Using Google Slides to Curate & Share Innovation Bits and Bytes

This year, to help gather and share some innovation bits and bytes to staff, I decided to use Google Slides as a way to curate everything. I went back and forth with which tool to use and chose Google Slides with the following reasons why: 

• We are a G Suite K-8 district and I love utilizing the apps that Google offers.
• The Google Slides app is such a versatile tool that can be used in so many different ways, besides presentation creation.
• I love seeing tech tools used in unique ways and taking the tools to different levels. A tool is just a tool -- it’s what we do with it and how we use it that makes a difference.
• With Google Slides the content can be ever-changing and easily updated anytime.

DPS109 Innovation Bits and Bytes

bit.ly/dps109bitsandbytes

Setting up the Google Slides for the Innovation Bits and Bytes

• Slide 1: My title slide includes a short description and a shortened URL. I like using bit.ly to shorten because you can customize the URL name. 

• Slide 2: A quote that will change every so often. You never know when someone needs a little boost of inspiration.

• Slide 3: Table of Contents. I’ll link each issue to the matching slide in the slide deck.

• Slide 4: The most current issue will go here all past issues will follow.

Quick email blast to staff to share the newest issue added in the Innovation Bits and Bytes

Each time there's an updated issue, I’ll send a quick email to staff letting them know. In the email, I'll add both the link and a (clickable) image preview of the slide. When clicked, both the link and image will jump to newest issue or slide. To add a link to an image in Gmail, try this:

Add the image to your composed email in Gmail

Select the image by clicking and holding to the right of it, then dragging the cursor left until the image turns blue. When the image is blue, this indicates it has been selected

How to send viewers to a certain slide in Google Slides

• Each slide has its own unique URL. If you look at the end of the URL you’ll notice the unique ID after the /edit# 
  
• Pick the slide you want to appear when the link is clicked, then copy the URL. That is the URL to share with the viewers.
  
  
  
  
  
• To see how this works, click here to jump to slide 4 in the Google slide deck. Sometimes (not always) viewing from a phone will take you to the first slide. This works best viewed on a computer. 

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Finding ways to effectively communicate new bits of innovation and ideas to staff is so important to me. Hopefully this method is helpful in doing so. What do you think? What methods of communication are you using and finding successful? Would love to hear.