It has always been a race to the copier room. However, once you have that prized position as the first one in line, you still have to worry about frequent paper jams, running out of staples, reloading more paper, or emptying out the hole punch waste. A “mostly” paperless classroom seems like a dream come true thanks to Google.
This unit gives a brief overview on the following Google products:
- Docs
- Sheets
- Classroom
- Slides
- Drive
- Forms
- Drawings
Understanding Cloud Storage
Having documents stored in the Cloud allows for access 24/7, even when internet is unavailable. To account of offline access, Google Drive can enable offline storage. Any changes made to these documents will be automatically saved until the next online login.
Meeting the new Google Drive
Google Drive has been coined as a USB stick without the stick. It is a safe place to store documents, slide shows, pictures, videos, spreadsheets and the list continues. It is easy to insert these documents into Google Drive by dragging and dropping the contents from a desktop or an actual USB device.
Make Fewer Class Copies
One of the biggest pros to Google Docs is that it is a live document so any edits that are being made are being made in real-time. Google Docs suite, which is a Google App for Education, allows for this real-time document. The Google Docs suite includes:
- Docs - A word processor
- Sheets - A spreadsheets application
- Slides - Slide decks and presentations
- Forms - Online surveys/quizzes
- Drawings - Graphics and images
During the training, Google offers helpful hints and tutorials on how to complete tasks such as uploading, converting, and sharing files. Google does not assume that users know how to complete every task and thus applies its teaching techniques to every type of learning style.
Bring Your Quizzes Online Using Google Forms
I have become a frequent user of Google Forms; it is a quick and easy way for me to gather information about my students. It also allows me to analyze data by having the results compiled in a spreadsheet. My students also use Google Forms by building surveys, especially in AP Statistics.
In this section, the following scenario and follow up question was posted:
Mr. Reuter is a history teacher at a high school where most of the students bring a mobile device to school each day. He decides to start today off with a quiz to assess how much his students remember from yesterday’s discussion on World War I. However, Mr. Reuter also wants to ask them a probing question to get them thinking about today’s lesson. He’d like to quickly look at the results of the review questions to check for understanding but also project the results of the question to begin the day’s discussion.
If you were Mr. Reuter, how would you create a quiz and provide instruction to your students to meet your objectives? What types of questions would you ask?
If I were Mr. Reuter, I would create a simple quiz, consisting of about three questions for my students. The first question would a be a formative question to make sure a review of any of the previously taught material does not need to be had. I would look at the Summary of Responses to get some insight as to my students learning targets. The second and third questions would be an introduction to today’s lesson. Students might have to watch a short YouTube clip and then answer the follow up questions. Once the form is complete, I can share it with my students by generating a link and posting it on the board or on the Google Classroom page. Responses will then be stored in a new spreadsheet or stored in an existing spreadsheet.
Summary
This unit was a quick overview for me. The information here was a lot of previously known knowledge, but it is never a bad idea for a refresher. I am looking forward to diving into the unknown concepts of Google.
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