Top 10 Reasons for using Google Apps for Education

 

I am a Google enthusiast. I use Gmail, Google calendars for personal and project calendars and schedules, and I use Google Analytics to analyze the data from my many project websites. So I might be a bit biased. Google is changing the way we teach and learn. They are set to take over the world, one classroom at a time.

The Google App's for Education platform is excellent for facilitating online collaboration in the classroom. Chat features in the Presentations app allow for experts to collaborate directly with students on their work providing a "permeable classroom". Anyone familiar with the Microsoft suite of word processing, spreadsheets and presentation products will be able to use the Google Apps with extreme ease. Schools can register with Google to host their email communications for FREE. Free is the best price, if you ask my opinion. I see more and more schools moving to become "a Google school" and many educators, like myself, are taking the steps to become Google certified educators.   So here are my top 10 reasons to use Google Apps for Education.

1.  Unlimited Storage

Google Apps allow for unlimited storage. This means, no more servers to manage. YAY!

2. Documents automatically save!

I can not tell you how many times I have been working on a document on my computer and the power goes out or my computer decides it needs a restart only to discover I haven't saved in over an hour and all the work I have completed has disappeared. Using Google Apps, your work is automatically saved as soon as you start typing.

3. Live-time Sharing and Collaborating on all Documents

Students, teachers and experts can all collaborate in live time or asynchronously. All of Google Apps allow for multiple sharing options such as a link to it you can share with other people or an embed code where you can stick it on a website.

In my current graduate class we collaborated on a presentation and created surveys using Google Presentation and Google Forms. Classmates in several classes were able to collaborate simultaneously and asynchronously on the presentation allowing for ease of collaboration. Through the Google Forms we were able to easily share our surveys with each other. One of the bonuses to Google Forms is how the data collected is presented. Users have a choice to displaying the data via graph or pictochart, spreadsheet or analyze it using Flubaroo an add on to Google Apps.

I shared my Forensics survey with not only my classmates but also to my Facebook friends to increase the number of responses. Interestingly, CSI is the favorite of the crime TV shows but the favorite crime solving team is NCIS's Gibbs, Tony, Ziva, McGee and Abby.

Looking at short response question, such as, "What is the first word that comes to mind when you hear the word "forensics"?",  I can take all the individual  responses and create a Wordcloud to depict the most popular response, which was "science" .

When asked "Forensics scientists are still trying to uncover the details behind the assassinations of Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. Brainstorm the name of another famous crime, murder or murderer where forensics played a role in the solving of the crime. " Eight (8) out of 18 people responded with OJ Simpson, 2 out of 18 with Scott Peterson with Rasputin, The Night Stalker, Sharon Tate, Pam Smart, Kurt Kobain, Steven Avery, Ted Bundy and an "I Can't think of anyone" each with a single response.

 

Finally, when asked what their forensic specialty would be most responded with DNA analysis or fingerprinting analysis.

 These types of surveys can be used to assess students understanding of a topic, assess their anticipatory knowledge through short mini quizzes on a topic. Data can additionally be collected using Google Forms on results of lab reports or class projects and compiled into a spreadsheet which can be further analyzed by students. I particularly like to collect lab results from all the lab groups through a google form which then I share with the students to further analyze the results of our experiments. So many opportunities for additional collaboration as opportunities for students to be working at a higher level.

4. Chrome Apps and Extensions for your Browser

Students can utilize the Google drive extension for Chrome and save documents found online directly to their Google Drive account. This allows you to open Google Drive files directly from your internet browser.

5. Access to your Google Drive and Bookmarks ANYWHERE and on ANY device!

The flexibility of use allows schools to utilized the devices they currently have as well as institute Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs, if applicable,  as opposed to a large capital expenditure to standardize all the schools devices. Additionally, because documents save automatically, a student can work on a document from one device and later work on the same document from a completely different device.

6. Automate your workload

This means more personal time!! Google apps can "eliminate all the tedious and time consuming tasks that take up a lot of instructional time. This extra time can be allocated to learning." (Chatzopolous, 2014, para 3). Educators no longer need to grade stacks of papers by hand, assessments can be completed using Google Forms, class schedules can be shared with groups via Calendars, students can be contacted using Gmail and you can see who is working on what document all from one screen.

7. Easy data collection

Student work can be saved to a Google Drive and easily shared and data can be collected using Forms as indicated above.

 

8. Immediate feedback

Immediate feedback for students can be provided with chats, comments and live document editing. No longer do students need to wait to get their paper or project returned with the red pen remarks all over it. Peer and teacher feedback is instantaneous

9. No software is required

No software is required, all students have access to the same Apps from school, home or Timbuktu. This allows for all students to have equitable access to documents and classroom regardless of their geographic location or which device they have.

10. It's FREE

I don't think this needs any explanation!

References

Chatzopolous, Nikolaos (2014, August 24) 3 Things You Can Do with Google Classroom; Retrieved from Edudemic.com : http://www.edudemic.com/3-different-things-can-google-classroom/



The Pro's and Con's of Social Media in Education

 

The debate over technology use in the classroom is not a new one. We have debated the use of the internet, standardized testing, and the teaching of evolution in the classroom,  to name a few. The social media debate is the newest of those classroom debates. According to a 2013 PEW Research Study, 95% of all teens use the internet and 81% of those teens have a social networking site. (Madden, 2013). Social Media includes the online platforms for Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Linked-in, Blogs, Slideshare, Flickr and other photo sharing sites, wiki’s, podcasts, and You Tube and other video sharing sites.

Social media in schools is a controversial topic. Through using social media in schools teachers have the opportunity to teach digital citizenship, though teaching of responsible online behavior, communication skills and encourage peer interactions. Social media in education can include what is appropriate to share online, how students can control their privacy settings, what they can post can influence their reputation, and what appropriate online interactions are. As students learn ho to interact and communicate online, they also transfer those communication skills into in person interactions. It is important to understand how students are using social media in their personal lives in order to understand how it can impact their education as students. "Social media, blogs and video games are improving education by increasing access to people and information in various forms, including Twitter feeds, blog posts, videos and books. These tools are also increasing people’s ability to share information with networks and contribute their own thoughts." (Pandolfo, 2012).

 

However, social media use also brings distractions of personal accounts and games. Resources are constantly shifting. Additionally, social media can distract from personal interactions and cyberbullying can potentially increase. The Edutopia website provides several resources for using social media in the classroom as well as teaching resources for digital citizenship.

 

Social media helps students learn to collaborate. “Teaching students to collaborate and be team players is just one of the benefits of teaching social media that has been identified.” (Hagler, 2013) Additionally, Hagler states “Students with social media skills will be better prepared to find and get jobs.”. According to DeCoskey (DeCoskey, 2011)“when students are participating in activities online, they’re more likely to be engaged, and achievement rates rise”.

 

While there are many benefits to using social media in the classroom, use of social media use has been linked to cyberbullying and inappropriate relationships. However, Hagler states “Given the possibilities of social media misuse, teachers have the opportunity to discuss the appropriate use of social media. Teachers have the opportunity to guide students in being respectful and courteous to people online as well as in other settings.” (Hagler, 2013)

 

In the classroom, teachers can use social media in several ways. Social media extends the classroom discussion time by bringing the discussion home via social media sites. Blogs can be used to create online science portfolios and work on peer to peer collaboration. Facebook allows educators to connect with other colleague’s students, parents and more. Google Docs can be used to collaborate between group members. Podcasts can be created for recorded lectures and posted to iTunes or other podcasting site.

Using Twitter and the 140 character limit allows students to feel less pressure when answering questions. Twitter in the science classroom, bring in current science news, which is an integral part of science literacy. Additionally, students can follow current scientists and engineers such as Neil deGrasse Tyson, NASA, Nova, Scientific American, Smithsonian, and more. Students can also live tweet with astronauts from the International Space Station. “In addition to teaching the use of Twitter, teachers have the opportunity to teach students a theory which is based on a concept that will be beneficial to them in their future professional lives.” (Hagler, 2013) Using Wiki’s, students will learn the benefit of writing collaboratively. Creating their own You Tube or Vine videos allows students the opportunity to show their creativity and share the science that is happening in their classroom. (Hagler, 2013)

My class Twitter account, allows students to connect with current science developments, connect with each other, respond to questions and receive fun and exciting news in the world of science and engineering that allow students to make real life connections.  Using Twitter in my class increases our student’s science literacy a key learning strategy in the NH K-12 Science Curriculum Framework and the Next Generation Science Standards. While teaching students to use social media, teachers have the opportunity and responsibility to help students develop other workplace skills such as collaboration and creativity while teaching students to responsible and professionally use social media.
 

Justin Marquis developed the following infographic depicting the pros and cons of using social media in education. (Marquis, 2012).

Source: www.onlineuniversities.com







Personally, I feel that with proper instruction and digital citizenship, social media can play a powerful role in education. Through social media, students gain online communication skills and digital literacy skills. Students gain essential 21st century skills necessary for post secondary education and careers. However, the teaching of social media requires diligence on the part of the teacher in order to monitor students use of social media in the school setting. For me, the pros out weigh the cons.

References

DeCoskey, R. (2011). Should Schools be Using Technology. Retrieved from Business 2 Business: www.business2community.com/social-media/should-schools-be-teaching-social-media-051782

Hagler, B. (2013). Value of Social Media in Today's Classroom. Journal of research in Business Education, 14-23.
 

Madden, M. (2013, May 21). Part 1: Teen and Social Media USe. Retrieved from PEW Research: http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/05/21/part-1-teens-and-social-media-use/
 

Marquis, Justin, PhD, (2012, Feb 3) The Pros and Cons of Social Media in Education, Retrieved from Online Universities: http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2012/02/pros-and-cons-of-social-media-in-education/

Pandolfo, Nick (2012, Apr 30) Social Media and Video Games in Classrooms Can Yield Valuable Data for Teachers, Retrieved from Huffington Post:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/30/social-media-and-video-ga_n_1465082.html