Day 3: Make the Most of Google Drive - The 12 Tech Tips of Christmas 2024

Welcome to day three of The 12 Tech Tips of Christmas from *Evolve EdTech! I’m Tristan, and I’m thrilled to share today’s tip to help you transform your use of Google Drive.

If you missed days one and two, head over to the Evolve EdTech YouTube channel or check our social channels to catch up on some amazing tips to add to your edtech toolkit. While you’re there, don’t forget to like and subscribe—it’s the best way to support us as we share our passion for edtech with you!

Today, we’re diving into Google Drive Town to uncover practical tips and tricks that will make your Drive even more efficient, organized, and visually engaging. Let’s get started!

1. Add a Splash of Colour to Your Folders

Tired of the default grey folder icons? Customize folder colours to make your Drive visually appealing and easier to navigate.

How to Change Folder Colours:

1. Right-click on a folder.

2. Select Change Colour.

3. Choose your preferred colour.

Pro Tip: Assign specific colours to year groups, subjects, or project types to quickly locate what you need. For example, in my personal Google Drive, Year 10 folders are one colour, and Year 7 folders are another.

2. Reorganize Your Folder Order

Google Drive folders are sorted alphabetically by default, but you can prioritise frequently used folders by renaming them with symbols or numbers.

How to Bring a Folder to the Top:

• Add a Number: Prefix your folder name with “1” or “2” for manual ranking.

• Use a Symbol: Add a “#” or “!” to push folders to the top.

3. Add Emojis for Visual Flair

Emojis can make your Drive more engaging and help you identify folders at a glance.

How to Add Emojis:

1. Visit Emojipedia to copy your desired emoji.

2. Right-click on a folder and select Rename.

3. Paste the emoji into the folder name.

Example: Add 🎄 for holiday planning or 📚 for lesson materials.

4. Switch Between Layouts

Google Drive offers two layout options: List View and Grid View.

• List View: Displays files and folders in a tidy column format—perfect for detailed organization.

• Grid View: Shows larger folder and file previews—great for visual learners.

Toggle between views by clicking the layout icon in the top-right corner of Drive.

5. Filter and Sort Files

Quickly locate files using filters for type, owner, or modification date.

How to Filter Files:

• Click the filter icon or use the dropdown menus to narrow your search by file type (Docs, Slides, etc.), collaborator, or when it was last edited.

6. Create Workspaces for Regularly Used Files

Workspaces are a hidden gem in Google Drive that allow you to group frequently accessed files for quick access.

How to Create a Workspace:

1. Go to Workspaces on the left-hand menu.

2. Click Create Workspace and give it a name.

3. Add up to 25 files to the Workspace for instant access.

Pro Tip: Use Workspaces for term planning, assessment documents, or resource collections.

7. Star Important Documents

For files you use often but don’t want in a Workspace, consider starring them for easy access.

How to Star a File:

1. Right-click on the file and select Add to Starred.

2. Access starred files by clicking Starred in the left-hand menu.

Why Google Drive Should Be in Your EdTech Toolkit

Google Drive is more than just cloud storage—it’s a versatile, efficient, and customizable tool that can simplify your teaching and planning. By organizing your Drive with colours, emojis, and folders, filtering and starring key documents, and leveraging Workspaces, you can save time and focus on what matters most: your students.

Wrapping Up Day Three

That’s a wrap for day three of The 12 Tech Tips of Christmas! Today, we covered seven tips to help you unlock the full potential of Google Drive.

Stay tuned for day four, where we’ll explore another fantastic edtech tip to supercharge your classroom. If you found today’s tips helpful, don’t forget to like this post and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more edtech inspiration.

Until tomorrow, stay safe and keep tech-ing! 🎄

To view Day 3 of The 12 Tech-Tips of Christmas click on the video below: