Google Apps for Education Tips for Teachers by Teachers
Content
GOOGLE APPS
FOR EDUCATION
Tips for teachers by teachers
Your school took the plunge and fired up Google Apps. You’ve taken some training, read a few blogs, and studied the wildly popular eBook Mastering Google for the Classroom. You’re now buried up to your smartphone in the wonderful world of Google. Yet you can feel there’s more out there. You just don’t know how to get to it. Well there is more. Much more. And don’t fret. We’re here to unlock the code. We’ve assembled an all-star cast of dedicated teachers who use Google Apps every day and asked them to share what they’ve learned. Most importantly, they’re teachers with hands-on experience using Google in the classroom. The tips and ideas they share are not theory. They’re real world examples collected from practical experience with students at all grade levels. What better way to learn about this valuable suite of tools than to absorb the insight of professionals who are in the trenches teaching every day – just like you. So here we go. We’ll start from the beginning – grade school level – and move on up through college.
Enjoy the journey!
Contents
It’s elementary ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3 Right down the middle ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 Secondary to none …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 6 Masters of the university………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 8 Technically speaking……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….… 9 10 keys to a successful launch …….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….11 We need Google Apps because… ……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….…13 Our panel…….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……… 14
“I believe Google Apps is a studentcentered tool and can help shift a classroom toward a more studentcentered environment.”
It’s elementary
As the Director of Innovation and Technology at the Meadowbrook School in Weston, MA, Jonathan Schmid works with students and teachers in grades K-8. Jonathan has made Google Apps an essential component of his classes and as a result, it has fundamentally transformed the way he teaches. Here are some of examples of the way Jonathan is using Google Apps: • During a science project, students used GPS devices to map trees across the school campus. They then used Sheets and Maps to chart the hundreds of points they collected. Using some creative methods, they completed the project by printing a six-foot tall high-resolution map. Using Sites, students created a tech support site with questions and answers related to common issues. Students volunteered to keep content updated, so when a question comes in, they simply send a URL that leads to an explanation and quick resolution of the problem. Jonathan Schmid
Director of Innovation and Technology Meadowbrook School, Weston, MA
•
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
• • •
Students love using Forms to create surveys for various projects. With Google Apps simplifying the logistical issues, the students can instead focus on analyzing the data thoroughly. Mail and Drive are used almost constantly to collaborate with teachers, students, and administrators when creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Drive is used extensively to allow for continuous collaboration on writing assignments. Teachers offer feedback frequently and students enjoy the benefit of having all their work available from anywhere.
Adopt an organizational structure that works best for students and classes in Drive. Setting up such a structure with a script like Doctopus or a tool like Teacher Dashboard can save headaches later.
Suggested plug-ins and add-ons:
Teacher Dashboard, Backupify, Doctopus, and Schoology
JONATHAN’S TOP TIPS:
1. Start small – You don’t need to learn it all in one day! 2. Focus on collaboration – The share button is the killer feature. Use it.
3. Don’t be so concerned with the technical details. Approach Google Apps as a way to empower students.
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
“Google Apps is a wonderful free resource for educators to create engaging lessons, activities, and assessments.”
Right down the middle
Jermaine Newman has taught Math at both the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School in Dorchester, MA and the Putnam Ave Upper School in Cambridge, MA. He first incorporated Google Apps into his classrooms in 2007. “Google Apps is a wonderful free resource for educators to create engaging lessons, activities, and assessments,” says Jermaine. Here are some ways that Jermaine incorporated Google Apps in his classes: • Students used Maps to understand and create measured footprints of their Boston neighborhood’s wireless network. Their work was featured in this article on Technology in the Classroom on Boston.com. Students used Sites to create a classroom website displaying information on classwork, including homework assignments, tutorial videos, trivia questions, and Student of the Month awards. Jermaine Newman
Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School, Dorchester, MA and the Putnam Ave Upper School, Cambridge, MA
•
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
• •
Sites and Draw enabled students to create individual portfolio websites that travel with them throughout their middle school years. Forms provided a mechanism for testing and timely feedback to students and parents. A multiple-choice test was posted online and once a student was finished, the test would be graded immediately. Answers were highlighted (green for correct and yellow for incorrect). This allowed for a quick visual check to see which students needed additional support and the relative understanding of the class on various questions. Using tutorial videos has been enormously valuable to students. Gchat is a great tool for communication between teachers and with parents.
• •
Jermaine suggests working to get all students up to speed on the technology as quickly as possible. “As a math teacher the most difficult part is moving students away from the ability to write problems down on paper and demonstrate their work,” Jermaine said. “It took some time in the beginning to get students to an equal level of technological understanding as some students worked with technology more often than others.”
JERMAINE’S TOP TIPS:
1. Start at a comfortable pace for you and students. Begin with one or two apps and see how fast students understand their use. 2. At the end of each quarter/trimester give yourself a self-assessment. How often have I used the tools? What strengths did I bring? What challenges do I still have?
3. Utilize your students for support. Students are eager to help when it comes to technology. Find ways to incorporate the class into the daily technology activities.
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
Christopher Godfrey has taught Math/Science to middle school students in the Boston and Cambridge Public School systems. He’s been using Google Apps in the classroom since 2011. “I think Google Apps provides users with the awesome opportunity of collaboration via the web,” Christopher says. “Collaboration ranges from colleague to colleague, teacher to student, you name it. I’ve used it to bring creative minds together in and outside of work.” Some examples of how Christopher has used Google Apps are: • For Science Fair projects, students were encouraged to create blogs using Blogger and Drive to document their thoughts and respond to other students’ ideas. Students used Docs to enable teacher feedback inside and outside of class time. Sites was employed to create a showcase for student findings in group projects.
“I think Google Apps provides users with the awesome opportunity of collaboration via the web.”
• •
Suggested plug-ins and add-ons:
RealTimeBoard, Google Keep, BuzzMath Christopher Godfrey
CHRISTOPHER’S TOP TIPS:
1. Spend time experimenting! 2. Find an app. There are thousands of apps out there. One or more are bound to be useful for any subject matter.
Boston and Cambridge Public Schools
3. Never stop learning. I think you end up in a bad place if as an educator you arrive at a mindset that you are all set.
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
“I couldn’t live without Google Docs. It’s a powerful collaboration tool.”
Secondary to none
Vicki Davis – the Cool Cat Teacher – teaches at the Westwood Schools in Camilla, Georgia and is author of Reinventing Writing and co-author of Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds. She’s a Google Certified Teacher and was named by Mashable as one of the “10 Teacher Rockstars on Twitter.” She teaches in grades 8, 9, and 10 and also works with college level students. Vicki’s suggested uses for Google Apps include: • For collaborative projects or presentations, students are required to use Docs to create, share, and use a document in less than three minutes. Also in Docs, students must use headers and create a table of contents to ease navigation. The document should remain nearly finished at all times by using the comments feature. Students are encouraged to use the resolve button to ask questions. Students use Live Chat when they are working from home. Sometimes if they’re sick, they may actually choose to get into the document and catch up. Vicki Davis
Westwood Schools, Camilla, GA
•
•
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
• •
Presentations are used for group presentations, but students plan them first in Docs. Students convert and move files around to one another through Drive and then are able to access them on their mobile devices. They are encouraged to get comfortable editing documents anywhere, any time, from any platform and device. Folders help to organize students. Everything goes in the folder and students are taught to use them. Forms can be an important part of the guest log-on for the Wi-Fi network to keep track of who is on campus. Use Calendar to link with a task management program. It can be used to easily plan and confirm meetings and appointments. Synchronize usernames and passwords between the school server and the logins for Google Apps using LDAP. This is a real time saver. Set up students with a YouTube channel. They no longer have to set up a separate account but will be able to simply log in through Google Apps.
• • • • •
Suggested plug-ins and add-ons:
Aviary for editing photos, Nozbe Task Manager, Voice Comments
VICKI’S TOP TIPS:
1. For group projects and online presentations use Google Docs as your go-to app for simultaneous planning and communicating.
2. Have someone help you set up folders for each class and share with your students. Learn how to add docs in the folder
3. When you need to share links in your presentation or on handouts, use this two-fold trick. Use a link-shortener like goo.gl to make a short link and edit the link to make it easy to remember. Then, turn it into a QR code by clicking “details.” You can then copy the QR code and also copy the link. This allows students to snap a picture with their phone or type it in easily to get to the document.
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
As a former Physics teacher for grades 11-12 and now CIO of the Bridgeport Public School System, David Andrade, MSed, has a unique perspective on Google Apps. He has not only been involved with the technical operation of the app, but has also used it in his teaching. “Google Apps is one of my favorite resources for myself, other teachers, and students,” David says. “I use it constantly. There are tons of features and functions that make using it extremely useful and effective as an educational tool.” David suggests using Google Apps in the following ways: • • Use Drive as a replacement for Microsoft Office to store and access files. Use Google+ to connect with students and other educators.
“Google Apps is one of my favorite resources for myself, other teachers, and students.”
Suggested plug-ins and add-ons:
DAVID’S TOP TIPS:
Chrome browser plugins, Goo.gl URL shortener, Evernote Clipper
David Andrade, MSed
DAVID’S TOP TIPS
1. Use the training materials.
2. Explore the apps and try things out.
3. Connect with other Google Apps educators on Google+.
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
“Google Apps provides a new opportunity to interact with students in ways that were before impossible.”
Masters of the university
Alice Keeler, a Google Certified Teacher, has taught at both the college and high school level. She is an Educational Technology Specialist and a teacher on Special Assignment at the Academy for Civic and Entrepreneurial Leadership (ACEL) in Fresno, CA. She is also a member of the Adjunct Faculty at California State University, Fresno College and a doctoral student at Boise State for EdTech. “Breaking down walls of communication and collaboration using Google Apps helps students to succeed” says Alice. Here are some thoughts from Alice on the use of Google Apps in the classroom: • A frequently unused application is Draw. It may seem like an extremely basic version of Paint, but you can actually do some quite amazing things with it. Throw in the ability to be collaborative and publish your work and the sky is the limit for the number of creative things you can do with Draw.
Alice Keeler
California State University
• You can be surprisingly creative with Spreadsheets. For class discussions, set up a spreadsheet as “anyone can edit” to
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
allow students to input their brainstorms or ideas in real time with other students. Each student can have their own cell or tab so they are not stepping on each other’s toes. Use this for fueling and organizing ideas. Use the “grabby hand” to drag the ideas around to organize them into common groups. • Use Forms and Scripts to give students individual feedback. Ask students to fill out a signin sheet and offer “comments, questions, concerns or compliments.” You can then make individual responses to each student through a mail merge that not only includes a personal note, but also creates a newsletter of reminders, links, resources and FAQ’s that were brought up by other students in the comment box. Create community among students using Google+. Embed Docs into other tools by publishing the document. That is super handy.
• •
Suggested plug-ins and add-ons:
Autocrat
ALICE’S TOP TIPS:
1. Don’t be afraid to push the buttons; you won’t break it!
2. Don’t be concerned if you don’t know something. It can be extremely beneficial when a student can help you. There’s value in being part of a classroom of learners rather than all the students learning from you. 3. Stop using Microsoft Office. You will be unhappy if you straddle the fence.
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
“The real advantages of Google Apps are seen when it’s used by people who wouldn’t normally use technology in the classroom.”
Technically speaking
For a slightly different perspective, there is Karl Rivers, Network Manager for Biddenham International School in England and founder of ClassThink.com. Karl works with teachers of students from ages 2 to 18. “Some of our most surprising outcomes have been from teachers who were initially reluctant but came to see the huge advantages that Google Apps provides.” says Karl. Karl offers the following insight into the use of Google Apps: • Google Apps has really allowed for wider collaboration between students and teachers. It provides a seamless transition between primary and secondary schools. Two or more classes can now be tied together to allow collaboration across classes, years, or even schools. Drive provides a seamless environment between home and school that doesn’t require the purchase of expensive office software. For many students having to buy software often creates a hurdle to accessing great technology. Also, Karl Rivers
Network Manager Biddenham International School, England
•
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
because Drive is available for most popular operating systems, it doesn’t matter if the student has an Android phone, an iPad, a desktop, laptop, or Chromebook. They can access and create documents with all of them. • Because of Drive, students now understand and are comfortable with web apps in a way that even some teachers are not. Drive makes much more sense to students than accessing a Windows mapped drive or using Remote Desktop. Sites has become an essential tool for both teachers and IT staff as a repository for technical information and teaching resources. It’s also a tool for teachers to share information with their class and as a communication platform. It’s important to know that although normally safe with Google, data can be backed up outside of Google just in case the unthinkable happens. Services like Backupify provide that type of reassurance. Collaboration and sharing are key benefits of Google Apps. Whether it’s a spreadsheet for a class to enter data, or allowing students to book parent’s evening slots on a Calendar, there’s no platform which currently provides such a comprehensive suite of collaboration tools at no cost to schools.
•
•
•
Suggested plug-ins and add-ons:
Backupify
KARL’S TOP TIPS:
1. Start with a small selection of apps and expand as usage grows.
2. Set up a “home base” with Sites and allow departments to setup their own Sites to share student work and best practice. 3. Train and explain. Never assume that everyone “gets” Google Apps.
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
Final thoughts...
After hearing from these experienced teachers who use Google Apps in the real world every day it’s clear that this interactive suite of tools can help you transform your classroom in exciting ways. As we’ve said before, you’re working with a generation of Digital Natives. They grew up in the world of video games, smartphones, on-line chat, and technology that never seems to stop evolving. They are comfortable in that world. Providing them with a toolset that is compatible with that environment gives you a fighting chance if you hope to pass on the lessons they need to succeed in their dynamic future. And as for tips, here are three big ones from our experts when it comes to Google Apps for Education:
Explore, experiment, and enjoy!
10 keys to a successful launch
Experience is the best teacher. So experience from teachers must be even better. With that in mind, we’ve asked our panel of experts for their keys to a successful launch of Google Apps in your school. Here is their top ten: 1. Preparation, planning and testing. Start with a small group and expand from there. You know the answer to the question: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. It’s also the best way to launch Google Apps. As you take each bite, regroup, test, review, and move on to the next stage. 2. A GOOD ATTITUDE! Most people hate change and teachers are no different. Get them excited. Provide examples of how it can make their work easier. Getting the entire staff on board with a willingness to try something different will go a long way toward making your implementation a success. 3. Good classroom management. PLAN the structure and organization before you hand it out to the students. Students are very perceptive and stumbling out of the gate can derail your program. 4. Get buy-in. Take a pragmatic, balanced approach. Do your research, and make sure all stakeholders are involved in the decision making process. Get everyone involved
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
5. Set up Support Groups. Throughout the process make sure teachers have opportunities to reflect and share best practices as well as have a support system that can help before and during class instruction. 6. Synchronize user ids and passwords with what you’re already doing. Make sure that your security requirements match Google’s current password requirements or you may have problems. Also make sure that you use the given name for students and teachers or they may not know how to email. 7. It takes a village (or the entire school community at least). Any successful implementation of new technology at schools involves students, teachers, parents, administrators, and IT staff. Use students as trainers and help teachers set up folders. 8. Set up Google Groups. They are extremely useful. For example let teachers@yourdomainname go to all teachers and admin@yourdomainname go to all administrators etc. It streamlines communications. 9. Address data protection. Know the kind of data you’re storing in Google Apps and make sure critical information is protected. Work closely with your technical staff to make sure you have an additional backup solution in place. 10. Train, train, train. And not the choo choo kind. Change can be scary, but the more knowledge and training offered in advance, the fewer issues you’ll encounter. Consider appointing Super Users among students and teachers, so there is someone nearby to help when there’s an issue. Everyone will feel more comfortable that way, and you’ll save your IT staff some of the load. Be aware that each situation is different. Just like snowflakes, no two implementations of Google Apps are alike. Students, teachers, administrators, and technologists all have to be flexible and open minded to reach the best possible outcome.
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
We need Google Apps because…
Many of you are still trying to convince your school administrators to implement Google Apps. You’ve been singing the praises of this transformative technology, but your arguments have fallen flat. To help in your struggle, we’re providing you with the “fill in the blank” answer to the question you’re no doubt tired of hearing: Why do we need Google Apps? Here is a list of “ready to use” responses from our experts.
We need Google Apps because…
…it’s a powerful teaching tool, easy to use, doesn’t add to network or IT support in a noticeable way. And it’s FREE. …it allows teachers to give each student meaningful feedback. Also it’s FREE. …it gives teachers and students new and innovative tools in the classroom and can free up the time technical staff spends managing email servers, monitoring data storage, researching and providing further technology tools for teaching. … it will make what we’re currently doing successfully even better. …every school needs a way to have cloud document editing capabilities. It simply can’t be an option to do nothing. …it integrates well with most mobile phones via Gmail and Google Calendar to make communication simpler. …it has enormous benefits for students and their learning. After all isn’t that why we’re all here? …it’s FREE
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
Our all-star panel
David Andrade, MSed, CIO, Bridgeport Public Schools. Former AP Physics and Physics teacher. Paramedic and EMS-Instructor. Author of The Educational Technology Blog. Vicki Davis teaches at the Westwood Schools, in Camilla, Georgia and is author of Reinventing Writing and co-author of Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds. She’s a Google Certified Teacher and was named by Mashable as one of the “10 Teacher Rockstars on Twitter.” Author of The Cool Cat Teacher Blog. Christopher Godfrey is a former Middle School math and science teacher for the Boston Public Schools and a father of four. He now serves in the Cambridge Public School system. Alice Keeler, Educational Technology Specialist, Teacher on Special Assignment, ACEL Fresno Charter High School. Doctoral student at Boise State for EdTech. Google Certified Teacher and author of Teacher Tech Blog. D. Jermaine Newman is an innovative educational professional with more than 15 years of diverse classroom and administrative experience. An educator, department chair, and Academy leader, Jermaine also helped develop and implement a $1 million program to integrate technology into curriculum and staff development for the Boston and Cambridge Public Schools. Karl Rivers, Network Manager for Biddenham International School in Biddenham Turn, UK has been working with technology in education for over a decade. Karl founded ClassThink.com to provide a hub to share best practices and technical information with others in the educational field. Jonathan Schmid is the Director of Innovation & Technology at The Meadowbrook School of Weston, MA. He has worked at schools in the United States and Europe, presents at regional and national conferences, and leads professional development workshops. He has a Masters in Instructional Technology, is a Google Certified Trainer, and author of the Tech Savvy Teachers blog.
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
FOR EDUCATION
Tips for teachers by teachers
Your school took the plunge and fired up Google Apps. You’ve taken some training, read a few blogs, and studied the wildly popular eBook Mastering Google for the Classroom. You’re now buried up to your smartphone in the wonderful world of Google. Yet you can feel there’s more out there. You just don’t know how to get to it. Well there is more. Much more. And don’t fret. We’re here to unlock the code. We’ve assembled an all-star cast of dedicated teachers who use Google Apps every day and asked them to share what they’ve learned. Most importantly, they’re teachers with hands-on experience using Google in the classroom. The tips and ideas they share are not theory. They’re real world examples collected from practical experience with students at all grade levels. What better way to learn about this valuable suite of tools than to absorb the insight of professionals who are in the trenches teaching every day – just like you. So here we go. We’ll start from the beginning – grade school level – and move on up through college.
Enjoy the journey!
Contents
It’s elementary ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3 Right down the middle ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 Secondary to none …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 6 Masters of the university………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 8 Technically speaking……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….… 9 10 keys to a successful launch …….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….11 We need Google Apps because… ……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….…13 Our panel…….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……….……… 14
“I believe Google Apps is a studentcentered tool and can help shift a classroom toward a more studentcentered environment.”
It’s elementary
As the Director of Innovation and Technology at the Meadowbrook School in Weston, MA, Jonathan Schmid works with students and teachers in grades K-8. Jonathan has made Google Apps an essential component of his classes and as a result, it has fundamentally transformed the way he teaches. Here are some of examples of the way Jonathan is using Google Apps: • During a science project, students used GPS devices to map trees across the school campus. They then used Sheets and Maps to chart the hundreds of points they collected. Using some creative methods, they completed the project by printing a six-foot tall high-resolution map. Using Sites, students created a tech support site with questions and answers related to common issues. Students volunteered to keep content updated, so when a question comes in, they simply send a URL that leads to an explanation and quick resolution of the problem. Jonathan Schmid
Director of Innovation and Technology Meadowbrook School, Weston, MA
•
4
GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
• • •
Students love using Forms to create surveys for various projects. With Google Apps simplifying the logistical issues, the students can instead focus on analyzing the data thoroughly. Mail and Drive are used almost constantly to collaborate with teachers, students, and administrators when creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Drive is used extensively to allow for continuous collaboration on writing assignments. Teachers offer feedback frequently and students enjoy the benefit of having all their work available from anywhere.
Adopt an organizational structure that works best for students and classes in Drive. Setting up such a structure with a script like Doctopus or a tool like Teacher Dashboard can save headaches later.
Suggested plug-ins and add-ons:
Teacher Dashboard, Backupify, Doctopus, and Schoology
JONATHAN’S TOP TIPS:
1. Start small – You don’t need to learn it all in one day! 2. Focus on collaboration – The share button is the killer feature. Use it.
3. Don’t be so concerned with the technical details. Approach Google Apps as a way to empower students.
5
GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
“Google Apps is a wonderful free resource for educators to create engaging lessons, activities, and assessments.”
Right down the middle
Jermaine Newman has taught Math at both the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School in Dorchester, MA and the Putnam Ave Upper School in Cambridge, MA. He first incorporated Google Apps into his classrooms in 2007. “Google Apps is a wonderful free resource for educators to create engaging lessons, activities, and assessments,” says Jermaine. Here are some ways that Jermaine incorporated Google Apps in his classes: • Students used Maps to understand and create measured footprints of their Boston neighborhood’s wireless network. Their work was featured in this article on Technology in the Classroom on Boston.com. Students used Sites to create a classroom website displaying information on classwork, including homework assignments, tutorial videos, trivia questions, and Student of the Month awards. Jermaine Newman
Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School, Dorchester, MA and the Putnam Ave Upper School, Cambridge, MA
•
6
GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
• •
Sites and Draw enabled students to create individual portfolio websites that travel with them throughout their middle school years. Forms provided a mechanism for testing and timely feedback to students and parents. A multiple-choice test was posted online and once a student was finished, the test would be graded immediately. Answers were highlighted (green for correct and yellow for incorrect). This allowed for a quick visual check to see which students needed additional support and the relative understanding of the class on various questions. Using tutorial videos has been enormously valuable to students. Gchat is a great tool for communication between teachers and with parents.
• •
Jermaine suggests working to get all students up to speed on the technology as quickly as possible. “As a math teacher the most difficult part is moving students away from the ability to write problems down on paper and demonstrate their work,” Jermaine said. “It took some time in the beginning to get students to an equal level of technological understanding as some students worked with technology more often than others.”
JERMAINE’S TOP TIPS:
1. Start at a comfortable pace for you and students. Begin with one or two apps and see how fast students understand their use. 2. At the end of each quarter/trimester give yourself a self-assessment. How often have I used the tools? What strengths did I bring? What challenges do I still have?
3. Utilize your students for support. Students are eager to help when it comes to technology. Find ways to incorporate the class into the daily technology activities.
7
GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
Christopher Godfrey has taught Math/Science to middle school students in the Boston and Cambridge Public School systems. He’s been using Google Apps in the classroom since 2011. “I think Google Apps provides users with the awesome opportunity of collaboration via the web,” Christopher says. “Collaboration ranges from colleague to colleague, teacher to student, you name it. I’ve used it to bring creative minds together in and outside of work.” Some examples of how Christopher has used Google Apps are: • For Science Fair projects, students were encouraged to create blogs using Blogger and Drive to document their thoughts and respond to other students’ ideas. Students used Docs to enable teacher feedback inside and outside of class time. Sites was employed to create a showcase for student findings in group projects.
“I think Google Apps provides users with the awesome opportunity of collaboration via the web.”
• •
Suggested plug-ins and add-ons:
RealTimeBoard, Google Keep, BuzzMath Christopher Godfrey
CHRISTOPHER’S TOP TIPS:
1. Spend time experimenting! 2. Find an app. There are thousands of apps out there. One or more are bound to be useful for any subject matter.
Boston and Cambridge Public Schools
3. Never stop learning. I think you end up in a bad place if as an educator you arrive at a mindset that you are all set.
8
GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
“I couldn’t live without Google Docs. It’s a powerful collaboration tool.”
Secondary to none
Vicki Davis – the Cool Cat Teacher – teaches at the Westwood Schools in Camilla, Georgia and is author of Reinventing Writing and co-author of Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds. She’s a Google Certified Teacher and was named by Mashable as one of the “10 Teacher Rockstars on Twitter.” She teaches in grades 8, 9, and 10 and also works with college level students. Vicki’s suggested uses for Google Apps include: • For collaborative projects or presentations, students are required to use Docs to create, share, and use a document in less than three minutes. Also in Docs, students must use headers and create a table of contents to ease navigation. The document should remain nearly finished at all times by using the comments feature. Students are encouraged to use the resolve button to ask questions. Students use Live Chat when they are working from home. Sometimes if they’re sick, they may actually choose to get into the document and catch up. Vicki Davis
Westwood Schools, Camilla, GA
•
•
9
GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
• •
Presentations are used for group presentations, but students plan them first in Docs. Students convert and move files around to one another through Drive and then are able to access them on their mobile devices. They are encouraged to get comfortable editing documents anywhere, any time, from any platform and device. Folders help to organize students. Everything goes in the folder and students are taught to use them. Forms can be an important part of the guest log-on for the Wi-Fi network to keep track of who is on campus. Use Calendar to link with a task management program. It can be used to easily plan and confirm meetings and appointments. Synchronize usernames and passwords between the school server and the logins for Google Apps using LDAP. This is a real time saver. Set up students with a YouTube channel. They no longer have to set up a separate account but will be able to simply log in through Google Apps.
• • • • •
Suggested plug-ins and add-ons:
Aviary for editing photos, Nozbe Task Manager, Voice Comments
VICKI’S TOP TIPS:
1. For group projects and online presentations use Google Docs as your go-to app for simultaneous planning and communicating.
2. Have someone help you set up folders for each class and share with your students. Learn how to add docs in the folder
3. When you need to share links in your presentation or on handouts, use this two-fold trick. Use a link-shortener like goo.gl to make a short link and edit the link to make it easy to remember. Then, turn it into a QR code by clicking “details.” You can then copy the QR code and also copy the link. This allows students to snap a picture with their phone or type it in easily to get to the document.
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
As a former Physics teacher for grades 11-12 and now CIO of the Bridgeport Public School System, David Andrade, MSed, has a unique perspective on Google Apps. He has not only been involved with the technical operation of the app, but has also used it in his teaching. “Google Apps is one of my favorite resources for myself, other teachers, and students,” David says. “I use it constantly. There are tons of features and functions that make using it extremely useful and effective as an educational tool.” David suggests using Google Apps in the following ways: • • Use Drive as a replacement for Microsoft Office to store and access files. Use Google+ to connect with students and other educators.
“Google Apps is one of my favorite resources for myself, other teachers, and students.”
Suggested plug-ins and add-ons:
DAVID’S TOP TIPS:
Chrome browser plugins, Goo.gl URL shortener, Evernote Clipper
David Andrade, MSed
DAVID’S TOP TIPS
1. Use the training materials.
2. Explore the apps and try things out.
3. Connect with other Google Apps educators on Google+.
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
“Google Apps provides a new opportunity to interact with students in ways that were before impossible.”
Masters of the university
Alice Keeler, a Google Certified Teacher, has taught at both the college and high school level. She is an Educational Technology Specialist and a teacher on Special Assignment at the Academy for Civic and Entrepreneurial Leadership (ACEL) in Fresno, CA. She is also a member of the Adjunct Faculty at California State University, Fresno College and a doctoral student at Boise State for EdTech. “Breaking down walls of communication and collaboration using Google Apps helps students to succeed” says Alice. Here are some thoughts from Alice on the use of Google Apps in the classroom: • A frequently unused application is Draw. It may seem like an extremely basic version of Paint, but you can actually do some quite amazing things with it. Throw in the ability to be collaborative and publish your work and the sky is the limit for the number of creative things you can do with Draw.
Alice Keeler
California State University
• You can be surprisingly creative with Spreadsheets. For class discussions, set up a spreadsheet as “anyone can edit” to
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
allow students to input their brainstorms or ideas in real time with other students. Each student can have their own cell or tab so they are not stepping on each other’s toes. Use this for fueling and organizing ideas. Use the “grabby hand” to drag the ideas around to organize them into common groups. • Use Forms and Scripts to give students individual feedback. Ask students to fill out a signin sheet and offer “comments, questions, concerns or compliments.” You can then make individual responses to each student through a mail merge that not only includes a personal note, but also creates a newsletter of reminders, links, resources and FAQ’s that were brought up by other students in the comment box. Create community among students using Google+. Embed Docs into other tools by publishing the document. That is super handy.
• •
Suggested plug-ins and add-ons:
Autocrat
ALICE’S TOP TIPS:
1. Don’t be afraid to push the buttons; you won’t break it!
2. Don’t be concerned if you don’t know something. It can be extremely beneficial when a student can help you. There’s value in being part of a classroom of learners rather than all the students learning from you. 3. Stop using Microsoft Office. You will be unhappy if you straddle the fence.
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
“The real advantages of Google Apps are seen when it’s used by people who wouldn’t normally use technology in the classroom.”
Technically speaking
For a slightly different perspective, there is Karl Rivers, Network Manager for Biddenham International School in England and founder of ClassThink.com. Karl works with teachers of students from ages 2 to 18. “Some of our most surprising outcomes have been from teachers who were initially reluctant but came to see the huge advantages that Google Apps provides.” says Karl. Karl offers the following insight into the use of Google Apps: • Google Apps has really allowed for wider collaboration between students and teachers. It provides a seamless transition between primary and secondary schools. Two or more classes can now be tied together to allow collaboration across classes, years, or even schools. Drive provides a seamless environment between home and school that doesn’t require the purchase of expensive office software. For many students having to buy software often creates a hurdle to accessing great technology. Also, Karl Rivers
Network Manager Biddenham International School, England
•
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
because Drive is available for most popular operating systems, it doesn’t matter if the student has an Android phone, an iPad, a desktop, laptop, or Chromebook. They can access and create documents with all of them. • Because of Drive, students now understand and are comfortable with web apps in a way that even some teachers are not. Drive makes much more sense to students than accessing a Windows mapped drive or using Remote Desktop. Sites has become an essential tool for both teachers and IT staff as a repository for technical information and teaching resources. It’s also a tool for teachers to share information with their class and as a communication platform. It’s important to know that although normally safe with Google, data can be backed up outside of Google just in case the unthinkable happens. Services like Backupify provide that type of reassurance. Collaboration and sharing are key benefits of Google Apps. Whether it’s a spreadsheet for a class to enter data, or allowing students to book parent’s evening slots on a Calendar, there’s no platform which currently provides such a comprehensive suite of collaboration tools at no cost to schools.
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•
•
Suggested plug-ins and add-ons:
Backupify
KARL’S TOP TIPS:
1. Start with a small selection of apps and expand as usage grows.
2. Set up a “home base” with Sites and allow departments to setup their own Sites to share student work and best practice. 3. Train and explain. Never assume that everyone “gets” Google Apps.
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
Final thoughts...
After hearing from these experienced teachers who use Google Apps in the real world every day it’s clear that this interactive suite of tools can help you transform your classroom in exciting ways. As we’ve said before, you’re working with a generation of Digital Natives. They grew up in the world of video games, smartphones, on-line chat, and technology that never seems to stop evolving. They are comfortable in that world. Providing them with a toolset that is compatible with that environment gives you a fighting chance if you hope to pass on the lessons they need to succeed in their dynamic future. And as for tips, here are three big ones from our experts when it comes to Google Apps for Education:
Explore, experiment, and enjoy!
10 keys to a successful launch
Experience is the best teacher. So experience from teachers must be even better. With that in mind, we’ve asked our panel of experts for their keys to a successful launch of Google Apps in your school. Here is their top ten: 1. Preparation, planning and testing. Start with a small group and expand from there. You know the answer to the question: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. It’s also the best way to launch Google Apps. As you take each bite, regroup, test, review, and move on to the next stage. 2. A GOOD ATTITUDE! Most people hate change and teachers are no different. Get them excited. Provide examples of how it can make their work easier. Getting the entire staff on board with a willingness to try something different will go a long way toward making your implementation a success. 3. Good classroom management. PLAN the structure and organization before you hand it out to the students. Students are very perceptive and stumbling out of the gate can derail your program. 4. Get buy-in. Take a pragmatic, balanced approach. Do your research, and make sure all stakeholders are involved in the decision making process. Get everyone involved
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
5. Set up Support Groups. Throughout the process make sure teachers have opportunities to reflect and share best practices as well as have a support system that can help before and during class instruction. 6. Synchronize user ids and passwords with what you’re already doing. Make sure that your security requirements match Google’s current password requirements or you may have problems. Also make sure that you use the given name for students and teachers or they may not know how to email. 7. It takes a village (or the entire school community at least). Any successful implementation of new technology at schools involves students, teachers, parents, administrators, and IT staff. Use students as trainers and help teachers set up folders. 8. Set up Google Groups. They are extremely useful. For example let teachers@yourdomainname go to all teachers and admin@yourdomainname go to all administrators etc. It streamlines communications. 9. Address data protection. Know the kind of data you’re storing in Google Apps and make sure critical information is protected. Work closely with your technical staff to make sure you have an additional backup solution in place. 10. Train, train, train. And not the choo choo kind. Change can be scary, but the more knowledge and training offered in advance, the fewer issues you’ll encounter. Consider appointing Super Users among students and teachers, so there is someone nearby to help when there’s an issue. Everyone will feel more comfortable that way, and you’ll save your IT staff some of the load. Be aware that each situation is different. Just like snowflakes, no two implementations of Google Apps are alike. Students, teachers, administrators, and technologists all have to be flexible and open minded to reach the best possible outcome.
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
We need Google Apps because…
Many of you are still trying to convince your school administrators to implement Google Apps. You’ve been singing the praises of this transformative technology, but your arguments have fallen flat. To help in your struggle, we’re providing you with the “fill in the blank” answer to the question you’re no doubt tired of hearing: Why do we need Google Apps? Here is a list of “ready to use” responses from our experts.
We need Google Apps because…
…it’s a powerful teaching tool, easy to use, doesn’t add to network or IT support in a noticeable way. And it’s FREE. …it allows teachers to give each student meaningful feedback. Also it’s FREE. …it gives teachers and students new and innovative tools in the classroom and can free up the time technical staff spends managing email servers, monitoring data storage, researching and providing further technology tools for teaching. … it will make what we’re currently doing successfully even better. …every school needs a way to have cloud document editing capabilities. It simply can’t be an option to do nothing. …it integrates well with most mobile phones via Gmail and Google Calendar to make communication simpler. …it has enormous benefits for students and their learning. After all isn’t that why we’re all here? …it’s FREE
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
Our all-star panel
David Andrade, MSed, CIO, Bridgeport Public Schools. Former AP Physics and Physics teacher. Paramedic and EMS-Instructor. Author of The Educational Technology Blog. Vicki Davis teaches at the Westwood Schools, in Camilla, Georgia and is author of Reinventing Writing and co-author of Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds. She’s a Google Certified Teacher and was named by Mashable as one of the “10 Teacher Rockstars on Twitter.” Author of The Cool Cat Teacher Blog. Christopher Godfrey is a former Middle School math and science teacher for the Boston Public Schools and a father of four. He now serves in the Cambridge Public School system. Alice Keeler, Educational Technology Specialist, Teacher on Special Assignment, ACEL Fresno Charter High School. Doctoral student at Boise State for EdTech. Google Certified Teacher and author of Teacher Tech Blog. D. Jermaine Newman is an innovative educational professional with more than 15 years of diverse classroom and administrative experience. An educator, department chair, and Academy leader, Jermaine also helped develop and implement a $1 million program to integrate technology into curriculum and staff development for the Boston and Cambridge Public Schools. Karl Rivers, Network Manager for Biddenham International School in Biddenham Turn, UK has been working with technology in education for over a decade. Karl founded ClassThink.com to provide a hub to share best practices and technical information with others in the educational field. Jonathan Schmid is the Director of Innovation & Technology at The Meadowbrook School of Weston, MA. He has worked at schools in the United States and Europe, presents at regional and national conferences, and leads professional development workshops. He has a Masters in Instructional Technology, is a Google Certified Trainer, and author of the Tech Savvy Teachers blog.
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers
