Inquiry question: How can you use Google Classroom for your classroom?

Google classroom is now an interwoven component of classroom life, especially in intermediate, middle, and high school grades. Our group wanted to get familiar with Google classroom so we could understand how to use it and how we could utilize it for our future classrooms.

  • It’s relationship to teaching and learning: Google classroom creates a space where students can access teacher-curated information for learning. Teachers can create assignments that give students access to the information they need and the means to easily submit their work virtually. Teachers can easily allow students to collaborate and have access to a variety of tools to assist with their work (i.e. speech to text).
  • Pros:
    • ease and accessibility of use
    • It’s free! The Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals version is free but there are premium paid options
    • accessible from all computers, phones and tablets
    • Streamline classroom management: import class rosters, share content from a website with Google Share button
    • Works well with other google tools – docs, slides, jam board, read & write
    • Ease of effective communication and sharing
    • Intuitive user friendly interface
    • Instant feedback and commenting systems – more effective online support
    • Integration opportunities with apps and third-party chrome extensions such as quizlet, Newslea, Khan Academy and BrianPop
    • Ease to import classes from websites such as Pear Deck, BrainPop or TypingClub
    • Allows students options for submitting work and access to tools
    • All assignments, handouts, classroom information is available in one place → students/families can access info, even if absent from class
    • Great for assessment and reporting, work is in one place.
  • Cons:
    • Impersonal
    • Lacks automation: does not provide automated quizzes or tests nor automatic updates. Learners must refresh often to receive updates and announcements
  • Risks:
    • data tracking
    • potential contact with strangers
    • Cyberbullying
    • Potential privacy issues with the now hundreds of education applications that work with Google Classroom (potential data and privacy issues)
  • Strategies/Best Practices/Tips:
    • Hide notifications on stream so doesn’t become cluttered with announcements/assignments → cleaner/more organized look
    • Block students from adding comments to stream → change settings so the can comment on existing posts instead
    • Organize information into topics → subject, for example
      • Set up by week/date range allows for easier student access → know where to find things

There is teacher training available on how to use Google classroom at: https://edu.google.com/intl/ALL_ca/teacher-center/certifications/?modal_active=none

Features of the Education Fundamentals (Free) version of Google classroom (from https://edu.google.com/intl/ALL_ca/products/classroom/editions/)

Time Saving Features

  • Schedule posts to multiple classes
  • Add students to a new course by sharing a link or code
  • Manage multiple classes at once
  • Snap and submit work through improved

Enhanced Grading and Feedback Features

  • Track student progress in gradebook
  • Ease switching from class to assignment to student
  • Export scores from gradebook to student information system (SIS)
  • Rubrics displayed alongside student work
  • Customizable comment bank
  • Notifications about student performance and work
  • Automatic notifications about assignments, deadlines and student summaries

Personalized Learning Features

  • Adjustable student accessibility settings with multiple language support
  • Set up student accounts to support an individualized education plan

Organization Features

  • Automated calendar reminders
  • Student to-do and teacher to-review pages
  • Automatically create a template of coursework for students

Originality Features

  • Students can check their own work for recommended citations
  • Teachers can scan student work for authenticity with originality reports
  • Compare student-to-student matches against domain-owned repository of past student work

Ways to organize:

  • units or modules
  • week: creating a new topic each week- may become overwhelming as the school year goes on
  • file type: eg projects, tests, daily work
  • subject area: best for elementary teachers who teach multiple subjects
  • adding “Today” to topic: manually moving today’s focus to top of page
  • Some teachers create separate Google Classrooms for each subject- some use one google classroom with different topic headings

Ways to integrate into learning:

  • Take a tour of the classroom we have created and see some assignment possibilities
  • Makes sharing multimedia easy- everyone can access at their own pace
  • Makes sharing work easy and more accessible for those who struggle with handwriting