How to add a linkable Google Calendar event to non-digital media with Goo.gl QR codes

In my last post I talked about how to add a Google Calendar Event Button to a website, Google Map, or any other place you can add HTML code. Today, I am going to show you how you can use Google Calendar Event Publisher and Google's URL shortening service, goo.gl, to add a link to non-digital media.

First, what exactly are we talking about doing. We are going make a poster or flyer for an event and add a QR code (bar code) to it. This will allow someone with a smart phone to scan the QR code and automatically add that event to their Google Calendar.

Here is how it is done:

Step 1: Design your poster or flyer (Duh!)

Step 2: Go to the Google Calendar Event Publisher web page and create your event. (You can even add the location of the event)

Step 3: If you have not done so click on "Create button HTML" at the bottom. Look for the <a href=" at the beginning of the HTML code. Select everything between the quotes (make sure you are between the correct quotes) and copy it.

Step 4: Go to this website http://gaigalas.net/lab/googl Take the web address that you just copied from the HTML code and paste it into the URL field.

That will produce a URL shortcode and a QR code.

Final Step: Right click on the QR code (the funny bar code looking thing) and save the image. Now you can add it to your event flyer or poster. (be sure not to expand the image to large so that it will not become fuzzy or pixelated).

Now anyone with the a cell phone or device capable of scanning that code will be able to add the event to their personal Google Calendar.

For more information on Google Calendar please check out either of my Google Calendar Training pages at SmallSchoolBigTech.com or atGoogle Teacher Academy Resources

Or If you have any questions please leave it in the comments so I can respond.

Google Calendar's often forgotten Event Publisher

There is a little tool that is hidden in the help area of Google Calendar. Call it an Easter Egg if you will. It is Google Calendar's Event Publisher.

There are actually two tools on this page; the individual event publisher and an entire calendar publisher.



Both of these tools allow you to create a "Google Calendar" button for an event or an entire calendar. First off these buttons provide a link to an event that you might be promoting or maybe a calendar that you might want people to be able to subscribe to.

But what to do with these buttons. After you insert your information and hit "Create button HTML" you can then use the simple HTML code that is supplied to post an event or an entire calendar to your website. When people click on the button they will launch a Google Calendar window and are asked if they would like to add the event/calendar to their Google Calendar.

You can add this button to almost anywhere you can insert HTML code including a Google Map.



Now someone can add the event to their calendar from Google Maps.

For more information on Google Calendar please check out either of my Google Calendar Training pages at SmallSchoolBigTech.com or at Google Teacher Academy Resources

“Greater Than Yourself” My PLN and the internet is helping me to accomplish the simple idea of “GTY”

I just finished reading a great book that a member of my PLN recommended (sorry I can't remember who, let me know if it was you). The book "Greater Than Yourself: The Ultimate Lesson of True Leadership" by Steve Farber is a quick read but could still have a profound affect on you.  I will not spoil it for you, but the idea is how you can give of yourself to help make others better and at the same time help yourself to continue growing.  There is an excellent part towards the front of the book that talks about social media and how it is increasing the idea of G.T.Y. (Greater Than Yourself).  It immediately made me think about how I have learned so much and have grown as an individual and an educator with the help of my PLN from places likeTwitter. Without my PLN I would not have been able to attend the Google Teacher Academy in Washington DC. I hope that because of my growth I have been able to give back to my PLN by posting information to Twitter and being a lead learner at places like the Google Teacher Academy in San Antonio.  I am hoping to further to the G.T.Y. mentality.  If you get a chance to check it out I hope it will inspire you as well and I hope to be able to grow with you through the interwebs.

"Greater Than Yourself" My PLN and the internet is helping me to accomplish the simple idea of "GTY"

I just finished reading a great book that a member of my PLN recommended (sorry I can't remember who, let me know if it was you). The book "Greater Than Yourself: The Ultimate Lesson of True Leadership" by Steve Farber is a quick read but could still have a profound affect on you.  I will not spoil it for you, but the idea is how you can give of yourself to help make others better and at the same time help yourself to continue growing.  There is an excellent part towards the front of the book that talks about social media and how it is increasing the idea of G.T.Y. (Greater Than Yourself).  It immediately made me think about how I have learned so much and have grown as an individual and an educator with the help of my PLN from places likeTwitter. Without my PLN I would not have been able to attend the Google Teacher Academy in Washington DC. I hope that because of my growth I have been able to give back to my PLN by posting information to Twitter and being a lead learner at places like the Google Teacher Academy in San Antonio.  I am hoping to further to the G.T.Y. mentality.  If you get a chance to check it out I hope it will inspire you as well and I hope to be able to grow with you through the interwebs.