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Google Classroom White Paper

Katara N. Desai

[email protected]

November 2, 2014

“This white paper was written as an assignment for Dr. Marshall G. Jones EDUC 651 class at Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC. All rights reserved by the author. Permission is granted to use this white paper provided the user notifies the author in writing prior to use. “

Google Classroom Desai 2

What is Google Classroom?

Google Classroom is an application created by Google as a part of the Google Apps for Education (GAFE). The application’s design works easily with the other pieces of GAFE, such as Google Docs, Google Drive, and Google Forms. The program is available through Google Apps for Educators and can be accessed at https://classroom. google.com. You can also reach the application through a simple web search for “Google Classroom”. Teachers can create multiple classrooms under one username, and students can belong to multiple classrooms under their username. Google Classroom allows teachers to set a theme for each classroom with photos and color schemes, attach videos, files, and photos, create digital conversations, send emails, share exemplars, and provide a place for students to collaborate virtually. Teachers can also track student progress on assignments that are organized in a folder designated for each assignment created. It allows students to store work, create electronic portfolios, access their grades, collaborate with teacher and other students and access other links for learning from any device with an Internet connection, including mobile devices.

Google classroom began piloting programs in fall of 2013 and has launched the application globally in fall of 2014. It is currently available in 42 languages, including those with a right to left structure such as Arabic. It is an ad free program that does not collect data on usage for advertising purposes. Cost

Google classroom is free for educational organizations that use Google Apps for Education, but is available only as part of the Google Apps for Education package. The move into Google Apps for Education must be made on a district level to use all the features of the program. System Requirements

• Internet Access: updated versions of Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, or Safari

Overview of Google Classroom

Google Classroom is a web based learning management system with the goal of simplifying creating, managing and grading assignments. It allows students to store work, create electronic portfolios, access their grades, collaborate with teachers and other students and access other links for learning. Teachers can use the program to access assignments, grade student work, create assignments, and set up learning experience from any device and location with internet access.


How to use Google Classroom

The use of Google Classroom is evolving as the application grows and adds new features. The links listed in the table provide good information on several of the uses of Google Classroom.

Website What is offered http://tiny.cc/gtlspx

This website provides a very clear, basic screencast of getting started with Google Classroom. The screencast demonstrates how to log in, how to add students in two ways, how to customize you classroom and more. It also provides additional links for other features of Google Classroom.

http://tiny.cc/8tlspx

Edudemic provides a clear, narrative description of Google classroom and how it can support education, especially Google users. A helpful feature of this website is the clear bulleted list of the features of Google classroom, with short video clips to screencast the use of each feature.

http://tiny.cc/3vlspx

This 17-minute screencast provides the viewer with a look into both the teacher and the student home screens. The narrator explains how the classes are created by the teacher and accepted by the student. He also explains working in both views along with using attachments, sending links, providing video clips and linking a document from your Google Drive.

http://tiny.cc/4wlspx

This website, produced by Google explains the simplicity of using their own new app, Google Classroom. It lists the primary feature of the program as electronically distributing and collecting assignments. Teachers can provide feedback comment in the documents just as (s) he would with a paper assignment. Students can track assignments that are due in Google Classroom as well as see their grades.

http://tiny.cc/1xlspx

This is a series of blogs giving multiple perspectives on Google Classroom with specifics of how to use each feature.


Google Classroom is an online learning management system that works to streamline the use of Google Apps for Education. Although Google Classroom is new to the field, online learning management systems (LMS) are not new to the field of education. Below are links to teachers and systems who are using LMS, including Google Classroom.

Link What you will find http://tiny.cc/14lspx

This website is written from the perspective of an online teacher who must teach solely through learning management systems. The author explains how a learning management system can help those who struggle to keep things organized, both students and teachers. She also mentions how a learning management system helps a teacher keep track of different assignments for different learners.

http://tiny.cc/d4lspx

This website provides an overview of ways Google Classroom can benefit teachers by allowing less time with managerial paper related tasks and more time in instruction. The amount of time and stress of carrying, sorting, organizing and grading papers is minimized when using Google Classroom. It includes a short video clip from the perspective of several teachers as they have begun to use program.

http://tiny.cc/s3lspx

This link provides a story of a school in New York City who wanted to use more technology to prepare their students for the working world. The school leaders express their fears as well as the effects of using Google classroom.

http://tiny.cc/62lspx

This website provides technical input, but also has lots of good questions and comments from people who are currently using Google Classroom. Reading the article is informative, and the questions and comments from users provide good ideas.

http://tiny.cc/i2lspx

This video clip provides useful “hacks” that a teacher will need to work most successfully within the system.


What Does Google Classroom Look Like? Teacher View Starting a Google Classroom

When teachers logs into classroom.google.com they will be prompted to log in with the user name and password associated with the Google education account. After signing in with the username and password, the teacher will be prompted to select a role (see Figure 3). Once a teacher logs in, she/he will click on the plus (+) button in the upper right hand corner to create a classroom (see Figure 4).

Each Google Class created provides three simple pages, STREAM, STUDENTS,

ABOUT, to manage the virtual classroom. These pages allow the teacher to manage information and users to the classroom (see Figure 5).

Figure 3: Google Classroom Initial Screen

Figure 4: Create a class screen

Figure 5: Classroom Home Screen


The STREAM page allows the teacher to post assignments and announcements as well as track the progress of the student completion on assignments (see Figure 6). This is the page that is most used by the teacher once the class is in session. Teachers can control if students can post comments on the announcements and assignments that are seen by the class.

The STUDENTS page allows teachers to add students to the roster in one of two

ways. She can copy the class code provided and simply email it to students. The teacher can also use the drop down menu at the top left access her contacts. After selecting each contact, click invite students and they will receive an email invitation at the listed email (see Figures 7 and 8).

Figure 6: View of Stream Page


The ABOUT heading is a place to add details to the class that will remain

constant throughout the course, such as the syllabus and course schedule (Figure 9). Add Google Drive folders, embedded YouTube video, and insert links to other sites that are relevant to the entire course.

Figure 8: Inviting Students Figure 7: Class Code to Email


Student view

When a student logs in, they will see the same initial screen as the teacher. Once a student selects his role as student, he will join rather than create a class by clicking the plus (+) button. If the student was invited via email, the link in his email will take him to the correct Google Classroom. Once the students have entered the classroom, the view looks very similar to the teacher’s view. They able to access the assignments, announcements, attached files and embedded links, based on the teacher created settings. Students can comment on the assignments posted, and access the Google Drive files to complete the assignments. Groups of students can have virtual conversations, collaborate in the same file and easily share documents. Similar to the three pages the teacher uses to manage the classroom, the student also has three pages: STREAM, CLASSMATES, and ABOUT (See Figure 10).

Figure 9: Adding details in the about tab.


How does Google Classroom help?

Classically, teachers have multiple bags full of books to read, papers to grade, papers to return, assignments to create, lists of students who have and have not completed their work, names of parents to contact and more. Teaching is a profession that has historically required a lot of “stuff”. Google classroom provides a central place to store create, store and share assignments with students. Using the technology reduces the amount of time teachers spend copying and sorting copies for different groups of students. Teachers can allow students the flexibility to complete assignments using a variety of programs and still submit them in the same location. Virtual discussions allow students the opportunity to share their ideas when they may not be willing to share verbally. Teachers can also easily keep track of who has completed assignments and contact them as needed. Teachers can also create different groups of students who are working on different assignments, matching the assignment to the current performance level of the student. This provides more targeted and individualized instruction with a level of confidentiality. Students rely on their technological devices for so much, and using Google Classroom is a way to link their technology to their learning. Because Google Classroom can be used on practically all devices with an internet connection, students can complete assignments and readings from smartphones, school computers, home computers, at the library, on iPods, iPads, Nooks and other tablets. The versatility and ease of Google makes the Google Classroom simple for students to use anywhere.

Figure 10: Student view


National Educational Technology Standards–Teachers NETS Standard Google Classroom NETS 1: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.

b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources

d. Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments

--Teacher sets up learning experiences and assignments that require collaboration through virtual discussions. --Teachers can post links to blogs, videos and websites that encourage students to think beyond their own classroom environment to solve real-world problems.

NETS 2: Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS.

b) Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress

c) Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources

--Teachers will set assignments with due dates that student progress toward as individuals, monitoring their own progress. --Teachers tailor assignments to students learning needs and post material accordingly.

NETS 3: Model digital age work and learning. a) Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations b) Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation c) Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats

--Teachers will use Google Classroom to share information through different types of technology with students (i.e. Google Docs, YouTube, Screencasts) --Teachers can create assignments that require collaboration working within the same document using multiple web based tools


National Educational Technology Standards—Students Standard Google Classroom NETS 2: Communication and Collaboration Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others a) interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environment and media d) Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems

--Students will be able to work both in a physical classroom space and a virtual classroom space on one assignment using digital tools and multimedia experiences

NETS 5: Digital Citizenship Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. b) Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning and productivity d) Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship

--As students have more experience using technology for learning and work, they will become leaders in the digital

NETS 6: Technology operations and concepts a) Understand and use technology systems b) Select and use applications effectively and productively

--As students create products in the Google Classroom they will become more aware of the different technology systems used. They will then be able to select and use the appropriate applications for the task.

Environmental Factors for Success with Google Classroom

To use Google Classroom, students must have access to working technology. This can be through school-based machines or through a program where students are encourage to bring computers or tablets to school. Because Google Classroom is a web-based system, a strong Internet connection is necessary for success. Students would benefit from having headsets with microphones for listening to videos and creating their own recordings.


Benefits and Drawbacks of Google Classroom Benefits

• Flexibility in completing tasks related to the assignments o Students work in an order that makes sense to them

• Organization of materials o All materials for an assignment can be stored in one place so students

and teachers have easy access • Collaboration through comments and discussion • Feedback on student work can be immediate and private • Using less paper is good for the environment • Availability of resources

o No textbooks needed o No worksheets to copy

Drawbacks • Students with limited access to technology will have a difficult time using this

program • Teacher must be technologically sound and comfortable with student producing a

variety of work • Participants may lose some face to face interaction which is important for

learning

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