools Playlist, watch this overview of the new Performing Arts Center at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School, site of this week’s WELSTech recording.

 

Get involved: