Google Classroom vs. SymbolStix Prime

Google Classroom allows teachers to post for daily lessons and assignments. It also allows teachers to be able to communicate with students easily outside of class. Students are able to stay connected and know where to find all information and resources easily in a streamlined manner for all of their classes.

Incentivized

For students and/or adults who struggle with communication and written text, it provides symbols and templates that can be used to supplement and/or support communication. It can be used to add visuals to directions and other items

Incentivized

• Student-teacher communication - I love using Classroom for this because my students can always go back and check what was on Classroom by looking through the stream. This way they don't have to go dig through emails to find what they're looking for.
• Posting to multiple classes - I can post the same announcement or assignment to multiple classes at once without having to repeat the process or send separate emails.
• Streamlining grading - when students turn work in on Classroom, it all goes to one place and then when I'm grading I can open their documents directly from Classroom or my Drive folder. This way, I'm not looking through emails and Google Doc shared files for their assignment.

Incentivized

• Provides symbols which align with Leveled Books and Easy Read books (e.g., symbols of characters and objects in the story).
• Allows for searching for a symbol and then providing the ability to download it so it can be used within other programs/software, such as Google Slides.
• Symbolstix allows you to save boards that you create so you can go back to them and make changes/edits as needed.

• The content management of the Classroom is not that good. The sub-section for notes, syllabus, or discussion is missing.
• It doesn't have parental control feature.
• It converts the excel output into a normal file. All the formulas and pivots got changed into plain text.

• The board wizard layout was changed in recent months, and it can be confusing trying to create a board for a field of 4, 6, etc. This was previously easier to do with the older layout..
• Sometimes I am looking for an exact match for a symbol that appears in a Leveled book or Easy Read book that doesn't appear to exist in the bank of symbols.
• When trying to import a picture, sometimes the pictures I import are blurry when I add them to one of my boards.

Testing is particularly important in online learning, and Google Classroom falls far short of other learning management systems in this regard. Security is also a concern: while account control is reasonable for the account used with Google Classroom, the person controlling a particular account is often able to, for example, forward or download proprietary materials.

Simple design and seamless integration with Google tools and drive, but missing some key features. However, since it is limited in overall functions and ability to truly personalize / customize, it is quite user friendly and easy to set up and get going, other than sending out the code to your course or dropping students in via their gmail account. Users of Google Forms and sites will find the layout similar in design.

Incentivized

It can be hard to figure out how to manipulate templates. However it is very easy to look up the necessary symbols. There is also a good variety for certain symbols. For example, you search for games and it will show board games, video games, etc. which allows you to choose which one fits your needs

Incentivized

We have had very little trouble in accessing Google Classroom. Our issues, if any, have risen from our server and not the Google servers.

Incentivized

Since this platform is provided by Google, the technical support is better than any others, and we are not required to bother about the space constraints for adding the contents. If we have a good uninterrupted internet facility we can access Google Classroom without any delay or lag. They have app support in both Android and iPhone.

It was relatively easy to implement due to the simplicity of the platform. Even our more technology challenged teachers found it easy to get started with Google Classroom.

Incentivized

I haven't tested or evaluated another digital classroom website or application. I feel like Google Classroom is convenient for many reasons such as compatibility to Google docs, slides, etc. I also love the ability to link to YouTube and other sites. I don't know if there would be a site that is easier to maneuver.

Incentivized

I have tried BoardMaker before. While BoardMaker has premade boards available, SymbolStix is easier to use. It also has a section that provides tutorials. The symbols used in SymbolStix match Unique Learning Systems curriculum. The variety of symbols allow you to create a collection that matches your specific need.

Incentivized

It is very easy to push out this program across our buildings. Teachers are able to use it without much trouble.

Incentivized

• Students are able to continue learning in a remote environment
• Parents have a single, consistent organization structure to make it easy to track assignments and progress for multiple children
• Much better solution than the quickly assembled Zoom-and-gloom of the previous spring when school abruptly went remote with no planning

Incentivized

• Symbolstix Prime allows me to create symbols in a variety of sizes and customize the background color, font, etc., for students with visual impairments.
• Symbostix helps provide consistency for students throughout the day and supports a language-rich learning environment, including allowing me to use symbols for class schedules, individualized schedules, labeling items in the classroom, visual supports for Unique lessons, and class meetings.
• Symbolstix allows boards to be created using or imported from real pictures, which work better than the Symbolstix symbols for some students.