Peer Review

A Comprehensive Guide to Google Classroom

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Reviewed:: Jan 1, 2016 by Teacher Education

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Overview:: Classroom is available to anyone with Google Apps for Education, a free suite of productivity tools including Gmail, Docs, and Drive. Classroom is designed to help teachers create and collect assignments paperlessly, including time-saving features like the ability to automatically make a copy of a Google document for each student. It also creates Drive folders for each assignment and for each student to help keep everyone organized. Students can keep track of what’s due on the Assignments page and begin working with just a click. Teachers can quickly see who has or hasn't completed the work, and provide direct, real-time feedback and grades right in Classroom. This resource is the support page for Google classroom, which orients the user to the tool as well as the security and privacy information and frequently asked questions.
Type of Material:: Tutorial
Recommended Uses:: This guide could be used to learn how to use Google Classroom. Google Classroom could then be used for: • Online communication and document sharing • Manage and facilitate assignments • Individual or group work The material would best serve instructors who are setting up their own Google classroom accounts. There are extensive tutorials for every step from getting started, setting up accounts, creating and reviewing assignments as well as security and privacy issues.
Technical Requirements:: User can gain access to Classroom via computer or phone with Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari. It was tested on Chrome, Firefox and IE. A Classroom app exists for both Android and iOS. Per the Google Classroom website: There are currently limitations with multiple domains. For now, teachers and students need accounts in the same domain to use Classroom.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: • The learner will explain what Google Classroom is and how to get started • The learner will create a Google Classroom account • The learner will distinguish between a teacher Google Classroom account and a student Google Classroom account • The learner will locate information in the Google Classroom Help Center
Target Student Population:: This resource can be used by instructors of any age group (K-12, post-secondary) and with any discipline. Google classroom allows users to insert accented letters, so educators could create pages in numerous languages including, but not limited to, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Italian. This resource is useful for teachers who want to create a paperless classroom, and for pre-service teachers to learn how to use Google classroom.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Familiarity with setting up websites (such as Google sites, blogs, or wordpress sites) is helpful when setting up Google classroom. A familiarity of how to use Google products (docs and Drive) is essential, as student assignments are created with Google docs.

Content Quality

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Strengths:: • Created by Google • Embeds images and videos • Content is comprehensive • Information presented from the viewpoint of the teacher and the student; there is also a section for administrators • A general description for the process of submitting, grading, and returning assignments is given • There is an asynchronous help forum to ask questions Information is presented clearly and sequentially, with important words highlighted and occasional images included to reinforce concepts.
Concerns:: No real concerns about the quality of the material because it is support site created by Google.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

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Strengths:: This material is not a teaching tool, per se, thus no rating is given. It does, however, significantly help instructors as they prepare their own Google Classrooms. Teachers, students, and administrators should all be able to implement and use Google Classroom effectively after reading through this guide. The target learner is anyone new to Google Classroom or anyone needing assistance with a current Google Classroom account.
Concerns:: None

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

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Strengths:: The colors in the layout (blue/white) were very easy on the eye. The font is easy to read with important words in boldface type. Headings are easily distinguished from subheadings. Articles included under subheadings clearly delineate steps users need to follow to deal with that particular issue. Pictures are included when necessary, as well. The site is easy to follow and find specific information. The Google Classroom website presents information in a manner consistent with other Google websites; users familiar with Google for Education, who use Google docs or Google forms, will find this site easy to navigate. The use of this resource does not require complex technical computer skills. The asychronous help forum is useful for questions.
Concerns:: • Although the material is presented in smaller chunks, there is a lot of it. For a new user,the help center may not be the best starting point for using a new tool. Especially since there is a lot of material. A more condensed and focused “Getting Started with Google Classroom” job aid would probably be a more user friendly starting point.

Other Issues and Comments:: This site is invaluable for anyone trying to create a Google Classroom. The number of tips included for teachers, students, and administrators makes it well worth the time to read through.
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