Tag Archives: Innovation

YouTube Reveals the Top Videos of 2020: Canadians watched to learn, game, and find joy

This year, we took gaming to a new level, practiced how to Toosie Slide, and found ways to laugh and learn in quarantine. As we finally close out the year, we’re taking a look back at what Canadians watched on YouTube with the Top Trending Canadian creators and videos lists.

In 2020, Canadians came to YouTube to stay informed, learn new skills, and find entertainment and sources of joy. And Canadian creators provided no shortage of options, with new ways to connect with their online communities. To keep us moving and staying active, MadFit made exercise at home easier with no-equipment workouts and routines for small spaces. The Hacksmith’s team used the power of STEM to make a plasma lightsaber. And Julie Nolke kept us laughing, as we imagined how we would explain the pandemic to our past selves.

Top Canadian Creators
  1. MadFit
  2. The Hacksmith
  3. Linus Tech Tips
  4. AzzyLand
  5. Disguised Toast

Top Breakout Canadian Creators
  1. MadFit
  2. Disguised Toast
  3. Julie Nolke
  4. Graser
  5. Heather Robertson

This year's #1 video shows how we learned new skills, like how to construct a ninja warrior course for squirrels. We laughed amidst uncertainty with a remix to Prime Minister Trudeau’s interesting choice of words at a COVID-19 briefing. And we were delighted by watching 10-year-old Roberta Battaglia compete in America’s Got Talent, bringing tears to the audience’s (and our!) eyes.

Canada’s Top Trending Videos
  1. Mark Rober, Building the Perfect Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder
  2. Dream, Minecraft Speedrunner VS 3 Hunters GRAND FINALE
  3. Anonymotif, Justin Trudeau Sings "Speaking Moistly"
  4. Netflix is a Joke, 8:46 - Dave Chappelle
  5. NikkieTutorials, I'm Coming Out.
  6. America’s Got Talent, Golden Buzzer: 10-Year-Old Roberta Battaglia Sings Lady Gaga's "Shallow" - America's Got Talent 2020
  7. MrBeast, $250,000 Influencer Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament
  8. JeffreeStar, We Broke Up.
  9. Dude Perfect, Quarantine Stereotypes
  10. Paris Hilton, The Real Story of Paris Hilton | This is Paris Official Documentary

In music, 2020 was the year of Justin Bieber and Drake, with both Canadian superstars releasing chart-topping hits. Collectively, they earned half of the 10 slots on the Top Music videos list.

Canada’s Top Music Videos
  1. Future, Life is Good ft. Drake
  2. Tekashi 6ix9ine, Gooba
  3. Justin Bieber, Yummy
  4. Eminem, Godzilla ft. Juice WRLD
  5. Sidhu Moose Wala, Old Skool
  6. Cardi B, WAP ft. Megan Thee Stallion
  7. Drake, Toosie Slide
  8. DaBaby, ROCKSTAR ft Roddy Ricch
  9. Justin Bieber, Intentions ft. Quavo
  10. Drake, Laugh Now, Cry Later

When it came to ads, we watched relatable content that addressed the challenges and opportunities of our new normal. No Frills sang about physical distancing in “A Cart Apart”, SkipTheDishes and Jon Hamm encouraged Canadians to support local restaurants, and Rick Mercer ranted about discovering the beauty of our country.

Canada’s Top Ads
  1. Kia Canada - All-New Kia Seltos | Subcompact SUV built for the real you
  2. CANADA Explore | Explorez - Rick Mercer's rant on travel in Canada | Explore Canada
  3. Apple Canada - Shot on iPhone 11 Pro — Hockey Tape — Apple
  4. No Frills - A Cart Apart – A No Frills Track
  5. Chromebook - Switch to Chromebook - Watch Netflix Offline
  6. IGA - IGA x Bleu Jeans Bleu - Oublie pas tes sacs (vidéoclip officiel)
  7. Air Canada - Air Canada: Ready for Takeoff
  8. IKEA Canada - IKEA Canada | Make the Most of Home | Episode 1 with Marcy Mussari
  9. Historica Canada - Heritage Minute: Liberation of the Netherlands
  10. SkipTheDishes - Jon Hamm Thanks Canadians

As the world changed in unimaginable ways, these creators, brands and artists helped make this year just a little brighter, sharing music, workout routines, and some great laughs. We can’t wait to see what they do in 2021.

For a deeper look at the way video trends shaped digital culture in 2020, check out the Culture & Trends site.

Posted by Zaitoon Murji, YouTube Canada

YouTube Reveals the Top Videos of 2020: Canadians watched to learn, game, and find joy

This year, we took gaming to a new level, practiced how to Toosie Slide, and found ways to laugh and learn in quarantine. As we finally close out the year, we’re taking a look back at what Canadians watched on YouTube with the Top Trending Canadian creators and videos lists.

In 2020, Canadians came to YouTube to stay informed, learn new skills, and find entertainment and sources of joy. And Canadian creators provided no shortage of options, with new ways to connect with their online communities. To keep us moving and staying active, MadFit made exercise at home easier with no-equipment workouts and routines for small spaces. The Hacksmith’s team used the power of STEM to make a plasma lightsaber. And Julie Nolke kept us laughing, as we imagined how we would explain the pandemic to our past selves.

Top Canadian Creators
  1. MadFit
  2. The Hacksmith
  3. Linus Tech Tips
  4. AzzyLand
  5. Disguised Toast

Top Breakout Canadian Creators
  1. MadFit
  2. Disguised Toast
  3. Julie Nolke
  4. Graser
  5. Heather Robertson

This year's #1 video shows how we learned new skills, like how to construct a ninja warrior course for squirrels. We laughed amidst uncertainty with a remix to Prime Minister Trudeau’s interesting choice of words at a COVID-19 briefing. And we were delighted by watching 10-year-old Roberta Battaglia compete in America’s Got Talent, bringing tears to the audience’s (and our!) eyes.

Canada’s Top Trending Videos
  1. Mark Rober, Building the Perfect Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder
  2. Dream, Minecraft Speedrunner VS 3 Hunters GRAND FINALE
  3. Anonymotif, Justin Trudeau Sings "Speaking Moistly"
  4. Netflix is a Joke, 8:46 - Dave Chappelle
  5. NikkieTutorials, I'm Coming Out.
  6. America’s Got Talent, Golden Buzzer: 10-Year-Old Roberta Battaglia Sings Lady Gaga's "Shallow" - America's Got Talent 2020
  7. MrBeast, $250,000 Influencer Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament
  8. JeffreeStar, We Broke Up.
  9. Dude Perfect, Quarantine Stereotypes
  10. Paris Hilton, The Real Story of Paris Hilton | This is Paris Official Documentary

In music, 2020 was the year of Justin Bieber and Drake, with both Canadian superstars releasing chart-topping hits. Collectively, they earned half of the 10 slots on the Top Music videos list.

Canada’s Top Music Videos
  1. Future, Life is Good ft. Drake
  2. Tekashi 6ix9ine, Gooba
  3. Justin Bieber, Yummy
  4. Eminem, Godzilla ft. Juice WRLD
  5. Sidhu Moose Wala, Old Skool
  6. Cardi B, WAP ft. Megan Thee Stallion
  7. Drake, Toosie Slide
  8. DaBaby, ROCKSTAR ft Roddy Ricch
  9. Justin Bieber, Intentions ft. Quavo
  10. Drake, Laugh Now, Cry Later

When it came to ads, we watched relatable content that addressed the challenges and opportunities of our new normal. No Frills sang about physical distancing in “A Cart Apart”, SkipTheDishes and Jon Hamm encouraged Canadians to support local restaurants, and Rick Mercer ranted about discovering the beauty of our country.

Canada’s Top Ads
  1. Kia Canada - All-New Kia Seltos | Subcompact SUV built for the real you
  2. CANADA Explore | Explorez - Rick Mercer's rant on travel in Canada | Explore Canada
  3. Apple Canada - Shot on iPhone 11 Pro — Hockey Tape — Apple
  4. No Frills - A Cart Apart – A No Frills Track
  5. Chromebook - Switch to Chromebook - Watch Netflix Offline
  6. IGA - IGA x Bleu Jeans Bleu - Oublie pas tes sacs (vidéoclip officiel)
  7. Air Canada - Air Canada: Ready for Takeoff
  8. IKEA Canada - IKEA Canada | Make the Most of Home | Episode 1 with Marcy Mussari
  9. Historica Canada - Heritage Minute: Liberation of the Netherlands
  10. SkipTheDishes - Jon Hamm Thanks Canadians

As the world changed in unimaginable ways, these creators, brands and artists helped make this year just a little brighter, sharing music, workout routines, and some great laughs. We can’t wait to see what they do in 2021.

For a deeper look at the way video trends shaped digital culture in 2020, check out the Culture & Trends site.

Posted by Zaitoon Murji, YouTube Canada

Explore millennia of human inventions in one exhibition

https://img.youtube.com/vi/ud5eq2A-Lmc/maxresdefault.jpg Simon Rein Program Manager Google Arts & Culture
New inventions have fueled fantasies and shaped human society — from the first stone tools to robotic arms, the steam engine to jet propulsion, pieces of paper to the internet, hieroglyphics to emoji. Take the telescope, for example. Today, the Hubble Space Telescope orbits 340 miles above the Earth, capturing crisp images of 10,000 galaxies that are up to 13 billion years old. The idea for the telescope was born in 1608 from Dutch spectacle-maker Hans Lippershey's idea, and Galileo Galileo later improved the design, then pointed it at the sky. Several decades and conceptual explorations later, Govind Swarup built two of the world’s largest radio-telescopes near Ooty and Pune.


Today, we’re celebrating the objects and ideas dreamt up and created by inventors, scientists and dreamers. Thanks to over 110 institutions, including National Council of Science Museums and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research from India, as well as dedicated curators and archivists from 23 countries around the world, you can explore a millennia of human progress in Once Upon a Try, now available on Google Arts & Culture. With over 400 interactive collections, it’s the largest online exhibition about inventions, discoveries, and innovations ever created.



Watch a documentary about Govind Swarup’s inspiring journey of building the largest radio-telescopes in India

See a collection of  100 digitised notes from Albert Einstein via Académie des sciences




Chewang Norphel, the man single-handedly combating climate change with artificial glaciers, a story by Unsung Foundation

Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian woman to go to space, via NASA




Join the journey of chess becoming a global game with Salar Jung Museum

Revisit the story of the first electronic computer developed and commissioned in India with Tata Institute of Fundamental Research




Explore the origins of Ayurveda, the Indian contributions to the field of medicine with National Council of Science Museums

Explore CERN’s 27 km long Large Hadron Collider in a virtual tour

In addition to the exhibition, you can download a “Big Bang” augmented reality app, which we developed in collaboration with CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. In the app, you’ll embark on an epic 360-degree journey through the birth and evolution of the universe. With Tilda Swinton as your guide, witness the formation of the very first stars and watch planet Earth take shape in the palm of your hand. Using Google’s machine learning, you can also explore NASA's vast archive of 127,000 historic images with a new tool called NASA's Visual Universe. See the history of discoveries and missions, or search for a term to learn more about the space agency. You can also tour Space Shuttle Discovery — based in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum — in 360 degrees, with the astronauts who once called it home as your hosts.




Within the Once Upon a Try exhibition, you can dive into virtual walkthroughs to tour the sites of great discoveries, from the deep underground of CERN to the high-in-the-sky International Space Station. Zoom into 200,000 artifacts in high definition, like the first map of the Americas and Saturn and its 62 moons. Get the lowdown on big inventions (from zero to emoji to the toilet) or hear five inspirational scientists talk about superpowers — like shapeshifting — that are being created through science. Meet the Einsteins and Curies, or learn more about champions behind-the-scenes — like Chewang Norphel, the man single-handedly combating climate change with artificial glaciers, or Rajnish Jain, who found a method to harness electricity from pine needles, or Mary Anning, the pioneering female paleontologist who discovered the pterodactyl.
Woven through the exhibition are tales of lucky accidents, epic fails and even people who died for their projects — like Röntgen’s fluke discovery of x-rays, Isaac Peral’s ingenious electric submarine that never launched and Marie Curie’s quest to find polonium, which led to her own death from radioactive poisoning. Despite these setbacks, human endeavour is a never-ending journey — and you can imagine that only a few things are as exhilarating as that “eureka” moment when everything falls into place. Get all the tips you need to become and inventor, and learn why it’s important to embrace failure through the stories of pioneers like Ada Lovelace, Mae Jemison and Chien-Shiung Wu.


We hope this tribute to human discovery inspires a new generation of creators to be curious, to seek what lies beyond the known and to try something new. Explore “Once Upon a Try” on Google Arts & Culture or via our iOS or Android app and join the conversation on #OnceUponaTry.

Simon Rein, Program Manager Google Arts & Culture

Improving Search for the next 20 years

https://storage.googleapis.com/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod/images/BLR_-_Koshys_1_1.max-1000x1000.jpg Ben Gomes VP Search, News and Assistant
Growing up in India, there was one good library in my town that I had access to—run by the British Council.  It was modest by western standards, and I had to take two buses just to get there. But I was lucky, because for every child like me, there were many more who didn’t have access to the same information that I did. Access to information changed my life, bringing me to the U.S. to study computer science and opening up huge possibilities for me that would not have been available without the education I had.
Ben's library
The British Council Library in my hometown.


When Google started 20 years ago, our mission was to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. That seemed like an incredibly ambitious mission at the time—even considering that in 1998 the web consisted of just 25 million pages (roughly the equivalent of books in a small library).
Fast forward to today, and now we index hundreds of billions of pages in our index—more information than all the libraries in the world could hold. We’ve grown to serve people all over the world, offering Search in more than 150 languages and over 190 countries.
Through all of this, we’ve remained grounded in our mission. In fact, providing greater access to information is as core to our work today as it was when we first started. And while almost everything has changed about technology and the information available to us, the core principles of Search have stayed the same.
  • First and foremost, we focus on the user. Whether you’re looking for recipes, studying for an exam, or finding information on where to vote, we’re focused on serving your information needs.
  • We strive to give you the most relevant, highest quality information as quickly as possible. This was true when Google started with the Page Rank algorithm—the foundational technology to Search. And it’s just as true today.
  • We see billions of queries every day, and 15 percent of queries are ones we’ve never seen before. Given this scale, the only way to provide Search effectively is through an algorithmic approach. This helps us not just solve all the queries we’ve seen yesterday, but also all the ones we can’t anticipate for tomorrow.
  • Finally, we rigorously test every change we make. A key part of this testing is the rater guidelines which define our goals in search, and which are publicly available for anyone to see. Every change to Search is evaluated by experimentation and by raters using these guidelines. Last year alone, we ran more than 200,000 experiments that resulted in 2,400+ changes to search. Search will serve you better today than it did yesterday, and even better tomorrow.
As Google marks our 20th anniversary, I wanted to share a first look at the next chapter of Search, and how we’re working to make information more accessible and useful for people everywhere. This next chapter is driven by three fundamental shifts in how we think about Search:
    Underpinning each of these are our advancements in AI, improving our ability to understand language in ways that weren’t possible when Google first started. This is incredibly exciting, because over 20 years ago when I studied neural nets at school, they didn’t actually work very well...at all!
    But we’ve now reached the point where neural networks can help us take a major leap forward from understanding words to understanding concepts. Neural embeddings, an approach developed in the field of neural networks, allow us to transform words to fuzzier representations of the underlying concepts, and then match the concepts in the query with the concepts in the document. We call this technique neural matching. This can enable us to address queries like: “why does my TV look strange?” to surface the most relevant results for that question, even if the exact words aren’t contained in the page. (By the way, it turns out the reason is called the soap opera effect).
    Finding the right information about my TV is helpful in the moment. But AI can have much more profound effects. Whether it’s predicting areas that might be affected in a flood, or helping you identify the best job opportunities for you, AI can dramatically improve our ability to make information more accessible and useful.
    I’ve worked on Search at Google since the early days of its existence. One of the things that keeps me so inspired about Search all these years is our mission and how timeless it is. Providing greater access to information is fundamental to what we do, and there are always more ways we can help people access the information they need. That’s what pushes us forward to continue to make Search better for our users. And that’s why our work here is never done.

    Posted by Ben Gomes, VP, Search, News and Assistant

    Go North to unlock the potential of AI

    The 20th century brought about incredible changes to the way we work and live. There was the combustion engine, the telephone, the assembly line and, of course, the Internet. Today artificial intelligence and machine learning is expected to bring similarly profound changes. And Canada stands poised to lead the world into this new era.

    Imagine you could take a picture of a mole on your arm and your smartphone could assist your dermatologist in diagnosing if it’s malignant. This is not science fiction, it’s a system Vancouver's MetaOptima is developing today - and it’s powered by artificial intelligence.

    From diagnosing cancer to reducing data centre energy consumption, artificial intelligence offers a new tool for tackling real-world challenges. Today, at Google Canada’s annual Go North summit, we’re bringing together AI leaders from across Canada and around the world to help Canadian industry better understand the vast potential of this technology to transform their business, shape future innovations and improve our world.

    Follow along on Twitter @GoogleCanada or tune-in to the Go North livestream (starting at 9am ET) featuring Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; Google Chairman, Eric Schmidt; founder of DeepMind, Demis Hassabis; OpenAI’s Shivon Zilis; YouTuber Taryn Southern who uses AI to compose music; Geoffrey Hinton and many more including the founder of MetaOptima, Dr. Maryam Sadeghi.
    Go North will explore Canada’s success in building the superclusters of investment and innovation that have sprung up around the work of Yoshua Bengio in Montreal, Geoffrey Hinton in Toronto and Rich Sutton in Edmonton -- global leaders whose research underpins many of the advances we’re seeing in AI today. The conference will highlight the amazing advancements happening here in Canada and the opportunity for businesses to leverage the country’s rich research pedigree and to unlock the potential of AI. When it comes to artificial intelligence, Canada is having a moment - and we’ll seize it at Go North.

    Posted by Sabrina Geremia, Google Canada Country Director

    It’s time to start sketching, Canada. Doodle 4 Google is back!

    Today’s guest post is brought to you by Canadian YouTube stars Mitch and Greg of AsapSCIENCE 
    Submissions are now open for Doodle 4 Google!
    If you’ve watched our videos, you already know how much we love science... and art! Whenever we visit the Google homepage, we’re always tickled to find a doodle, which combines the best of both. Google doodles are fun illustrations of the Google logo that celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and the lives of famous artists, pioneers, and scientists -- everything from the discovery of water on Mars to Canadian inventor Sandford Fleming’s 190th birthday.

    Now with Doodle 4 Google, kids have the chance to see their artwork on the Google homepage for the whole country to enjoy. Doodle 4 Google is a nationwide competition, inviting students from kindergarten to Grade 12 to redesign the Google logo.*

    As Canada blows out a whole lot of candles this year for its 150th birthday, what better way to celebrate than by imagining what the next 150 years will look like? That’s why Google is asking students to submit doodles based on the theme: “What I see for Canada’s future is…”.

    Creating the top doodle comes with major perks: not only will their artwork adorn the Google.ca homepage for a day, but the winner will receive a $10,000 university scholarship, a $10,000 technology grant for his/her school, and a paid trip to the final Doodle 4 Google event in June. For more details, check out g.co/d4gcanada.

    To help judge this year’s competition, the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, En Masse co-founder Jason Botkin, president of the National Inuit Youth Council Maatalii Okalik, and Google Doodler Sophie Diao, will join us as your panel of esteemed doodle judges.

    When we come up with themes for our videos, we look to cool things in science and tech for inspiration. If you know a young artist that may need a little nudge to get their creative juices flowing, we’ve worked with Google to create classroom activities that will help parents, teachers and students brainstorm, design and submit their doodles.

    Participating is easier than ever. This year, students can submit a doodle made from almost any medium….including code! Ladies Learning Code created an online tutorial offering inspiration and a step-by-step guide to coding a Google doodle. Check it out here.

    In Toronto in April? All throughout the month of April, parents and kids can visit the Art Gallery of Ontario to get inspired and create a doodle during Family Sundays.

    Teachers and parents can download entry forms on the Doodle 4 Google site. Doodles can be uploaded digitally to Google’s site or mailed directly. Submissions are due on May 2nd. There’s no limit to the number of doodles from any one school or family... Just remember, only one doodle per student.

    Let’s get our doodle on, Canada!

    Posted by Mitchell Moffit and Gregory Brown, AsapSCIENCE
    *Entrants need a parent or legal guardian’s permission (and signature on the entry form) in order to participate. Residents of Quebec must be at least thirteen years of age. Please see full terms and eligibility requirements here: doodles.google.ca/d4g/rules.html

    SXSWedu Speakers: How mentorship inspires students to make a global impact

    Posted by Melissa Horwitz, Google for Education Team

    Editor's note: If you’re in the Austin area today for SXSWedu, come visit the Google Fiber Space (201 Colorado Street) to attend a range of sessions on innovation in the classroom throughout the day. See the full schedule of sessions at the Google Fiber Space. Can't make it? Don't fret, all presentations will be added to the schedule after the event.

    What’s the secret to inspiring the next generation of innovators? Today SXSWedu in Austin, Texas, we’ll hear thoughts about this topic from a host of speakers, including Monica Martinez, regional director at EdTechTeam, and a panel of Google Science Fair student winners.

    While inspiration comes in many forms, it’s clear that technology, along with support from teachers, parents and advisors, is key to motivating students to make a difference in their communities and beyond. Here’s an overview of what these inspiring speakers will be sharing.

    Empowering a culture of technology and mentorship
    “Everything I’ve done in my career involves using technology to become more efficient,” says Monica Martinez. “I want to inspire educators and teachers to do the same, to solve problems and create workflows that would otherwise be cumbersome.” As regional director at EdTechTeam, her goal is to help educators embrace tools, such as Google Apps for Education, to better manage their work.

    Martinez has been passionate about technology since childhood, when she started using her uncle’s computer for school projects and to teach herself how design. She built a career in design and educational technology — the two topics that have inspired her SXSWedu session about creating the ultimate workflow for educators with Google Apps.

    “Teachers often are concerned that they don’t have enough time in the day to get everything done,” Martinez says. This problem is compounded when teachers feel ill-equipped to use new technology. Martinez leads workshops to show teachers how easy-to-use technology can help with their daily tasks.

    Beyond the efficiency benefits, technology helps to create a culture of empowerment. When educators model new technology, they can inspire students to do more with the tools at their disposal.

    “Telling students to think critically, experiment with new things and collaborate is fine, but if they don’t see their teachers, mentors and advisors doing the same, the message isn’t as strong and sometimes lost,” says Martinez.
    Topic: Efficient workflows with Google Apps
    Presenter:     Monica Martinez, Regional Director, EdTechTeam
    When: Tuesday, March 8th, 2016, 12:30 - 1:00 pm
    Inspiring the next generation of creators
    Kavita, Elif, Naomi and Deepika are young inventors who will be speaking about how to motivate future innovators, explorers and pioneers. Aside from being Google Science Fair finalists and winners, these four young people have something else in common: supportive and dedicated mentors.

    “Many teenagers are sitting at home all over the world with big ideas and questions, but they don’t know how to get started making a difference. Teachers, parents and mentors in their communities can play a powerful role by supporting these students,” explains Andrea Cohan, program lead for the Google Science Fair.

    Students that participate in the Google Science Fair are able to explore and interact with science, engineering and their communities — global and local — in a way that enriches the typical classroom experience.

    From finding sustainable alternatives for manufacturing and water purification to improving air quality, the students on this panel have no shortage of world-changing ideas. For example, Elif, who is from Istanbul, Turkey, found a way to use banana peels to produce bio-plastic as a replacement for traditional petroleum-based plastic in her project, Going Bananas.

    SXSWedu attendees are in a position to positively impact students’ lives. “You can help them find the resources they need to get started, discuss their ideas with them and simply be a supportive sounding board. Every student on this panel attributes part of their success to the mentors, like you, in their lives,” Cohan says.
    Topic: #Howcanwe inspire the next generation of innovators, explorers and pioneers? Moderator: Stephan Turnipseed, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Destination Imagination
    Panelists: Google Science Fair winners Kavita Selva, 2013 Google Science Fair finalist Elif Bilgin, 2013 Google Science Fair Science in Action winner Naomi Shah, 2011 Google Science Fair winner, ages 15-16 Deepika Kurup, 2015 Google Science Fair National Geographic Explorer Award winner
    When: Tuesday, March 8th, 2016, 1:15 - 2:00 pm
    To hear from these speakers and more, join us for these sessions at the Google Fiber Space. If you can’t make it in person, follow #GoogleEdu to stay up to date and check the event page where we'll post the presentations. We also encourage all students ages 13-18 (from anywhere in the world!) to participate in the 2016 Google Science Fair, which is open for submissions until May 17.

    SXSWedu Speakers: Using technology to motivate students

    Posted by Melissa Horwitz, Google for Education 

    Editor's note: If you’re in the Austin area for SXSWedu, come visit the Google Fiber Space (201 Colorado Street) to attend a range of sessions on innovation in the classroom today, Monday, March 7 and tomorrow, Tuesday, March 8. See the full schedule of sessions at the Google Fiber Space.

    The audience today at SXSWedu has a lofty task in front of them: inspiring and motivating the future generations to innovate, create and make a positive impact on the world. Today, we’re introducing three of the many educational technologists who are hosting sessions at the Google Fiber Space on how technology can help students excel in the classroom and in their future careers.

    Jason Carroll, Global Products Manager at Texthelp, will discuss how literacy, accessibility and dyslexia tools help students learn to love reading. Erin Mindell Cannon, Research Education Program Manager at Google, and Abby Bouchon, K12 Education Outreach Specialist at Google, will share tools and resources computer science educators can use to inspire a passion for technology in the classroom. Here’s a brief snapshot of what these speakers will be sharing. If you won’t be at SXSWedu, all presentations will be linked to the schedule after the event.

    Technology inspires struggling students to be confident
    While children are naturally curious about the world, they often lose this love of learning when they feel frustrated. “The biggest barriers to students achieving academic success is lack of effective strategies to help students when they are struggling,” Carroll says. It can be tricky for teachers to create individual lesson plans when they have classrooms of 30 or more students, all with different learning styles. Tools like Texthelp make it easier for educators to provide personalized learning plans and help students gain confidence.

    Reading proficiency is an important building block for academic success, but mastering the skill can be frustrating for students of all levels. Technology can help students improve their reading proficiency fast and practice reading aloud at their own pace. With Texthelp’s Fluency Tutor, for example, students can record themselves reading, practice until they feel confident about their effort and share the recording with their teacher. “My daughter loves using it. She’ll record herself reading a passage then listen to it. If she’s not satisfied with it, she’ll re-record it until she’s happy,” Carroll says.
    Student dashboard in Fluency Tutor from Texthelp
    Tools like these keep students engaged and allow teachers to measure progress over time, but ”it’s more than just handing over the device,” Carroll says. When you combine hands-on instruction with technology, each student gets personalized attention and encouragement.
    Topic: Help Struggling Learners Succeed with Texthelp's Read&Write for Google Chrome Presenter: Jason Carroll, Global Products Manager, Texthelp
    When: Monday, March 7th, 9:30 - 10:00 am

    Topic: Discover the Future of Reading Supports with Texthelp's Fluency Tutor for Google Presenter: Jason Carroll, Global Products Manager, Texthelp
    When: Monday, March 7th, 1:15 - 2:00 pm
    Confidence in the classroom is everything
    Erin Mindell Cannon and Abby Bouchon, who work with Google to inspire students of all backgrounds to learn computer science, believe educators play a critical role in boosting confidence. Google has published three studies on K-12 CS education and found that a key factor for guiding women to major in computer science (CS) in college is encouragement from parents, educators and peers. On the flip side, students can be discouraged from exploring CS because of the lack of diverse role models. “In another research study, we found that parents and students associate computer scientists with the stereotype of white males who wear glasses,” Bouchon says. Educators can promote a diverse range of role models and make sure the school subject is accessible and engaging for students and teachers from different backgrounds.
    Google igniteCS students from Colorado School of Mines' Discover Technology group use binary cards to get middle school students excited about Computer Science
    Students can be inspired if they feel that the work they are doing benefits society. “If a student believes she’s capable of creating a new technology that can make a positive impact on the world, that’s a motivator,” Cannon says. Students who understand the practical applications of the technology skills and the positive impact they can have in their community -- such as designing a mobile app that geotags local graffiti and organizes a volunteer event to clean it up -- are more likely to excel in the classroom.
    Topic: Celebrating Computer Science Educators Presenters: Erin Mindell Cannon, Research Education Program Manager at Google, and Abby Bouchon, K-12 Education Outreach Specialist
    When: Monday, March 7th, 3:45 - 4:30 pm
    Interested in learning more about how technology motivates students to succeed? Stop by the Google Fiber Space at 201 Colorado Street to check out these sessions and more today, March 7th.