I spent more than a decade working in schools as a teacher and administrator. Whenever there was an event that caused the school to close, I found a way to ensure that students didn’t lose valuable learning time. We call this “distance learning” and many teachers, whether they work in a virtual school or are faced with a unique event, are exploring how to make it work. Currently, we’re facing such an event. Concerns over the transmission of COVID-19 are closing schools across the globe, and millions of students are unable to physically attend school.
To help with this, we recently announced that advanced Hangouts Meet features are available for free to anyone who uses G Suite around the world. This means you’ll be able to put up to 250 people on a Hangouts Meet call—an entire class or group of classes can join a lesson simultaneously. You’ll get live-streaming for up to 100,000 viewers within your domain, so that you can do a virtual school assembly or stream a lecture. Plus, you can record meetings and save them to Google Drive. When students can’t join the lesson, they’ll be able to access the content later.
For educators preparing for potential school closures—or currently facing them—here are a few other ways to handle distance learning.
Keep students engaged while they’re at home
Virtual learning can be isolating and disengaging for students. Sitting in front of a screen for hours watching videos may compel a student to fast forward or even skip a lesson altogether. To keep them engaged, open up virtual discussions about what they’re learning. In a lesson exploring the water cycle, challenge students to pause the video and join a discussion in Google Classroom (using the Stream) about the last time they experienced a thunderstorm. You can also use comments in Google Docs and Classroom to have a two-way discussion with students as you give feedback on their work—another great strategy to engage when you can’t see them in person.
Frequently assess student learning
Formative assessments help you make sure students are continuing to progress while away from school. Check for understanding during group instruction by asking a poll question in the middle of a lesson and showing the results in real time. This can also help you “take attendance” in a virtual setting. Quizzes in Google Forms offer auto-grading features, allow you to embed videos, images, and as many answer choices as you want. You can also assign graded discussions in Google Classroom, and students can demonstrate their knowledge through project-based learning assignments using Slide presentations, Docs or Sites.
Continue to connect with Hangouts Meet
When students’ routines are disrupted, many realize how much they actually miss the structure of school, and learning with their teacher. It’s important to maintain that feeling of comfort and safety during a time of uncertainty.
If your students have Wi-Fi access, you can see them virtually on Hangouts Meet. You can also use this platform to create video discussion sections for students to engage with one another and support their peers who might be struggling with concepts. Turn on live captions to help students focus, and so that students who are deaf or hard of hearing can read spoken language during the call.
Scheduling is another challenge that may arise. Using Calendar Appointment Slots, students who need extra help can sign up to meet 1:1 or in small groups with you. Due to intermittent or lack of Wi-Fi access, or shifting childcare solutions, not all students may be able to join a virtual classroom at the same time. Your instruction will likely be a mixture of live video and sharing recordings of your lessons for students who couldn’t make it. Thankfully, advanced features in Hangouts Meet allow you to record your lessons to share with students.
Check in with how your students are feeling
Social Emotional Learning can continue in a distance learning setting as well. Just as you can use Hangouts Meet to “be” there for your students and maintain your classroom culture, you can provide other ways for students to share and process their emotions while away from school. Using Google Forms, create mood check-ins for students to share their emotional state on a daily basis. Within the Form, students can request a conference with the teacher if they need extra support. You can also set up a private blog for students to reflect on the experience by journaling or recording video reflections.
Think beyond the clock
With distance learning, you don’t have to worry about time constraints of the normal school day: rushing students into the classroom or hurrying to finish your lesson before the bell rings. Students can take more time on some activities and breeze through lessons that come naturally to them. Take advantage of this opportunity and design your lessons to include more “choose your own adventure” activities rather than a fixed schedule of lectures and lessons.
Explore more approaches to distance learning
As educators and administrators set up contingency plans and consider making classrooms fully virtual, we’re here to help. We’ve seen educational leaders reaching out to one another, sharing ideas and providing support through Google Educator Groups, and other social networks, including Twitter and Facebook. Check out this webinar on distance learning strategies, find resources in the Teacher Center, and continue to share ways you support remote learners.
I spent more than a decade working in schools as a teacher and administrator. Whenever there was an event that caused the school to close, I found a way to ensure that students didn’t lose valuable learning time. We call this “distance learning” and many teachers, whether they work in a virtual school or are faced with a unique event, are exploring how to make it work. Currently, we’re facing such an event. Concerns over the transmission of COVID-19 are closing schools across the globe, and millions of students are unable to physically attend school.
To help with this, we recently announced that advanced Hangouts Meet features are available for free to anyone who uses G Suite around the world. This means you’ll be able to put up to 250 people on a Hangouts Meet call—an entire class or group of classes can join a lesson simultaneously. You’ll get live-streaming for up to 100,000 viewers within your domain, so that you can do a virtual school assembly or stream a lecture. Plus, you can record meetings and save them to Google Drive. When students can’t join the lesson, they’ll be able to access the content later.
For educators preparing for potential school closures—or currently facing them—here are a few other ways to handle distance learning.
Keep students engaged while they’re at home
Virtual learning can be isolating and disengaging for students. Sitting in front of a screen for hours watching videos may compel a student to fast forward or even skip a lesson altogether. To keep them engaged, open up virtual discussions about what they’re learning. In a lesson exploring the water cycle, challenge students to pause the video and join a discussion in Google Classroom (using the Stream) about the last time they experienced a thunderstorm. You can also use comments in Google Docs and Classroom to have a two-way discussion with students as you give feedback on their work—another great strategy to engage when you can’t see them in person.
Frequently assess student learning
Formative assessments help you make sure students are continuing to progress while away from school. Check for understanding during group instruction by asking a poll question in the middle of a lesson and showing the results in real time. This can also help you “take attendance” in a virtual setting. Quizzes in Google Forms offer auto-grading features, allow you to embed videos, images, and as many answer choices as you want. You can also assign graded discussions in Google Classroom, and students can demonstrate their knowledge through project-based learning assignments using Slide presentations, Docs or Sites.
Continue to connect with Hangouts Meet
When students’ routines are disrupted, many realize how much they actually miss the structure of school, and learning with their teacher. It’s important to maintain that feeling of comfort and safety during a time of uncertainty.
If your students have Wi-Fi access, you can see them virtually on Hangouts Meet. You can also use this platform to create video discussion sections for students to engage with one another and support their peers who might be struggling with concepts. Turn on live captions to help students focus, and so that students who are deaf or hard of hearing can read spoken language during the call.
Scheduling is another challenge that may arise. Using Calendar Appointment Slots, students who need extra help can sign up to meet 1:1 or in small groups with you. Due to intermittent or lack of Wi-Fi access, or shifting childcare solutions, not all students may be able to join a virtual classroom at the same time. Your instruction will likely be a mixture of live video and sharing recordings of your lessons for students who couldn’t make it. Thankfully, advanced features in Hangouts Meet allow you to record your lessons to share with students.
Check in with how your students are feeling
Social Emotional Learning can continue in a distance learning setting as well. Just as you can use Hangouts Meet to “be” there for your students and maintain your classroom culture, you can provide other ways for students to share and process their emotions while away from school. Using Google Forms, create mood check-ins for students to share their emotional state on a daily basis. Within the Form, students can request a conference with the teacher if they need extra support. You can also set up a private blog for students to reflect on the experience by journaling or recording video reflections.
Think beyond the clock
With distance learning, you don’t have to worry about time constraints of the normal school day: rushing students into the classroom or hurrying to finish your lesson before the bell rings. Students can take more time on some activities and breeze through lessons that come naturally to them. Take advantage of this opportunity and design your lessons to include more “choose your own adventure” activities rather than a fixed schedule of lectures and lessons.
Explore more approaches to distance learning
As educators and administrators set up contingency plans and consider making classrooms fully virtual, we’re here to help. We’ve seen educational leaders reaching out to one another, sharing ideas and providing support through Google Educator Groups, and other social networks, including Twitter and Facebook. Check out this webinar on distance learning strategies, find resources in the Teacher Center, and continue to share ways you support remote learners.
Posted by Lily Sheringham, Global Marketing, Platforms & Ecosystems
This is a cross-post from The Google Keyword blog.
Today we’re launching the Apps, Games, & Insights podcast series, bringing together insights, stories, and learnings from industry experts, on some of today's hottest topics surrounding mobile, apps and games businesses, and the wider industry.
Listen to the podcast here!
The series has eight episodes which aim to challenge, provoke thought, and enlighten listeners - from designers and developers, through to product managers and marketers, and those interested in the apps and games industry.
The podcast is hosted by Googlers Tamzin Taylor, who heads up Apps & Games Business Development for Google Play in Western Europe, and Dirk Primbs, who leads the Ecosystem Developer Relations team in EMEA. Together, they have many years of experience working with partners to assist with Android development, mobile, app, game, and business growth. Every week they will be joined by different guests for each of the episodes.
Kicking off the series are Judy Chen and Sarah Fuchs from Crowdstar, the developers of Covet Fashion and Design Home. They join us for episode 1 to discuss how to build a long-term games business by taking a holistic approach to the game, its players, and the people who create the game.
Ever wonder if it's worth selling your app or game business, and if so how to approach it? It's not all about pocketing the cash and walking away. For episode 2, game mergers and acquisitions expert Chris Petrovic from Zynga will talk about how acquisition can free developers to focus on what they love: creating great apps and games.
The popularity of subscriptions continues to grow, with developers who used subscriptions earning 4X more in 2018, than in 2016. Holly Ackerman and David Berlin, from the sports streaming platform DAZN, join us for episode 3 to provide some fascinating insights into how they have grown their subscription business in this industry.
Whether you are a startup in search of funding or an established business looking to accelerate your investment, venture capital can often be a good source of funds. In episode 4, venture capital expert Matteo Vallone from Cherry Ventures offers insights into the investment process and how to maximize your appeal to investors.
For episode 5, we have what is possibly one of the biggest topics in mobile and throughout the tech industry: privacy. Bruce Gustafson, CEO of Developers Alliance brings us up to speed on trust and safety, platform value, respecting the user, and ultimately building privacy friendly apps and games.
Successful game developers put players front and center of everything they do. When over 270 million people have played your games, you must be doing something right. Ben Clarke, Senior Global Marketing Director at Jagex, joins us for episode 6 to discuss some of the innovative approaches to player engagement and retention taken in their RuneScape games.
Figuring out how to make your app or game accessible to all can often be a challenge, sometimes both from an organizational and technical perspective. However, many developers have made accessibility a core part of their app development process and company culture. For episode 7, we’re joined by Ceri Lindsay and Rosalind Whittam from the BBC to discover how they address accessibility.
Today, Android is not just about smartphones, Android apps and games can run on a range of devices with larger screens, such as Chromebooks. At the same time, mature mobile game franchises are looking for opportunities beyond mobile. In our final episode 8, we’ll be joined by Maximiliano Rodriguez of Gameloft to talk about the challenge of taking games to big screens and new platforms.
We hope you’ll join us over the next eight weeks to dive deeper and hear what our thought leader guests have to say on each topic.
To listen to our first podcast and find out more about what’s coming, check out our new Apps, Games, & Insights podcast homepage.
Listen to our first episode here, or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Google Podcasts, Deezer, iHeartRadio, and also on LibSyn. Keep an eye out on @GooglePlayDev and @AndroidDev on Twitter where we will be announcing the launch of the new episodes each week.
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Due to COVID-19, the timing of some of these episodes has changed. Please check our website for the latest updates.
Our new Apps, Games & Insights podcast is for app and game enthusiasts—whether you play them or build them. We’ll talk to experts from across the industry about topics ranging from privacy and accessibility, to responsible growth and player engagement. Here are eight things you’ll learn from the series:
In episode 1, we hear from Sarah Fuchs, VP, Covet Fashion and Judy Chen, Director of PM at Crowdstar on why it’s important for the diversity of their company to reflect their players. The team who designs one of their games, Covet Fashion, is 60 percent women. In their words, “If you want to create an environment that will attract women or attract probably more diversity, you need to create an environment and model the behavior that it's OK to have a life. And if you have a life and you enjoy your life, you will be better at your job.”
Zynga has deployed more than $1 billion in mergers and acquisitions over the last 10 years, including the acquisitions of Gram Games and Small Giant Games. In episode 2, we’ll hear from Chris Petrovic, SVP at Zynga, who says that it’s about building a partnership that brings together the best of both businesses.
When planning the launch of their service and mobile app, DAZN gave themselves just a year to get all the technology in place. This was challenging because it was unthinkable to miss the start of the football season. In episode 3, hear how DAZN brought together some of the best players in subscription management and payment solutions, and how they’ve grown the business.
When venture capitalists look at a business, it’s not just about whether the business has a hot product or service, it’s as much about the founders, their team, and their business processes. Venture capitalists are always looking for a solid foundation on which to build—learn more in episode 4 of the podcast.
As more countries and territories introduce strict laws on consumer privacy, episode 5 explores why it’s increasingly important to ensure that apps and games are privacy-friendly for businesses and consumers. It’s not just about staying on the right side of the law—one security breach can easily destroy trust in your app, and winning back that trust isn’t easy.
According to Jagex Games Studio, over 270 million people have played one of their RuneScape games. In episode 6, Ben Clarke, Senior Global Marketing Director at Jagex, talks about their approach to launching and testing, and keeping players engaged every day. For example, when adding a new feature, they open a polling booth within the game where players vote on the feature.
According to the World Bank, there are over 1 billion people worldwide with a disability. As a public broadcaster, a central part of the mission at the BBC is to be accessible and inclusive. This mission is as much a priority for their apps, such as iPlayer and Sounds, as it is within their traditional broadcast channels. In episode 7, find out how the BBC tracks this by what they call “accessibility debt,” and why it should be important to everyone.
Many of your favorite Android games are now available on more devices than just your smartphone. Mobile game developers want you to have every opportunity to play your favorite game, regardless of the gaming platform. Gameloft has embraced a multi-platform approach. In episode 8, listen to Maximiliano Rodriguez, Platforms Operations Director at Gameloft, talk about how Gameloft considers games for ChromeOS and Android TV platforms as soon as they start developing a game for mobile.
Join us for all eight episodes to find out more about these topics and the apps and games industry. Listen to the latest episodes on your favorite podcast channel including Spotify, Apple, and Google Podcasts.
Also, keep an eye out on @GooglePlayDev and @AndroidDev on Twitter where we will be announcing the launch of a new episode each week.
Our new Apps, Games & Insights podcast is for app and game enthusiasts—whether you play them or build them. We’ll talk to experts from across the industry about topics ranging from privacy and accessibility, to responsible growth and player engagement. Here are eight things you’ll learn from the series:
In episode 1, we hear from Sarah Fuchs, VP, Covet Fashion and Judy Chen, Director of PM at Crowdstar on why it’s important for the diversity of their company to reflect their players. The team who designs one of their games, Covet Fashion, is 60 percent women. In their words, “If you want to create an environment that will attract women or attract probably more diversity, you need to create an environment and model the behavior that it's OK to have a life. And if you have a life and you enjoy your life, you will be better at your job.”
Zynga has deployed more than $1 billion in mergers and acquisitions over the last 10 years, including the acquisitions of Gram Games and Small Giant Games. In episode 2, we’ll hear from Chris Petrovic, SVP at Zynga, who says that it’s about building a partnership that brings together the best of both businesses.
When planning the launch of their service and mobile app, DAZN gave themselves just a year to get all the technology in place. This was challenging because it was unthinkable to miss the start of the football season. In episode 3, hear how DAZN brought together some of the best players in subscription management and payment solutions, and how they’ve grown the business.
When venture capitalists look at a business, it’s not just about whether the business has a hot product or service, it’s as much about the founders, their team, and their business processes. Venture capitalists are always looking for a solid foundation on which to build—learn more in episode 4 of the podcast.
As more countries and territories introduce strict laws on consumer privacy, episode 5 explores why it’s increasingly important to ensure that apps and games are privacy-friendly for businesses and consumers. It’s not just about staying on the right side of the law—one security breach can easily destroy trust in your app, and winning back that trust isn’t easy.
According to Jagex Games Studio, over 270 million people have played one of their RuneScape games. In episode 6, Ben Clarke, Senior Global Marketing Director at Jagex, talks about their approach to launching and testing, and keeping players engaged every day. For example, when adding a new feature, they open a polling booth within the game where players vote on the feature.
According to the World Bank, there are over 1 billion people worldwide with a disability. As a public broadcaster, a central part of the mission at the BBC is to be accessible and inclusive. This mission is as much a priority for their apps, such as iPlayer and Sounds, as it is within their traditional broadcast channels. In episode 7, find out how the BBC tracks this by what they call “accessibility debt,” and why it should be important to everyone.
Many of your favorite Android games are now available on more devices than just your smartphone. Mobile game developers want you to have every opportunity to play your favorite game, regardless of the gaming platform. Gameloft has embraced a multi-platform approach. In episode 8, listen to Maximiliano Rodriguez, Platforms Operations Director at Gameloft, talk about how Gameloft considers games for ChromeOS and Android TV platforms as soon as they start developing a game for mobile.
Join us for all eight episodes to find out more about these topics and the apps and games industry. Listen to the latest episodes on your favorite podcast channel including Spotify, Apple, and Google Podcasts.
Also, keep an eye out on @GooglePlayDev and @AndroidDev on Twitter where we will be announcing the launch of a new episode each week.
Every day, I work with incredible women. I feel fortunate because it hasn’t always been this way. I’ve been the only woman in meetings before, and I’ve definitely felt like the odd woman out. When I started working with Google for Nonprofits, I was excited to discover a community of women who deserve as much attention as the nonprofits they power. For International Women’s Day coming up on March 8, I asked three of them to share their stories, inspiration and advice.
On inspiring others
The best way to inspire others is by being the example. People—especially women—need to see that you did it even though you were afraid, vulnerable, imperfect and constantly learning. I try to live and speak as authentically as possible so that my staff, students, and the greater community can say, “If she can do it, then I can definitely do it!”
On gender equality in nonprofits
While it appears that there is still a lack of women leadership at larger organizations, I think the bigger concern is the lack of support for young, emerging leaders of color. How can we build systems that foster an inclusive ecosystem for emerging women in the nonprofit sector?
On setting boundaries
This is “heart work” and if you’re not careful, you can overdraft your mental and emotional bank accounts. There is so much burnout in this industry and it’s because women are natural nurturers. We constantly feel the need to save everyone. I quickly had to learn the importance of boundaries in order to be more effective.
On taking chances
When I first started out, I gathered my courage and reached out to someone I thought might have answers I was seeking. I didn’t expect to get much more than a quick telephone chat. To my surprise a chat turned into tea, and then lunch, and now it’s one of the most valuable relationships I have. Taking chances is so important. I wouldn’t be where I am now if I didn’t do things that scare me.
On reaching goals
I enjoy setting a goal and trying to figure out all the steps it will take to work backward to where I am now. When I look back to where A Greener Future started it’s unbelievable to me how far it’s come and I know it’s simply from achieving one small goal at a time.
On connecting with others
Communicating in an effective and charismatic way will ensure more doors open. Be fearless when asking for what you really want. Have meaningful conversations and get to know people. Building relationships is the key to moving forward and making more connections.
Taking chances is so important. I wouldn’t be where I am now if I didn’t do things that scare me.
On career planning
My mentor once told me, “When you find what you love, you will do it for the impact not the income.” Working with homeless LGBTQ youth, sex trafficking survivors, and high school dropouts is what I love. They are my career plan.
On the power of saying no
Women have a tendency to always say, “Yes, I will,” and then they go insane trying to figure it out. I usually say “no” first. By saying “no,” it gives me time to really think—not “Can I do this?” but “Do I want to do this?” Do what you want to do not what you feel obligated to do.
On letting go
One skill I feel women have to develop to be successful in the nonprofit world is stop allowing passion to become possession. I see this a lot when women have had to fight to earn their place in an organization. They hold on to everything—from projects to committees. They end up crushing the very thing they loved the most. If you have a team, let go and let your team step up.
For more inspiration, visit Google for Nonprofits’ success stories.Every day, I work with incredible women. I feel fortunate because it hasn’t always been this way. I’ve been the only woman in meetings before, and I’ve definitely felt like the odd woman out. When I started working with Google for Nonprofits, I was excited to discover a community of women who deserve as much attention as the nonprofits they power. For International Women’s Day coming up on March 8, I asked three of them to share their stories, inspiration and advice.
On inspiring others
The best way to inspire others is by being the example. People—especially women—need to see that you did it even though you were afraid, vulnerable, imperfect and constantly learning. I try to live and speak as authentically as possible so that my staff, students, and the greater community can say, “If she can do it, then I can definitely do it!”
On gender equality in nonprofits
While it appears that there is still a lack of women leadership at larger organizations, I think the bigger concern is the lack of support for young, emerging leaders of color. How can we build systems that foster an inclusive ecosystem for emerging women in the nonprofit sector?
On setting boundaries
This is “heart work” and if you’re not careful, you can overdraft your mental and emotional bank accounts. There is so much burnout in this industry and it’s because women are natural nurturers. We constantly feel the need to save everyone. I quickly had to learn the importance of boundaries in order to be more effective.
On taking chances
When I first started out, I gathered my courage and reached out to someone I thought might have answers I was seeking. I didn’t expect to get much more than a quick telephone chat. To my surprise a chat turned into tea, and then lunch, and now it’s one of the most valuable relationships I have. Taking chances is so important. I wouldn’t be where I am now if I didn’t do things that scare me.
On reaching goals
I enjoy setting a goal and trying to figure out all the steps it will take to work backward to where I am now. When I look back to where A Greener Future started it’s unbelievable to me how far it’s come and I know it’s simply from achieving one small goal at a time.
On connecting with others
Communicating in an effective and charismatic way will ensure more doors open. Be fearless when asking for what you really want. Have meaningful conversations and get to know people. Building relationships is the key to moving forward and making more connections.
Taking chances is so important. I wouldn’t be where I am now if I didn’t do things that scare me.
On career planning
My mentor once told me, “When you find what you love, you will do it for the impact not the income.” Working with homeless LGBTQ youth, sex trafficking survivors, and high school dropouts is what I love. They are my career plan.
On the power of saying no
Women have a tendency to always say, “Yes, I will,” and then they go insane trying to figure it out. I usually say “no” first. By saying “no,” it gives me time to really think—not “Can I do this?” but “Do I want to do this?” Do what you want to do not what you feel obligated to do.
On letting go
One skill I feel women have to develop to be successful in the nonprofit world is stop allowing passion to become possession. I see this a lot when women have had to fight to earn their place in an organization. They hold on to everything—from projects to committees. They end up crushing the very thing they loved the most. If you have a team, let go and let your team step up.
For more inspiration, visit Google for Nonprofits’ success stories.
Every day, I work with incredible women. I feel fortunate because it hasn’t always been this way. I’ve been the only woman in meetings before, and I’ve definitely felt like the odd woman out. When I started working with Google for Nonprofits, I was excited to discover a community of women who deserve as much attention as the nonprofits they power. For International Women’s Day coming up on March 8, I asked three of them to share their stories, inspiration and advice.
On inspiring others
The best way to inspire others is by being the example. People—especially women—need to see that you did it even though you were afraid, vulnerable, imperfect and constantly learning. I try to live and speak as authentically as possible so that my staff, students, and the greater community can say, “If she can do it, then I can definitely do it!”
On gender equality in nonprofits
While it appears that there is still a lack of women leadership at larger organizations, I think the bigger concern is the lack of support for young, emerging leaders of color. How can we build systems that foster an inclusive ecosystem for emerging women in the nonprofit sector?
On setting boundaries
This is “heart work” and if you’re not careful, you can overdraft your mental and emotional bank accounts. There is so much burnout in this industry and it’s because women are natural nurturers. We constantly feel the need to save everyone. I quickly had to learn the importance of boundaries in order to be more effective.
On taking chances
When I first started out, I gathered my courage and reached out to someone I thought might have answers I was seeking. I didn’t expect to get much more than a quick telephone chat. To my surprise a chat turned into tea, and then lunch, and now it’s one of the most valuable relationships I have. Taking chances is so important. I wouldn’t be where I am now if I didn’t do things that scare me.
On reaching goals
I enjoy setting a goal and trying to figure out all the steps it will take to work backward to where I am now. When I look back to where A Greener Future started it’s unbelievable to me how far it’s come and I know it’s simply from achieving one small goal at a time.
On connecting with others
Communicating in an effective and charismatic way will ensure more doors open. Be fearless when asking for what you really want. Have meaningful conversations and get to know people. Building relationships is the key to moving forward and making more connections.
Taking chances is so important. I wouldn’t be where I am now if I didn’t do things that scare me.
On career planning
My mentor once told me, “When you find what you love, you will do it for the impact not the income.” Working with homeless LGBTQ youth, sex trafficking survivors, and high school dropouts is what I love. They are my career plan.
On the power of saying no
Women have a tendency to always say, “Yes, I will,” and then they go insane trying to figure it out. I usually say “no” first. By saying “no,” it gives me time to really think—not “Can I do this?” but “Do I want to do this?” Do what you want to do not what you feel obligated to do.
On letting go
One skill I feel women have to develop to be successful in the nonprofit world is stop allowing passion to become possession. I see this a lot when women have had to fight to earn their place in an organization. They hold on to everything—from projects to committees. They end up crushing the very thing they loved the most. If you have a team, let go and let your team step up.
For more inspiration, visit Google for Nonprofits’ success stories.
February brought flowers and chocolate, but we had heart eyes for new journalist tools and events across the globe. Read on for more updates from the last month.
Supporting the future of news in Europe
190+ participants attended the first GNI EMEA summit, where we announced the expansion of the GNI Subscriptions Lab to Europe, as well as additional training commitments and funding for the Reuters Institute Digital News Report.
In partnership with journalists and fact checkers, the Google News Initiative supported company, Debunk.eu uses AI to help identify disinformation and reduce its harmful impact on society.
During the GNI EMEA Summit, Debunk.eu showed us how they brought journalists, fact-checkers and AI specialists together to curb the spread of disinformation. Partners and Digital News Innovation Fund recipients shared insights about the latest products and innovations in news, the role of machine learning in publishing and new ways to grow reader revenue.
GNI Lab programs help publishers grow their business
The GNI Labs are cohort-based programs that group individual publishers together to tackle a shared challenge. For instance, the GNI Subscriptions Lab is designed to help participants to grow their digital business. Since starting the program, The Buffalo News was able to grow their digital subscribers by 49 percent.
Participants in the GNI Data Lab worked together to understand how data can drive business growth. Six local media companies used data to understand their audience, increase sales, and improve their systems and tools, releasing a full report of their learnings.
The GNI Ads Lab works with local publishers to identify opportunities for revenue growth. Through the Lab, the Long Beach Post increased their website traffic for breaking news stories, leading to significant advertising revenue growth.
After learning from other Labs, the first GNI Startup Lab is launching in Brazil for entrepreneurs committed to the development of news products that offer quality journalism. The Lab will support early-stage news startups through funding and a 13-week immersion program at the Google for Startups Campus in São Paolo.
Using insights to grow audience engagement
The GNI Audience Lab works with digital publishers to tackle audience growth. The Lab recently created newsletter assessments to help the first cohort of publishers influence loyalty among their readers.
We recently partnered with Adswerve, a leading Google Marketing Platform and Cloud partner, to create new playbooks on using data to grow audience engagement. While the guides are primarily geared toward publishers and media members, they're applicable to any business that wants to discover new ways to engage with prospects and customers.
Tackling the spread of misinformation with regional workshops and new tools
Over 500 French citizens and journalists attended full-day workshops at Google Digital Garage spaces in Rennes, Montpellier, Nancy, and Saint-Etienne ahead of the March 15th municipal elections. The content focused on preventing misinformation, including fact-checking workshops and media literacy trainings.
We worked with Storyful, a beneficiary of the GNI Cloud Program, to build the Source app, which helps detect manipulated images and counter misinformation. Powered by Google’s machine learning technology, the app enables journalists to discover the origins and trustworthiness of photos and memes.
That’s a wrap for February. Check back next month, and keep up with the Google News Initiative through our newsletter and social.
