Google Workspace

• Google Workspace Basics for FVSD Staff
• Exams on Chromebooks

Google Workspace Basics for FVSD Staff

FVSD uses Google Workspace alongside Microsoft 365. This guide covers the basics of the Google tools you may use.

Signing In to Google

1. Go to https://google.com and click Sign in
2. Enter your FVSD email address (e.g., jsmith@fvsd.ab.ca)
3. You'll be redirected to the Microsoft login page — sign in with your FVSD password
4. You're now signed in to Google with your FVSD account

Key Google Tools

Google Classroom

Used for assigning and managing student work.

• Go to https://classroom.google.com
• Create a class, add students, post assignments, and grade work
• Students join using a class code you provide

Google Drive

Cloud storage for your files.

• Go to https://drive.google.com
• Upload, create, and organize files and folders
• My Drive is your personal storage

Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides

Create and collaborate on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations — similar to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

• Create new files from Google Drive (click + New)
• Share files with colleagues by clicking Share and entering their FVSD email
• Multiple people can edit the same document at the same time

Sharing Files and Folders

1. In Google Drive, right-click the file or folder
2. Click Share
3. Enter the person's FVSD email address
4. Choose their permission level:
5. Viewer — can see but not edit
6. Commenter — can add comments but not edit
7. Editor — can make changes
8. Click Send

Tip: Be careful when sharing with "Anyone with the link" — this makes the file accessible to anyone who has the URL. For sensitive documents, share with specific people only.

Google Drive Storage

Your FVSD Google account has a storage limit. If you're running low on space:

• Delete files you no longer need
• Empty the Trash in Google Drive (deleted files still count toward your storage until the trash is emptied)
• Contact IT if you need help freeing up space

Common Questions

Q: Should I save files in Google Drive or OneDrive?

A: It depends on the tool you're using. Google Classroom assignments and Google Docs are best kept in Google Drive. For everything else (especially documents shared with colleagues via Outlook or Teams), OneDrive is typically the better choice.

Q: A student can't access Google Classroom.

A: Make sure the student is signed in with their FVSD student account. If they still can't access the class, verify the class code is correct or try adding them manually by email.

Contact IT

• Submit a ticket through the IT helpdesk
• Email: helpdesk@fvsd.ab.ca

Exams on Chromebooks

This guide covers how to administer exams on Chromebooks, including exam accounts, printing, accommodations, and recording.

Exam Accounts

Most schools have an allocated pool of exam accounts. These accounts are locked down so students can only access Google Docs and the permitted options.

Finding Your Exam Accounts

The list of exam accounts can be found in the Exams folder on your school's faculty SharePoint site. Coordinate with other staff if you are using these accounts to avoid conflicts.

Signing Students In

• You must sign the student into the exam account yourself — do not give students the password
• This ensures students are not signing in ahead of time or switching accounts mid-exam
• On the Chromebook sign-in page, select "Enter Google Account Info" and enter the exam account credentials

Important

• Exam accounts are backed up and wiped every night — all student work is preserved before the reset
• Coordinate with other staff to make sure you're not using the same accounts at the same time

Printing an Exam

Exam accounts can print from a Chromebook:

1. In the print dialog, click "See more" in the printer selection dropdown
2. The school copiers will be listed with a PaperCut symbol next to them
3. Select the printer and you'll be prompted to sign in
4. Use the following credentials:
5. Username: student
6. Password: student

Accommodations

MP3 Files (Audio Accommodations)

To request MP3 accommodations for students:

1. Contact the Special Cases and Accommodations Team at Alberta Education by emailing special.cases@gov.ab.ca
2. Use the subject line: ACC SFM – [your school code] and [school name]
3. Alberta Education will send the MP3 files to IT
4. Coordinate with IT to have the files assigned to the correct exam accounts
5. Students access MP3 files by clicking the "Exams" folder on the bookmarks bar and opening the MP3 Files link
6. This opens a "Shared with me" Google Drive folder containing the files

Note: Some MP3 files may take time to load.

Voice Typing (Speech-to-Text)

If a student needs to dictate their exam:

1. Open a document in Google Docs (using Chrome browser)
2. Click Tools > Voice typing — a microphone box will appear
3. Click the microphone when ready to speak
4. Speak clearly, at a normal volume and pace
5. Click the microphone again when done

Punctuation commands — students can say these while voice typing:

• "Period"
• "Comma"
• "Exclamation point"
• "Question mark"
• "New line"
• "New paragraph"

Correcting mistakes: Move the cursor to the mistake and fix it without turning off the microphone. Right-click words underlined in gray to see suggestions.

Text-to-Speech (Read Aloud)

If a student requires audio/read-aloud accommodations, contact IT to have Google Read & Write assigned to the exam account.

Audio Recording (Scribed Exams)

If a staff member is writing the exam for a student, the session should be recorded:

1. Click on the fvsd.ab.ca bookmarks folder in the top-left corner of the browser
2. Open the Exam Recovery link
3. Select New > More > Cloud Audio Recorder
4. A new web page will open
5. Click Start to begin recording
6. Click Stop when the recording is complete
7. Select "Export as MP3"
8. Click Save to Google Drive
9. Click Save to Google Drive on the popup and wait for the "Completed" message

The audio recording will be backed up with the document overnight.

Troubleshooting

Can't Sign In to an Exam Account

• Make sure you're selecting "Enter Google Account Info" on the sign-in screen
• Double-check the credentials from the exams folder on SharePoint
• If the account is locked, contact IT

Student's Work Disappeared

• Exam accounts are wiped nightly, but work is backed up first — contact IT to retrieve it
• Make sure the student saved their work in Google Docs before logging out

Printer Not Showing Up

• Click "See more" in the printer dropdown — copiers may not appear in the default list
• Make sure the Chromebook is connected to the school WiFi

Contact IT

For exam account or accommodation setup, contact IT in advance of the exam date:

• Submit a ticket through the IT helpdesk
• Email: helpdesk@fvsd.ab.ca

Please include:

• The exam date
• The number of accounts needed
• Any accommodations required (MP3, voice typing, text-to-speech, recording)