New- Google Announced The Offline Availability of Google Maps

November , 2015
Google announced  Maps offline availability allowing users to search for locations and directions without the need for Internet connection. Before this update, accessing Maps offline only provides a simple and general view of an area without the ability to navigate directions and get information such as driving directions..etc. Now, you can use Google Maps offline almost in the same way you would when you are online.

Here is how Google Maps offline works. First you need to access the online version of Google Maps and download the location you are interested in , this can be a city, a country road…etc. When you are in a spot with no Internet connection, Google Maps automatically activate the offline mode allowing you to access your downloaded location and ‘get turn-by-turn driving directions, search for specific destinations, and find useful information about places, like hours of operation, contact information or ratings.’ When you are back in a place with Internet connection, Google Maps switch back online so you can access the full version of maps.

For now, this new update is only available for Google Maps on Android but, as Google declared, another version for iOS is coming soon.

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Everything Teachers Need to Know about Google My Maps

August 19, 2015
Google My Maps is an excellent web tool for creating and customizing maps. Since its integration with Google Drive, users now are able to instantly create, manage and share their maps right from their Drive accounts. My Maps offer a wide variety of interesting features that makes map creation even for beginner users a very easy endeavour. Some of these features include the ability to search for and add places to your map, draw lines and shapes to illustrate geographic locations or give guidance, add colours, markers, icons and labels to your maps, create  layers to group various parts of your map many more.

As a teacher, you can use My Maps for a variety of educational purposes from giving directions to students and parents for next field trip to organizing virtual trips to world museums and art exhibition. To help you learn more about how to use My Maps, we curated for you these excellent resources from Google My Maps help page. Clicking on any title will take you to the page where you can learn more about it.

1- Create or open a map
This guide walks you through the process of creating a new map. It also explains how to find and open an existing map.

2- Add photos and more to your map
This one shows you how to add and edit extra information on your map.

3- Create Custom icons
This shows you how to add your own icons for map placemarks.

4- Add places and search results
‘Save and map important places by searching for locations or drawing them directly on the map.’

5- Import info to your map
This shows you how to import different geographical data into your map.

6- Organize map content with layers
This one explains how to  ‘use layers to organize your places, lines, and shapes and control the ways you see different kinds of information.’

7- Style and label map content
This is how to style your map using different colours.

8- Measure distance and area
‘With My Maps, you can measure the distance of a line or the area within a shape.’

9- Manage your maps in Google Drive
Here is how to use ‘Drive's features to manage your maps along with your Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.’

10- Export a map
This one shows you how to export and download an entire map or just some information on it.

11- Share your map
Learn how to share your map with others or a mao someone shared with you

12- Embed a map
This is how to embed your map or a map shared with you on your website or blog using a generated HTML code.

13- Print a map
This guide shows you ow to ‘print both maps you create or those shared with you—even maps embedded on websites.’

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Some Handy Google Maps Tutorials for Teachers

March 11, 2015
Google Maps is an excellent tool to use with students to develop their spatial thinking. Beyond getting driving or walking directions to the other, this tool enables students to discover the world right from their classrooms. It is also a very good way to teach students about geography concepts, distance measurement, map readings and other fundamentals of mapping such as longitude, latitude, locations and many more.

There are actually several ways to use Google Maps with students. Here are some few examples suggested by Google:

• Create collaborative maps
• Create a campus or school district map
• Create a family heritage map
• Get walking directions
• Plan a trip using public transportation
• Get biking directions
• Add or edit places on maps for your community
• Compare neighbourhoods and communities across the world
• Understand traffic patterns
• Use maps as writing inspiration

To help students and teachers learn more about Google Maps and tap into its educational potential, Google Maps' YouTube channel has this compilation of  excellent tutorials to share with you. Maps help page is also another great place for everything you need to know about Google Maps.

1- Take a Tour of The New Google Maps

2- How to Use The New Google Maps: Imagery

3- How to Use The New Google Maps: Directions

4- How to Use The New Google Maps: Search

5- How to Use The New Google Maps: A Map Built for You

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10 Excellent Lessons from Google to Help Students Better Use Google Maps in Their Learning

January 5, 2015

Google Maps is an excellent tool to use with students to develop their spatial thinking. Beyond getting driving or walking directions to the other, this tool enables students to discover the world right from their classrooms. It is also a very good way to teach students about geography concepts, distance measurement, map readings and other fundamentals of mapping such as longitude, latitude, locations and many more.

There are actually several ways to use Google Maps with students. Here are some few examples suggested by Google:

• Create collaborative maps
• Create a campus or school district map
• Create a family heritage map
• Get walking directions
• Plan a trip using public transportation
• Get biking directions
• Add or edit places on maps for your community
• Compare neighborhoods and communities across the world
• Understand traffic patterns
• Use maps as writing inspiration

To help students better use Google Maps and tap into its educational potential in their learning, Google Maps offers an instructional module called Google Maps Basics which consists of 10 lessons. The lessons are accompanied by tutorials and video explanations to help students understand and pass the test at the end of the lesson. Through these lessons , students will get to learn how to:

• Create Maps to build supplemental knowledge
• Locate and study Maps for historical context
• Use Maps to study mathematical and science concepts
• Create virtual tours to enhance field trip experiences
• Explore the Google Cultural Institute for use in the classroom

Watch this introductory video about the new Google Maps

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