Googliness at SJP
May 03, 2016
Googliness at SJP
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with Google Classroom
Google Classroom is being used by some, not all of the teachers at the school. I was one of the first teachers to use it. I am an English teacher and began using it in the fall of 2015 when the initial trial product was released. My school has a 1:1 iPad ratio per student. Now the the app is fully functional, the process of using Classroom easily allows for digital submission of student homework. I use it to manage clubs as well. I am the facilitator of our Student Government program. We use it to organize students, review proposals, and prepare for elections. It is also an easy way to get notifications pushed to students' iPads when we have updates.
- Provide digital worksheets and rubrics for assignments
- Deliver announcements and email updates with important reminders
- I sync it with my calendar, so I am able to mange upcoming events/projects.
- Google classroom is best paired with Google Drive. I wish that it helped students stay better organized by scaffolding the folders and assignments more effectively. It would be nice if teachers could create units within their posts.
- The linear stream feed makes it difficult for students to search for assignments. A "search option" would be beneficial. It would also be nice if there was a way to organize posts by month or week, so that they were easier to find when looking back.
- Students cannot see comments written on digital google doc submissions even when they are returned. This means I use Google Classroom exclusively for homework, and do not have essays/digital feedback for students. This is a big hinderance.
- Positive: I don't have to have paper assignments, and I can grade remotely any time I want
- Negative: I wish you could sort through digital submissions by student name, as well as by assignment.
- Negative: I wish there was a notification when students submitted late homework.
I have used iTunes U, but this is a much stronger platform because it integrates Google Docs very successfully. Itunes U did not have a word processing program that it was directly affiliated with. Also, while the folder creation could be stronger for the students on the Google Classroom platform, it is already better than the iTunes U program I was using.
Using Google Classroom
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Technical support not required Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using | Lots to learn |
- Using school gmail accounts works really well with Google Classroom.
- Google Drive syncs effortlessly.
- Reusing and reposting assignments was a great update.
- Inability to make readable comments on Google Docs
- Inability to search posts.
- Inability to sort assignments by student instead of by assignment
- Lack of notification for late submissions
Yes - The Google Classroom app is not as strong as the computer program, however, my students use the app daily and only have minor loading issues occasionally. Also, student sometimes have trouble with PDF documents or docs that are not Google made. This is inconvenient, but not discouraging enough to discontinue usage.