Google Cast for Education is a free Chrome app that allows teachers and students to share their screens wirelessly from anywhere in the classroom. The app runs on the teacher’s computer, which is connected to the projector; students use Google Cast, which integrates seamlessly with Google Classroom, allowing the teacher to set student permissions and remain in full control at all times. Maximize Conference Time: The teacher can easily see a common problem that the students are facing during independent work. One of the students can cast his screen, and the entire class can instantly look at the problem and work together to solve it. Or let’s say your students are hard at work during Writer’s Workshop. As you conference with individual students, you notice that a few are struggling to add meaningful dialogue to their work. Invite a student who has mastered this skill to project his screen to the class and use the opportunity to analyze his craft. During an informational writing unit, some students are struggling to find key facts on their topic. Invite students to share their screens and facilitate a discussion. “That’s a great piece of evidence! Can you cast your screen to show your classmates where they might find that type of fact?” You can also use this opportunity to cast your screen and walk your students through a brief reteaching lesson on finding credible sources online. Turn a Projector Screen Into an Interactive Whiteboard: Present your lesson to a projector or Smart Board from your device. This allows for more control over the presentation and gives you the chance to face your students. If you cast from a tablet or touchscreen laptop, you can use its features during your presentation, thus turning even a simple projector screen into an interactive whiteboard.