SMART NOTEBOOk Files to Google or PDF

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Jen Hegna

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Aug 27, 2021, 1:40:55 PM8/27/21
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TGIF!

I have a number of teachers that are ready to DITCH Smart notebook!  (Hooray)

I am wondering if any of you have figured a really good way to convert Smart Notebook to either Google Slides or PDFs?  Something as efficient if possible.

The PDF export in Smart Notebook is UGLY.   

Jen

P.S. I am hoping the start to your school year is AWESOME!

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Jen Hegna
Director of Information and Learning Technology
Byron Public Schools
1887 2nd Ave NW
Byron, MN 55940

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Emily Thomas

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Aug 30, 2021, 8:54:36 AM8/30/21
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Yay! Our teachers are also walking away from Smart Notebook!

What I have been recommending to our staff is to export them to a PowerPoint, then upload the PowerPoint to Google Drive and open it as a Google Slides file (not the .ppt in Google Slides) so they have the full features of Google Slides and can use add-ons like PearDeck or Nearpod to make the slides more interactive. We have found that this way keeps the most of the images and text in the cleanest way when you convert it. Some of the interactive elements and formatting is a little weird, but it can be redone pretty easily.

Emily Thomas

Sean Beaverson

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Sep 2, 2021, 10:55:07 AM9/2/21
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I forgot to reply all...

Here is a handy method that uses the Google Slides Add-On "Slides Toolbox".

Here is a video I made to support staff - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qBxOhCEVEs&feature=emb_title

Happy New Year!
SEan



On Friday, August 27, 2021 at 12:40:55 PM UTC-5 Jen Hegna wrote:

Eric Simmons

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Sep 8, 2021, 5:53:26 PM9/8/21
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Hi! Quick follow up question for those using PowerPoint files as a step to get to Google Slides: 
Have any of you ran into an issue with .ppt uploads failing in Drive for whatever reason? Even better; Did you find a work around like re-saving all files from PowerPoint with some specific settings? 

Officially, I see Google claims there is a 100 MB limit on files that you want to convert to Google Slides. https://support.google.com/drive/answer/37603?hl=en

We have some 200-450 MB .ppt files (images seem to be large and lots-o-slides. Videos are all linked externally to YouTube or elsewhere).  Some upload and convert no problem, even at 300+ MB , others Fail unless I uncheck "Convert uploaded files to Google Docs editor format," but then we have a .ppt file that isn't editable.. I also can't trick Google Drive into converting those large .ppt files over to Slides after upload. File size is similar across quite a few units and grade levels on this one. 

Hoping to avoid a PDF to Slides work around, or slicing each .ppts into 2-3 separate files to upload and convert to Slides. Digging to see if there is some PowerPoint-specific action on some of these slideshows that causes issue as well.  I should mention that these didn't start as .notebook files, but .ppt to begin with - thread still seemed relevant.  

Thanks for any ideas! Eric 

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Eric J. Simmons, Ed.S.
Director of Technology Services
Chisago Lakes School District
Google for EDU Certified Innovator 

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