Tag Archives: Other

Originality reports for Google Classroom and Google Assignments launching to beta

What’s changing

We're opening a beta for originality reports. The feature scans a student's work for matches across billions of web pages and books, which can make it easier for instructors to evaluate the academic integrity of work and provide constructive feedback to the student. Originality reports can be used within Google Classroom and Google Assignments.

Note that Google Assignments is an improved and expanded version of Course Kit. If you’re already part of the Course Kit beta, you’ll automatically have access to Assignments.

Who’s impacted

Admins and end users

Why you’d use it

We've heard from instructors that they frequently use Google Search to check if student work is authentic and that they spend a lot of time giving feedback about missed citations and improper paraphrasing. This  feature makes that process more efficient and effective by integrating the power of Search into our feedback and grading tools.

Additionally, this feature gives students real-time feedback about issues before they turn in a document, giving them the opportunity to improve their work and learn from their mistakes before final submissions.

How to get started

  • Admins: Admins can express interest in the originality reports beta for Classroom here. All Assignments beta users will automatically have originality reports. To express interest for the Assignments beta, see here.
  • End users: Once enabled in your domain, end users can turn originality reports on per assignment by checking the originality reports checkbox within the assignment creation process.


Additional details

Once the feature is generally available, instructors will be able to access originality reports at no charge for up to three assignments in each course they teach. Schools that would like unlimited access can upgrade their instructors to G Suite Enterprise for Education.  During the beta, all instructors can use originality reports as much as they would like, at no additional charge.

Regardless of what G Suite for Education edition their instructor is using, students will only be able to create reports up to three times per assignment when enabled by their instructor. This applies to the beta and when the feature becomes generally available.

If your domain has turned on the Assignments LTI tool, you can also use originality reports within Google Assignments in your LMS. Note that when new coursework is set up within Assignments, you’ll need to click the checkbox to add originality reports to the assignment.

While this feature is in beta, originality reports will only work for Google Docs and will only be available in English.

Helpful links

Availability

G Suite editions
  • Available to G Suite for Education and G Suite Enterprise for Education
  • Not available to G Suite Basic, G Suite Business, G Suite Enterprise, and G Suite for Nonprofits

On/off by default?
  • Once accepted into the beta, originality reports are available to all Classroom users and can be turned on at the assignment level. 
  • This feature is available to Assignments beta users automatically and turned on at the assignment level.

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New fonts intended to help improve reading speed now available in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides

Quick launch summary

The Google Fonts team has teamed up with Thomas Jockin to create a series of fonts that are aimed at improving reading speed. To learn more about the research behind this initiative, see here for more details.



These fonts take into account typographical factors, such as size and spacing, that the font developers hope will improve reading speed. This can be particularly helpful for educators who want to leverage new tools that can improve reading among their students, especially those who are sensitive to visual crowding.

We now offer eight different Lexend font families that have varied widths and spacing, so users can choose the font style that’s best for their reading speed.

To access these fonts in Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides:

  • From the Font menu in the toolbar, select “More fonts”.
  • Then, search for Lexend and select the fonts to add them to your saved fonts. These will now appear in the “My fonts” list and in the Font menu in the toolbar. 

Availability

Rollout details

  • These fonts are already available to both Rapid and Scheduled domains.

G Suite editions

  • Available to all G Suite editions

On/off by default?

  • These fonts will be available by default.


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All classes moving to Google Classroom with the Classwork Page in September

What’s changing

Last year, we introduced a new version of Classroom that provides additional features, including a Classwork page to help teachers better organize assignments. Newly created classes automatically include this Classwork page, with the option for instructors to revert classes back to the version of Classroom without Classwork.

The previous version of Classroom (without the Classwork page) is deprecated and will be discontinued on September 4, 2019. This means that new classes will be created using the version of Classroom that includes the Classwork page—instructors will no longer have the option to revert to the version without Classwork. In addition, all classes still using the previous version will be automatically converted to the version of Classroom that includes the Classwork page on September 4.

Why it’s important

Any class materials that exist in the Class Settings page will not be carried over, however instructors can create the same experience in the new Classroom by adding the same materials to the Classwork page. Note that you’ll still be able to access these materials, excluding links to YouTube content, via Google Drive.


 How to get started

  • Admins: Instructors will be notified of this change via in-product notifications starting in August, but we recommend you also prepare them for the update.
  • End users: Instructors should add any materials that previously existed on the Class Settings page in the original version of Classroom to the Classwork page in the new version of Classroom.  

Additional details

For more information and resources on Google Classroom for your instructors, check out our Help Center and Teacher Center. Your instructors can also view this video on how to create resources in the Classwork page using topics.

Helpful links



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What’s New in G Suite – July 2019



Check out the latest "What's New in G Suite" launch recap (pdf) for a roundup of all G Suite launches from July 2019.

Archive and translated versions (coming soon for July issue)


Also, thank you to all of you who filled out the survey last month to give us feedback on this newsletter. We'll use the results to improve the newsletter in future editions.


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Defend high-risk users with the Advanced Protection Program for enterprise beta

What’s changing 

Today, we’re announcing the beta of Google’s Advanced Protection Program for G Suite customers. With Advanced Protection Program for enterprise, you’ll be able to enforce a set of enhanced security policies for employees in your organization that are most at risk for targeted attacks. These policies include:
  • Requiring the use of security keys for maximum protection against phishing. 
  • Automatically blocking access to non-whitelisted third-party apps. 
  • Enhanced email scanning for threats. 
  • Download protections for certain file types when signed into Google Chrome. 
Advanced Protection for enterprise will be rolling out in beta over the next several days. See below for more details on how to get started.

Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users

Why you’d use it 

While the individual policies currently included in the Advanced Protection Program are available to G Suite users outside of this beta, the Advanced Protection Program beta offers a simple bundle of our strongest account security settings for your organization’s high-risk users.

Some users who would benefit from the protections of Advanced Protection are:
  • IT admins, 
  • Executives, 
  • Employees in regulated or high-risk verticals such as finance or government.  

How to get started 

  • Admins: Turn the beta on by going to Admin console > Security > Advanced Protection Program and select “Enrollment is enabled” for one or more organizational units (OUs).
  • End users: Once the program is enabled in your domain, users in those OUs specified by their admin can enroll in the Advanced Protection Program by going to g.co/advancedprotection. 
    • Note that users will need two security keys to complete enrollment. 

Additional details 

Once the beta is enabled for their domain, users will be able to opt in at g.co/advancedprotection. We’ll automatically enforce a specific set of policies for the users you identify as most at risk: 

  • Requiring the use of security keys. Physical security keys, such as our Titan Security Keys, go further than traditional 2-Step Verification to help secure accounts against phishing and account takeovers. 
  • Automatically blocking access to high-risk third-party apps. When a user signs up for new apps or services, they’re sometimes asked to give access to high-risk data in their G Suite account. Advanced Protection allows only Google apps and select third-party apps, including those whitelisted by G Suite admins, to access high-risk user data. 
    • Note: Third party apps that do not require high-risk scopes to function will not be automatically blocked by Advanced Protection. However, they can be blocked through a separate admin policy.
  • Enhanced email scanning. Incoming email will have all available screening for phishing attempts, viruses, and attachments with malicious content. 
  • Stricter account recovery. Users who lose both of their security keys will need admin help to regain access to their accounts on new devices. This prevents automated recovery flows from becoming an attack vector. 
  • Download protections in Google Chrome. We’re adding a new feature in Google Chrome that will reduce a user’s exposure to potentially risky downloads. When signed into Chrome, users will receive a warning that indicates that Safe Browsing could not verify whether a file is safe. This will signal to users to proceed with caution and check the reputation of the source of the file to further validate the legitimacy of the file. 

Find out more about the policies enforced in the Advanced Protection Program at g.co/advancedprotection.

Helpful links 

Availability 

G Suite editions 
  • Available to all G Suite editions 

Beta sign-up 
  • The beta is available to all customers. To turn the beta on by going to Admin console > Security > Advanced Protection Program and select “Enrollment is enabled.”

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Titan Security Keys: now available in Japan, Canada, France, and the UK

Quick launch summary 

Last year, we launched Titan Security Keys in the United States to help companies protect their users’ accounts against phishing and account takeovers. Now, Titan Security Keys are available on the Google Store in Japan, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom (UK).

Titan Security keys can be used anywhere FIDO security keys are supported, including Google’s Advanced Protection Program, and help provide strong protection against automated bots, bulking phishing, and targeted attacks.


Titan Security Keys 

Admins can learn more about enabling security key enforcement for G Suite, GCP, and Cloud Identity users by visiting our Help Center.

Helpful links 

Availability 

G Suite editions 
  • Available to all G Suite and Cloud Identity editions.


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Anomaly detection in the G Suite alert center now in beta

What’s changing

We’re launching the beta of anomalous alert activity for Google Drive. Super admins and admins with delegated privileges for the alert center for G Suite will be alerted when potential data exfiltration risks occur based on unusual Google Drive behavior. Our machine learning models analyze security signals within Google Drive to detect potential security risks such as data exfiltration or policy violations related to unusual external file sharing and download behavior.




Who’s impacted

Admins only

Why you’d use it

Staying on top of activity that impacts the organization’s security is top of mind for most admins.

Once in beta, we’ll proactively notify you of potential security risks including data exfiltration and unusual user behavior patterns that can otherwise be more difficult for security admins to discover.

Additionally, since the alert center integrates with the security center investigation tool for G Suite, organizations can directly launch remediation efforts from within the alert center.

How to get started

  • Admins: Sign up for the beta using this form.
  • End users: No action needed.

Additional details

    With this beta program, we’re launching two new types of alerts:
      • Drive External Sharing Anomalous Activity alert: This alert informs security admins of potential data exfiltration risks based on unusual user Drive sharing behavior to external users.
      • Drive Download Anomalous Activity alert: This alert informs security admins of potential data exfiltration risks based on unusual user Drive downloading behavior.

          Helpful links

              Availability

                G Suite editions
                • Available to G Suite Enterprise and G Suite Enterprise for Education
                • Not available to G Suite Basic, G Suite Business, G Suite for Education, and G Suite for Nonprofits

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                Limiting access to less secure apps to protect G Suite accounts

                What’s changing

                On October 30, 2019, we’ll begin removing the setting to “Enforce access to less secure apps for all users” from the Google Admin console. This setting should disappear from your Admin console by the end of year.


                If the “Enforce access to less secure apps for all users” setting is selected for your domain when this change takes place, we’ll automatically select “Allow users to manage their access to less secure apps” instead. You’ll no longer have the option to enforce access to LSAs at the domain level.

                Following this change, if you “Allow users to manage their access to less secure apps,” users will still have the option to access LSAs, provided the “Less secure app access” setting is enabled at the individual user account level. To minimize disruption in domains where we’ve automatically changed the setting from “Enforce access” to “Allow users to manage their access,” this account-level setting will be on by default at the time of the change for all active users of LSAs.


                If a user has previously opted to let LSAs access their account, but no LSAs have connected to their account in some time, we’ll turn this account-level setting off for them. They can manually reenable this setting at any time at myaccount.google.com/lesssecureapps (provided their admin allows them to do so).

                Who’s impacted

                Admins and end users

                Why it’s important

                We’re making this change to protect your users. LSAs connect to Google accounts using only a username and password, which makes them vulnerable to hijacking. Whenever possible, users should connect to their accounts via OAuth, a more secure method. OAuth allows third-party apps to use Google account information without seeing a user’s password, and it gives admins security controls like the ability to whitelist certain apps and offer scope-based account access.

                Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing OAuth-based access to connected apps.

                How to get started


                • Admins: No action is required, but we recommend the following:
                  • If you currently enforce access to LSAs in your domain, change your setting to disable access or allow users to manage their access as soon as possible, as LSAs can make Google accounts vulnerable to hijackers.
                  • Encourage your users to use OAuth-based protocols (like OAuth-based IMAP) to give non-Google apps access to their Google accounts, including their email, calendar, and contacts.
                  • Review our list of alternatives to less secure apps.
                  • Prepare your users and internal help desks for the change.
                  • Update any user guides you’ve previously published to recommend the use of OAuth or to instruct users on how to turn on LSAs. 
                • End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about LSAs and your account.

                Additional details


                See below for FAQs.

                What is a less secure app (LSA)?
                A less secure app (LSA) is an app that connects to Google accounts using only username and password verification for access and not OAuth. Generally, you should only allow your users to use external apps that connect to Google accounts via OAuth, as LSAs make user accounts more vulnerable to hijacking.

                I have an app that cannot use OAuth; what do I do?
                Choose the “Allow users to manage their access to less secure apps” option in the Admin console, and ensure that users who need to use the app enable the “Less secure app access” setting at myaccount.google.com/lesssecureapps. We also recommend contacting the app’s developer and asking them to provide support for OAuth, as this is the more secure option.

                Helpful links

                Admin Help Center: Control access to less secure apps
                Admin Help Center: Whitelist connected apps
                End User Help Center: Less secure apps & your Google Account
                Developer Guide: Using OAuth 2.0 to Access Google APIs

                Availability

                Rollout details
                • Rapid Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on October 30, 2019
                • Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on October 30, 2019

                G Suite editions
                • Available to all G Suite editions

                On/off by default?
                • This setting will be removed for ALL domains by default.
                  • If the “Enforce access to less secure apps for all users” setting is selected for your domain when this change takes place, we’ll automatically select “Allow users to manage their access to less secure apps” instead.
                  • If the “Allow users to manage their access to less secure apps” setting is selected for your domain when this change takes place, it will remain selected.
                  • If the “Disable access to less secure apps for all users” setting is selected for your domain when this change takes place, it will remain selected.

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                Coming Soon: Transformation reports from Google for Education

                What’s changing 

                This back-to-school season, we’re launching Google for Education transformation reports, available to all K-12 districts and schools in the US free of charge. Admins can sign up to be notified once the tool is available by filling out this form.

                Who’s impacted 

                Admins only

                Why you’d use it 

                The transformation report is a free tool designed to help quantify an organization’s Google for Education implementation across our products and programs. Semester-based reports track usage trends over time and make it easy to understand how your organization is using G Suite, Chromebooks, and progressing through Certification and Transformation programs.

                Based on survey responses and usage information, you’ll receive tailored recommendations and resources from Google for Education to help you drive more impact across your organization.

                Sample Transformation report.

                How to get started 

                • Admins: Express interest in receiving your own transformation report and receive launch updates. 
                  • Note: Transformation reports are only available to G Suite for Education and G Suite Enterprise for Education users in the US only. 
                • End users: No action required. 

                Additional details 

                The survey window will open at launch and admins will have several weeks to complete and share the transformation survey (less than 10 minutes) with others in their organization. Your custom transformation report will be generated when the survey window closes, displaying survey responses alongside product and program usage metrics. Note that a report can be generated with just an admin’s response, or with no responses. If there are no survey responses, the report will not be nearly as valuable.

                Reports can be generated twice a year—at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters—and will identify areas of improvement across seven key areas of transformation which you can learn more about here.

                Additionally, you’ll be able to see metrics on your active G Suite users’ behavior over the course of the past semester. Specifically, you’ll be able to see data around how users within your organization are using products like Google Classroom, Docs, Drive, Slides, Sites, and more for collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking.

                Helpful links 

                Availability 

                • G Suite editions Available to G Suite for Education and G Suite Enterprise for Education in the US only 
                • Not available to G Suite Basic, G Suite Enterprise, G Suite Business, and G Suite for Nonprofits
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