Apps and Extensions for Student Use

One of the joys of GAFE is the ability to download both Apps and Extensions to enhance the Chrome experience. As teachers, we have the freedom to download any app or extension of our choice. Students, however, do not have the same luxury. Currently, they are blocked from downloading both apps and extensions unless approved.

We have a system in place to help with student app and extension approval and subsequent retrieval! By simply filling out this form, you can get approval for student availability.

App and Extension Approval Link
https://goo.gl/7Gtyuj

Spreadsheet to view past requests
https://docs.google.com/a/npenn.org/spreadsheets/d/1x0Ow0k9g4XD9277fcBaojkm7vdxwFPhrk6-rpUbNvbA/edit?usp=sharing

This second link will show you what has been requested and more importantly when it was approved!
Before you request an app, please check to see if it has already been approved!

Once approved, students will need to be informed of the ability to download. If the app will be used by the entire district, it will be in "NP Recommended Apps" section. If it is not intended for entire district use, it will only be available if the student does a search in the Chrome Store.

Do you still need clarification on the difference between an app and extension? Check out this video:
https://youtu.be/ruiTqwAII-c

Want a refresher on how to get your apps on the Chromebook shelf? Check out this video:
https://youtu.be/qBTFEWUHQJo

As a final reminder, if students login to Chrome on a computer, they get a very similar experience to those on a Chromebook so if you are still using a computer with your students in school, you can still take advantage of these resources! 

Cruising to a New World

The summer is over and a new year has begun. We are all aboard for a cruise into a new world. In 1501, Amerigo Vespucci set sail to ultimately discover that South America was a separate continent from North America. Can you imagine the thrill, the sheer excitement and exhilaration of this explorer and his crew? We are all aboard to discover a new world. In this age of Digital Exploration, WE are the Vespuccis, the Cabots, the Christopher Columbuses and the Sir Walter Raleighs of the world. The crew, which is joining us is made up of young people of all ages and abilities. They are excited like never before. There is a fresh sense of eagerness which is palpable in the classrooms. This time, it is up to us to guide our ship through the unknown waters of laptops, iPads, and Chromebooks. The crew is more than ready and our knowledge of the vast sea is dwarfed by task at hand. We are the captains of the ship and our crew depends on us. We will discover new lands! We will have hardships! We will have storms! We will have successes! And through it all, we WILL discover new lands.

Amerigo Vespucci did not give up. He did not always know what the next day held for him and his crew. Amerigo kept sailing and kept looking and kept his spirits high. His crew depended on him! Today, this week, this year, our crew depends on us. They are excited for the journey into the unknown. Teaching is not always easy and technology is not always easy, but for us, it is the success of the students which drives us to be better. It is the smiles, the stories, the challenges, and the daily interactions which help us stay fresh. With our new crew, and our new technologies, we will all be successful. And most importantly, we WILL discover new lands.

Discover new pieces of information today...

GAFE Portal Configurations for Students - Great resource which addresses multiple GAFE questions.