Thursday, September 28, 2017

Google Slides Updates 2017

Google announced new Slides features on September 27th.   I've highlighted some of the newest (and not as new but useful) features that teachers, learners, administrators can all benefit from knowing about!  The video playlist at the bottom (broken into short intro's and how to's) include the following:

slides icon
Keep Notepad
Now you can insert a note from Keep directly in Google Slides.   This can be good for notes, images, drawings (from mobile) and items you've collected using the Save to Keep Chrome Extension.  As students use keep more and more they will find these integrations invaluable.

Insert Diagram
New addition ~ diagrams templates you can add and modify directly from the Insert Menu.  Diagram options include Hierarchy, Timeline, Process, Relationship and Cycle.  

Insert Chart
Not as new but seriously useful.  You can insert a chart and modify data from scratch.  Most of the time, however, we have collected data and created charts that need to be included in presentations.  On the Insert>Chart menu is the option to Insert>Chart>FROM SHEETS.  You can then search Drive for a specific sheet that has said charts.  If you update the data in the sheet make sure you select the update chart button on the slide to accurately reflect the updates.  

AddOns & Explore
Add Ons are now available for Slides.  If you have not used Add On's before they have been available for Docs and Sheets for a while now.  They provide 'added functionality / features' by selection.  On the Slides menu you will find a link now to Add On's. Click on Get Add Ons to explore the 'marketplace' of free offerings.  In the video I demonstrate the Unsplash Photos and Icons by Noun Project.  

A not as new feature (Fall 2016) is the Explore tool for slide formatting.  In the video I highlight using it with the Unsplash Photos to quickly format a nice looking slide.  These are two unbelievable features that will make any slide creator more efficient and happy.