Google is the most popular name in the tech world. In fact, in most parts of the world, the first thing that comes to mind when a person hears the word internet is Google. While the Google search engine can be used efficiently for research when you want to work on a term paper, article or book, there are many other Google Apps that can be used in education.
10 Ways To Use Google Apps In The Classroom
1. Keep Track Of Student Activities With Google Classroom
Google Classroom was developed specifically to be used in formal classrooms. With this application, you can keep track of curricular activities by your students. When you give students assignments, you can use Google Classroom to keep a record of which students have delivered and which ones haven’t. All the Google services are available on Google Classroom.
2. Encourage Your Students To Use Google Calendar
Google Calendar has more features than the regular calendar. You can use it to set reminders and alerts for your students to make sure everyone is carried along. Since it would be a shared calendar, each student will receive a notification when necessary and no one will have use that as an excuse not to prepare for mid-term tests or the submission of an essay. Apart from this, if you want to keep your organized daily then you can design personalized calendars, take a print and use them.
3. Keep Students Updated With Google News
Students in this generation are hardly interested in current affairs. You can teach them to pay attention to news by using Google News to make references in class when applicable. You can also ask them to use Google Earth to stay updated about what is happening around the world and not just within their environment. You can post our latest article on IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION.
4. Create Content With Google Docs
Using Google Docs, you can create and edit content for classroom use. This is one of the best word processors in the world. One of the best features of this app is that you can give others access to the content. This tool comes in handy when you want to teach a student about how to write or edit an essay. It’s a perfect tool for preparing lessons and tests.
5. Teach Them To Save Content On The Cloud
Google Drive allows you to save content on in cloud storage. This way, even when the device is lost or damaged, students can easily access their content through the cloud storage using their email addresses. Essays, projects, and other assignments can be saved on Google Drive.
6. Use Google Plus To Communicate
You can create a learning community with Google+ where parents and students communicate. Parents can also be invited to keep up to date with activities that go on in the classroom. Apart from Google+, Blogger can be used to create a community as well. The site will be available online and those who visit it can comment on what they see.
7. Teach Them To Use Google Books
Students and teachers no longer have to spend money on hard copy books. Thanks to Google, you can get virtually any book you need digitally. There are more than 25 million digital books on Google Books. All you need is internet access. There is no need for a library membership or any other fee for that matter. Tell your students to use this app and use it yourself for research.
8. Send Bulk Messages With Gmail
With Gmail, you can send bulk messages to your students for free. It is one of the most popular Google apps in the world. To receive messages, your students will need to sign up for Gmail accounts if they don’t already have. You can also use the business Gmail account for a more streamlined experience. The school administration can use Gmail to communicate with teachers and students when necessary.
9. Try Video Conferencing With Google Hangouts
Google Hangouts can be used for video conferencing between students and teachers. While there are many other tools for this purpose, Google Hangouts has special features that make it perfect for educational purposes. It is also integrated into other Google Apps like YouTube, Google Calendar, and Gmail. When invited guests cannot be physically present, they can talk to the students through video conferencing using Google Hangouts.
10. Get Notification With Google Alerts
Google Alert is a free application by Google that notifies you when there is new content or content change about a selected topic. As soon as the change is detected, a notification will be sent to the email address of the user. You and your students can use it to stay updated on the latest developments in your field.
These are the top ten Google Apps that can be used in education. Technology makes teaching and learning fun and effective.