Last week I published a post answering three questions that new Google Docs users frequently ask. That post turned out to be quite popular so I’m following up this week with the answers to three questions that new Google Slides users frequently ask. Here are three questions that I frequently hear from new Google Slides users.
1. What if I want a copy of the slides in case the internet connection in my classroom isn’t working?
There are two solutions to this problem. First, you can download your slides as a PowerPoint file. To do that simply select “download as” then select “Microsoft PowerPoint” from the “File” drop-down menu while viewing your Google Slides.
The other option for accessing your slides without an internet connection is to enable offline access for your Google Drive account on your computer. To enable offline access, open the gear icon in the upper-right corner of your Google Drive dashboard. Then select “settings” and check the “Offline” option. (Please note that it enabling offline access is not recommended on a shared computer).
2. Can I insert videos that are not on YouTube?
3. How do I add transitions/ animations to my slides?
This is the question about Google Slides that I am asked more than any question. There are two ways to add transitions between slides. First you can simply right-click on a slide in the the slide navigator on the left side of your screen. When you right-click on a slide you will see a menu appear. In that menu there is an option to “change transition.” Selecting “change transition” will open a new menu to the right of your slides. That menu will let you choose a transition to apply to your slides. The other way to open the transitions menu is to select “transition” from the menu of options appearing across the top of your slide editor.
The animation options appear in the same menu as transitions. Open the transitions menu the click on an object in your slides to animate it. Once you have selected an object on a slide you will see a menu of animation options appear on the right side of your slide.
Topics like this one and many more will be covered during this summer’s Practical Ed Tech Chromebook Camp. Chromebook Camp is designed for people who are new to using Google Apps and Chromebooks in school. The camp will also be valuable for technology coaches and administrators who are looking for tips on training teachers in their schools.
