When it comes to digital learning, there are a lot of tools and applications to choose from. Which ones you choose to use should really be about what works best for you, your students and their instructional needs. With that being said, it is no secret that we are “living in a Google world, and I am a Google Girl.” (I’m hoping some of you will know what song I am referencing here.) If you are looking for all of the bells and whistles that Schoology or another LMS may have to offer, then Google Classroom is not the tool for you. However, you can make it all you want it to be by using additional GAFE products (like Forms) and a little creativity for successful implementation into any classroom.
Why Google Classroom?
- Easy to Learn for teachers and students
- Integrates with Google Drive organizing folders and files for each class seamlessly
- Grading is a Snap
- Ideal for going Paperless (or Less Paper)
At the end of the 14-15 school year and just before this school year, about 30 plus educators, including admins, teachers and support staff, participated in a Google Classroom hands-on workshop. It was very heartening to see so many educators with varying interests and abilities get excited and fired up over using Google Classroom. The simple fact that it is easy to learn and saves teachers time is the overall selling factor to integrating it into so many classrooms.
Participants were highly satisfied that time was given during the workshop to create content as they learned about each feature of google Classroom. It was also fun to see admins creating their content and getting feedback from staff joining the course almost immediately upon posting. Many people stated they needed more time to digest the information and wanted a refresher session once school was underway. With that said, I have already scheduled many class visits to introduce Google Classroom to students and help teachers with posting content. If you would like to schedule a time for me to come in, please feel free to contact me. I am happy to help.
If you are looking for an easy online classroom to post announcements, distribute, collect, and provide feedback on assignments seamlessly through Google Drive, then Google Classroom is your solution. Here is the self-guided presentation to get familiar with Google Classroom. Feel free to contact me for additional information and support.
