Distance Learning Essentials: Slides

New to Google Slides? Start here!

1. Slides Basics (with sharing how-to)
2. Intro to Slides

*The videos above are only brief sample components of the micro-courses offered to schools and districts enrolled in the MobileMind learning hub. Our full micro-courses consist of hands-on challenges, micro-credentialing, human feedback, and progress reporting for instructional leaders.  Learn more here or schedule a call with us anytime. 

Return to Main Distance Learning Page

Need more help getting started?

New to Slides? Visit our Google Slides deck on Google Slides basics,

Check out the Teacher Center for First Day of Slides module to get started with Slides in your virtual classroom.

The Google Slides section of the Help Center is also a great place to find answers to specific questions you might have.

More about Using Google Slides for Distance Learning  

Slides for Distance Learning

  • Insert images and videos right within slides, making it an engaging and meaningful digital resource.  You can share the resource in your  Google Classroom under "Materials" if the students won't have anything to turn in to you after reviewing it.
  • Add links to websites or other Google tools in your Slides presentations (like a Form for a quick quiz after a video.)
  • Share with students in a Google Classroom assignment by attaching the Slides and then selecting "Make a Copy for Each Student" so each student has his or her own Slides template.  If assigning Slides to a student, be specific on each slide if there is something they will need to turn in to you through Google Classroom. The collaboration and sharing capabilities, along with the commenting feature, allow teachers to offer continued guidance and feedback, even as students are working.
  • If you don't use Classroom and would simply like to share Slides with students or parents, you can always do so via a link or via email. 

Try for yourself!

  • Click here to create your own slides with images, video, and more! (Don't worry! We'll walk you through it!)
  • There are a couple of more advanced tips and some collaborative slides practice in there as well!
  • The link above will prompt you to make a copy of our Slides presentation, meaning your copy will appear in your Google Drive.

Beyond presentations...

  • Although Google Slides can be used to create and share presentations, they can also be used to create digital books, interactive journals, learning portfolios, digital manipulatives, and more to support a distance learning environment.  
  • Include questions or prompts for your students to respond to directly on their slide deck.
  • Include screen recording videos of you going over any necessary information.  You can use tools like Screencastify to insert screencasts into Slides or create screen recordings of your Slides. 

Preparing your students for remote learning

  • Determine and share how you will regularly communicate with students and parents remotely (requires sign in for Google  training) so you can share this information as soon as possible. 
  • Consider sharing a single Slides presentation with parents if you have no other means of regular communication right now.  Once parents /students have the link, they will always have the most up-to-date slides as you  make changes. You can add a new slide to the front of the slides presentation each day to keep parents or students in the loop.   (Note: We recommend using Google Classroom announcements and guardian summaries in Classroom for parents if you are able to use Classroom. Learn more here.)
  • Consider incorporating Google’s digital citizenship and  digital skills resources into your remote instruction to ensure students are prepared for digital learning.

Meeting the needs of all learners

  • Use the insert audio feature in Slides to include audio of what students need to know or do for an assignment.  You can even use this feature to read the slides to students.
  • Check out Google’s Accessibility page, and this Accessibility guide if you are interested in learning more about meeting the needs of all learners.
  • In addition, this diversity module to ensure you are meeting the needs of all students as best as possible.

Overcoming lack of Internet access

  • Reaching students without internet is vital in order for all students to have equal access to learning. 
  • With the ability to record Meet sessions sessions, you can pre-record presentations and share recorded sessions in Classroom or with a link so students are able to watch at a later time.  You can also use tools like Screencastify to record your slides presentations to share with students.
  • If possible, make sure students have enabled offline mode while on wifi if possible so they can access at least Docs, Sheets, and Slides without internet.

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