Google Apps

Google Apps!

Over 20 million students use Google Apps for educate purposes. Can you believe that?! This is a 100& increase in the past 2 years.

What is Google Apps?

     Google Apps can be used by students and teachers as a means to enhance the quality of education. Google Apps are made possible by cloud computing, which acts like a "cloud" to store any information you choose. This "cloud" makes it possible for you to access applications, files, data, etc, from any device with an internet connection. 

     Google Apps is a type of productivity application, which helps you get things done! The tools available on Google are a lot like the software tools you might already have available on your computer, such as Presentation, Word Processing, and Spreadsheets. Google productivity apps include calendars, SketchUp (which allows you to create 3-D models), Google Reader (which combines all your favorite websites, newspapers, and journals into a constantly updated stream), forms and polls, and you can even create and publish websites (Schrum & Levin, 2010). 

     Below only some of the Apps that can be used in education. A full list can be found by clicking here.

How is Google Apps beneficial for education?

     There are many benefits of integrating Google Apps into education. First of all, they are all FREE! Using Google Apps can save districts boatloads of money that they would have spent on other technology software (Schrum & Levin, 2010). Students enjoy using Google and will be motivated and engaged by its integration (Tech Learning Intern, 2010). Google also offers many lesson plans for teachers (Tech Learning Intern, 2010).

     Read below to find out how a few specific Apps can benefit education.

Google Docs

• Created in classrooms and worked on at home
• Can provide instant feedback to students (Module seven, n.d.)
• Creates an open line of communication between student and teacher (Module seven, n.d.)
• Allows students and teachers to work collaboratively on documents (Module seven, n.d.)
• Edits able to be viewed in real-time (Module seven, n.d.).
• Can be used without little to no support needed (Tech Learning Intern, 2010).
• A final, most recent form is always available for editing (Schrum & Levin, 2010).
• Includes a high level of privacy- users can determine who can see and edit posts (Schrum & Levin, 2010).

Blogger

• Helps educators further their Personal Learning Communities by finding and following other educational blogs (Module seven, n.d.)
• Includes a high level of privacy- users can determine who can see and edit posts (Schrum & Levin, 2010).
• Can be used without little to no support needed (Tech Learning Intern, 2010).
• Can post blogs to communicate with parents and students outside of the classroom (Tech Learning Intern, 2010).

GoogleWave 

• Can be used for collaborative note taking (Tech Learning Intern, 2010).

Slides

• Allows students to create a presentation at school and edit it at home
• Is easy to use
• Real-time collaboration provides instant feedback from teachers (Module seven, n.d.).

Forms

• Provide a quick formative assessment of student understanding (Module seven, n.d.).
• Surveys can gather important teacher information or input from parents (Module seven, n.d.).

Other apps

• Allow you to communicate, view maps from all over the world, read books and literature, search for images, and even plan parent-teacher conferences! (Tech Learning Intern, 2010).

My own use with Google Apps

     I use Google Apps on a daily basis, and am not sure how I would manage without it! My co-teacher and I use Google docs when we type and edit student work so that we always have a current version available. We also use Google Spreadsheet to keep track of our grade books. 

    In the past, I have used Google Sites to create a Webquest, which you can visit by clicking here! I found that Google Sites was very easy and straightforward to use. I have also created a few blogs using Blogger to document my professional growth over the past few years, beginning in my student teaching. Our class has used Blogger to reflect on and collaborate with our classmates. I have found that reading my classmates' blogs has opened my eyes and helped me view things in ways that I otherwise would not have thought of. It is also nice to read the comments that my classmates leave on my posts and respond to their thoughts and questions. 
     I used Google Forms to create a survey, which I had my 3rd-grade teacher friend take for me. She found that the survey was extremely easy to use. It was a quick, effective way for me to gain information in an organized manner, and I would definite recommend using Google Forms to anyone who needs information from one person or a thousand people.

     Overall, Google Apps can have a profound significant impact on education when integrated into the classroom. Teachers should take the time to build PLC's, connect with each other, and learn how to use the tools available in order to enhance education. 

Resources:

Module seven: Productivity applications: Google apps (n.d.). Retrieved May 13, 2014 from bb.snhu.edu

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2010). Web 2.0 how to for educators. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.

Tech Learning Intern (2010). "Tech Learning TL Advisor Blog and Ed Tech Ticker Blogs from TL Blog Staff." 100 Ways Google Can Make You A Better Educator. Tech & Learning, Web. 13 May 2014. <http://www.techlearning.com/default.aspx?tabid=67&entryid=15>.

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2010). Web 2.0 how to for educators. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.