Google has been updating features and design in Google Workspace. Notice in Google Docs that the toolbar has changed. The first icon is now a search icon. This new feature to search the menus will speed up your workflow. The trick is to practice using this new feature.
Find Features
What are you thinking… search it. Want to set the margins in your Google Doc… maybe you haven’t done it in awhile and need to click around to find exactly where you adjust the margins. Or perhaps, you do know, but it is several clicks to locate the margin options.
There is no menu option specifically titled “margins.” However, simply searching “margins” in the search option quickly points you to “Page setup.” Selecting it, takes you there.
Did you know there is a menu option to change your text into Title Case? This is where the first letter of each word is capitalized. The problem is, this option is buried deep in the menu structure. Even knowing that it is available in the Format menu, you might just think it is easier to manually capitalize each word.
Not only is it faster to search for title case using the search icon in the toolbar, you do not have to visit the menu at all. Selecting “Title Case” out of the search options simply applies Title Case. Menu skipped.
Get in the Habit
Get in the habit of using the search icon, especially for things you are proficient at finding in Google Docs. The challenge is to make the search icon muscle memory. So anytime you think you need a feature in Google Docs you do not waste time looking for the feature, but instead, just ask for it.
Search the Google Docs Menus
The icon to search the Google Docs Menus is subtle. It is not just a help feature, but a speed wizard.
-
Try Out Gemini Canvas Tool
When using AI, Google Gemini, try out the Gemini Canvas tool to make cool things.
-
Let Gemini Help You Write Your Prompt
The key to Google Gemini or ChatGPT is having a good prompt, but they are hard to write. Let Gemini help you with that.
-
Ask NotebookLM to Do This
NotebookLM is one of the best AI tools an educator can use, and it’s free. However, you want to make sure you also vet the sources.
-
Create a Custom Infographic
App Smash NotebookLM and Canva to create custom Infographics.
-
How Google Workspace AI Agents Transform Teacher Workflows
What is an Agent? It is an AI action that you don’t have to take. As teachers… we need more helpers doing things for us.
-
Why Google’s TPUs 8 Matters to Educators
Google announced new TPU chips at Google Cloud NEXT 26. What does this mean for education?
