Did you know that you can use Google Slides to create flashcards?  Did you know that there is a tool that allows you to randomize the flashcards you make?

There is and you can!

I attended a technology conference a few years ago where I was introduced to Google Slides and a few of the things you can do with it... like flashcards. Well, Julie Smith at The Techie Teacher, just shared a way to make those flashcards even better.  (If you don't follow her blog you should.)  This month she shared how to use an add-on to make your flashcards even better.  Of course, I had to try it out!

Here is a simple set of farm animal flashcards I created for my students. Below are the steps I followed to create them.

First, you will use Google Slides to create your flashcards- one card per slide.  Mine are for vocabulary practice, but you could do math facts, sight words practice... whatever you would use flashcards for.  I like to make my flashcards a bit smaller, so I click on file - page set-up and set the screen size to standard 4:3.

Now the fun stuff, if you want to be able to have your flashcards randomize each time you use them, you will need to install the Slides Randomizer Add-On.  Click HERE to get the add-on. After you have it installed, you will find it under the Add-ons menu on your slides deck as shown in the video below.

Click Randomize Presentation and then you will be asked whether you want to keep Slide 1 as a title slide- say yes if you have a title page for your set of cards. If your deck consist of just flashcards, you can click no. After clicking, your slides will automatically change order. Pretty cool right!? 

What if you want to provide feedback and supply the answer after each card?  You can do that too! You just add a text box and animation to each slide. You type your answer in the text box.  Next, click on the text box and then Insert from the menu bar and then select Animation. You will want to choose an animation that causes the text box to move into the presentation when the slide is clicked. You will also want to keep On Click selected. The text box should now appear when the user clicks on the slide in presentation mode. 

Randomizer only works on computers.  If you want to randomize the view for users on an iPad or another device, you will have to randomize the file on a computer for them.  Once you do, it will automatically update on their device.

Jeran Ott has created an example to get you started here.

Have fun and feel free to share any creations you make with me!  I'd love to see how you use this tool.