Chapter 4 – Google
You are familiar with Google, but you may not be familiar with all of the applications that Google provides. Google is far more than a web search tool as it provides a variety of web-based applications and resources for teachers. Google’s innovative tools are web-based (or in the cloud). The majority of their tools require an Internet connection to run as the data is stored online and not linked to your computer. Instead, you can access the data or application from any device that has a mobile connection.
One example of this is Google Drive. Google Drive allows you to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more using the Google applications. The Google Drive applications have a similar user-interface to that of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint and can even import/export to and from the equivalent MS products. Further, Google Drive allows you to share and collaborate your documents with others via the Internet.
Google for education
To provide educators with resources for the various Google applications, Google has created the Teacher Center as a resource. In this module, you will explore two of the modules which will expose you to a variety of the different applications available from Google.
Google has spent several years developing an extensive Teacher Center . This training center provides free units (lessons) on using technology in the classroom and more specifically, the Google-based Apps. There are different levels of training and for each, you have the opportunity to take a final exam and become a Google Certified Educator. The following video provides an overview of the Google for Education tools:
The following video shows you how to get started with Google Classroom:
Google workspace
Originally launched in 2006 as Google Apps, it was rebranded in 2016 to the G Suite, and most recently rebranded as Google Workspace. It is a collection of cloud computing, productivity and collaboration tools, software, and products developed and marketed by Google. Google Workspace is a paid service. It uses the same apps as Google, however the paid plans provide more options, such as larger storage.
Google Workspace for Education includes tools for collaboration and communication, such as Classroom, Docs, and Sheets, Slides, Google Meet, Gmail and Chat. The Google Workspace Marketplace has a multitue of compatible apps available that can be added on to the Google tools. Extensions are another feature of Google. Extensions are software programs, built on web technologies (such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript) that enable users to customize the Chrome browsing experience (Extensions, n.d.).
- Google Workspace Marketplace
- Take a look at this list of applications and extensions compiled by students at Fort Hays State University; find something to try in your classroom.
Extensions
Add-ons
- Slido (Slides)
- Math Type (Docs and Slides)
- Easy Accents (Docs)
- Easy Accents (Slides)
- Pear Deck (Slides)
- AutoMagical Forms (Drive, Docs, Slides, and Gmail)
- Add a Date (Slides)
- Nearpod (Slides and Drive)
- Music Snippet (for Docs and Slides)
- Fun Text (Docs)
- EasyBib (Docs)
- Word Cloud Generator (Docs)
- Word Cloud Generator (Sheets, Docs, Forms, and Slides)
- Watch this video of 11 Tech Tools Google Teacher NEED to Be Using.
Exercise
- Create a Google Doc, Slide, or Sheet and share it with someone. Did you collaborate on the document?
Assignments
- Complete the following assignments and post them to the Discussion Board:
- Go to Google Fundamentals Training site. Scroll down to “For Educators” and “Start Basics Training.” You may need to sign in with a Google account to access the training (use your FHSU Gmail account – the one that ends with @mail.fhsu.edu).
- Start with the trainings under Google Workspace for Education Introduction.
- End after the lessons under Measure Student Progress (these lessons include using Google Forms).
- Take a look at the blog post from Sake Up Learning: “30 Ways to Use Google Forms in the Classroom“
Create a Google Form and Share the link to the Discussion Board.
Follow the Share instructions reviewed in class to ensure the link is shared correctly.
Bibliography
Extensions. (n.d.). Chrome Developers. Retrieved January 11, 2022, from https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/
