Google Keep: Quick Student Feedback on Google Docs and Slides

Weekly Tech Tips

Google Keep:

Google Keep is one of the apps provided in our G Suite accounts that can be used in so many different ways it is hard to describe.  Keep is described as a note keeping app (think lists and sticky notes) but its power lies in how versatile the features make it.  Here are some of my favorite features:

• Draw or snap a picture with text and it will "grab" the picture text and write it in the note
• Make a list of "To Dos", set reminders and check off once done
• Organize by label and color
• By far my favorite...pull up Keep in Docs and Slides and Drawings and drag or copy notes to insert in those docs.

Insert a Sticker

Insert Frequently Used Feedback

Insert a Suggested Edit Comment

Keep:  To get started with Keep and make your own lists, stickers and comments peruse the resources below.

• Keep
• How to make Stickers?
• Starter Stickers pack

Lesson Design:

When thinking about student feedback it is good to start with the end in mind by asking yourself some questions.

1. What kind of feedback?
2. Who will give the feedback?
3. Where will the student find the feedback?
4. What will the student do with the feedback?

Now that you have answered those questions design your template to accommodate your answers.

If you want to get student work, ideas or comments in one place a sharing table is a great place to start.  Find the template: 

1. Use the NEW button in Google Drive
2. Click the arrow next to the app and choose "From a template"  
3. Check out the Williamsville templates and Google's General templates
4. Slides, Sheets, Docs and Forms all have a template option

Chunk, Table and Organize

Chunk: One great way to start with the end in mind is to Chunk the lesson down into parts.  Think Introduction, Paragraph 1, 2, 3 and Conclusion or Restate, Answer, Cite and Explain.

Table:  Use the table option in the Insert menu to separate these parts physically in the vertical space of the document.  Add columns to provide clear locations for feedback.

Organize: Set the background and text colors of each section or column to something distinct.  If you set the font, size and color or each column in the template when you drag feedback from Keep it will take on the styles that you set.  Be consistent with the cell colors for where students write (say Gray) and where students look for feedback (Orange).

Examples: 

Key considerations:

• When designing, begin with the end in mind...student use of your feedback
• Consider using Keep to speed up frequent commenting or have some fun with Stickers
• When setting up your stickers or comments...you can always share them with colleagues right from Keep.

Here are some you might like.

Stay Classy Transit

Stay Classy South

Enjoy your life!

Larry