google apps for education tips for teachers by teachers

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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION Tips for teachers by teachers

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Page 1: Google Apps for Education Tips for Teachers by Teachers

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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION

Tips forteachers by

teachers

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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!

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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

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  4 GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers

It’s elementaryAs 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 SchmidDirector of Innovation and Technology

Meadowbrook School, Weston, MA

“I believeGoogle Appsis a student-centeredtool and canhelp shift aclassroomtoward amore student-centeredenvironment.”

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  5 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 GoogleApps as a way to empower students.

 

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  6 GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers

Right down the middleJermaine 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 theClassroom 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 NewmanLilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School,

Dorchester, MA and the Putnam Ave

Upper School, Cambridge, MA

“Google Appsis a wonderful

free resourcefor educatorsto createengaginglessons,activities, andassessments.”

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  7 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 studentsneeded 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 seehow fast students understand their use.

2. At the end of each quarter/trimester giveyourself a self-assessment. How often have Iused 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 thedaily technology activities.

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  8 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. “Collaborationranges 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.

Suggested plug-ins and add-ons:RealTimeBoard, Google Keep, BuzzMath

Christopher Godfrey 

Boston and Cambridge Public Schools

“I think GoogleApps providesusers with

the awesomeopportunity ofcollaborationvia the web.”

CHRISTOPHER’S TOP TIPS:1. Spend time experimenting!2. Find an app. There are thousands

of apps out there. One or more arebound to be useful for any subjectmatter.

3. Never stop learning. I think you endup in a bad place if as an educatoryou arrive at a mindset that you areall set.

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  9 GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers

Secondary to noneVicki 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 remainnearly 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 DavisWestwood Schools, Camilla, GA

“I couldn’tlive withoutGoogle Docs.

It’s a powerfulcollaborationtool.”

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  10 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 andcommunicating.

2. Have someone help you set up folders for each class andshare with your students. Learn how to add docs in thefolder

3. When you need to share links in your presentation or on

handouts, use this two-fold trick. Use a link-shortener likegoo.gl to make a short link and edit the link to make iteasy to remember. Then, turn it into a QR code by clicking“details.” You can then copy the QR code and also copy thelink. This allows students to snap a picture with their phoneor type it in easily to get to the document.

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  11 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.

Suggested plug-ins and add-ons: Chrome browser plugins, Goo.gl URL shortener, Evernote Clipper 

DAVID’S TOP TIPS:

DAVID’S TOP TIPS1. Use the training materials.2. Explore the apps and try things

out.3. Connect with other Google Apps

educators on Google+.

David Andrade, MSed

“Google Appsis one ofmy favoriteresources formyself, otherteachers, andstudents.”

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  12 GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers

Masters of the universityAlice 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. 

• You can be surprisingly creative with Spreadsheets. For class

discussions, set up a spreadsheet as “anyone can edit” to

Alice Keeler 

California State University

“Google Appsprovides a newopportunityto interact

with studentsin ways thatwere beforeimpossible.”

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  13 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 sign-

in sheet and offer “comments, questions, concerns or compliments.” You can then makeindividual 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 benecial whena student can help you. There’s value in beingpart of a classroom of learners rather than allthe students learning from you.

3. Stop using Microsoft Ofce. You will beunhappy if you straddle the fence.

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  14 GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers

Technically speakingFor 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 RiversNetwork Manager

Biddenham International School,

England

“The realadvantagesof GoogleApps are seen

when it’s usedby peoplewho wouldn’tnormally usetechnology inthe classroom.”

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  15 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’sno 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 toshare student work and best practice.

3. Train and explain. Never assume that

everyone “gets” Google Apps.

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  16 GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION: Tips for teachers by teachers

 

10 keys to a successful launchExperience 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

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!

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  17 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 maynot 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 surecritical 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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  18 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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19 GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION Ti f h b h

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 theCambridge 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 helpeddevelop 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.