Blogging in the Classroom: YES, you can!

From On Blast Blog - Here's an awesome "Get Started Guide" to walk you through the benefits and steps to introduce blogging as a new tool in the classroom. Blogging is an innovative way to engage students while they learn, fits nicely with collaboration, and allows your students to participate in a hands-on learning experience they can take with them.

Check out their post to get started here: 
http://www.onblastblog.com/blogging-in-the-classroom/

Google Hangouts: Where are you?

Never again will we need to search around Google+ or elsewhere to find Google Hangouts! 

Jordanna Chord, a software engineer at Google, posted the following message to Google+:

We are launching another way to use Hangouts today.  From our new site you’ll be able to take advantage of the best of Hangouts in the browser, along with an inspiring image to get you through the day. Check it out and let us know what you think.

https://hangouts.google.com

Google Drive: Set Automatic Expiration Dates for Shared Files & Folders

This script is awesome for teachers or anyone who doesn't want to share files or folders forever. This will work for both publicly or privately shared items. 

Here's the guide from Digital Inspiration:

The script will run at the specific time and remove all the sharing permissions from your file or folder making them private and the shared links would no longer work. Here’s how you can use the script.

1. Click here to make a copy of the Google Script into your Google Drive.
2. Add the URL (link) of your shared Google Drive folder or any file hosted on Google Drive in Line #3 and put expiration date in Line #7 (remember to use the YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM format).
3. Open the File menu, choose Project Properties and select your Timezone from the dropdown. The date and time that you set in the script will use this timezone.
4. Go to the Run menu, choose Start and authorize the auto-expiry script to run at the specified time. This is open-source Google Script and none of your data is shared with anyone.

That’s it. You can close the Google Script editor window and it will automatically disable the sharing options for the specified file or Drive folder at the specified date and time. You can even specify sub-folders that are anywhere in the Drive Tree.

http://www.labnol.org/internet/auto-expire-google-drive-links/27509/

Google Slides Supports Chromecast & Airplay

Plus, it was announced today, you can share your slideshow over a Hangouts video call!

With an Android phone or tablet, tapping the play button along the top bar of the app will let you present to a new video call or one that’s already ongoing.

http://9to5google.com/2015/08/05/google-slides-presentations-can-now-be-shared-over-hangouts-video-call/ 

"Show up, don’t set up—Google Slides supports Chromecast and AirPlay"

http://googledocs.blogspot.com/2015/06/show-up-dont-set-upgoogle-slides.html