Classroom, Photos, and Where Has Google Keep Been All My Life?
This week I learned about some new Google tools that will definitely help make #teacherlife a little easier.
First, let's talk about Google Classroom. For anyone who has never used this platform before (like me about 6 days ago), it's a great way to connect with students from your class online by sharing announcements, creating polls or quizzes, asking discussion questions, and also posting assignments. One of my favorite aspects is that, when you post an assignment, you can also include a due date and links to any websites, videos, or required reading materials with the post like a nicely wrapped package all ready to go. There are several customization tools in Classroom, like the layout and themes for appearance, but you can also add important files and relevant learning materials to the About section that can be accessed at any time throughout the duration of a course or school year. Google Classroom isn't really just limited to student usage -- it could also be used as a tool for educator Professional Development as well. I created a trial classroom of my own this week, and while I'm not sure it is the most beneficial tool for me in my current teaching position (since my students still color on the walls and take naps), I'm sure it would be a great tool to use with technology-savvy middle, high school, and college students.
Next, we move to Google Photos, which is a little more relevant, since it can be used for education or personal purposes. Photography is a personal hobby of mine and something I enjoy doing when I'm not in the classroom, so this is a resource I could use frequently. Uploading photos and creating albums is user-friendly, and sharing albums with your loved ones or students' families would also be very easy. Here's a photo album I created of my girlfriend and I in a total of about one minute. While Google Photos is fairly comparable to other photo storing websites or programs, which provide convenient access over the internet, the best feature of Google Photos is that you can sync your mobile device to automatically back up your cell phone pictures as you take them. In the event that something tragic were to happen to your phone, your precious photos would remain safe and sound.
Drum roll please.... the star of the week is: Google Keep (insert applause). I'm not sure how I've made it through my 31 years without this app. Check out this video to learn a little bit about the program:
On Google Keep, you can create LISTS! This might just be a teacher thing, but I have to make lists for everything to keep myself organized. I know it seems simple, but in this app you can create lists with or without checkboxes, and cross things off as you go. Students could use this to organize their assignments, and the great thing about it is you can add collaborators on a single list, allowing more than one person to contribute by adding or completing items. As a teacher, sometimes you just need something to help you stay sane between school and home life, and an easy grocery list or to-do list maker is exactly the kind of help I need. I also love the feature that allows you to add a Place Reminder to a list, so that the next time I walk into Hobby Lobby and forget what I needed, my phone will automatically pop up a reminder telling me everything I planned to buy there (assuming I stick to the list!) and refresh my memory. Google Keep is also a great note-taking program for professional development meetings, college classes, or for students to use in class -- and a great thing about it is the choice to type or write the notes manually. Google Keep is for organizers and disorganized friends alike. And list-makers, don't worry... you still get the satisfaction of crossing things off and seeing all that you've accomplished at the end of the day.
First, let's talk about Google Classroom. For anyone who has never used this platform before (like me about 6 days ago), it's a great way to connect with students from your class online by sharing announcements, creating polls or quizzes, asking discussion questions, and also posting assignments. One of my favorite aspects is that, when you post an assignment, you can also include a due date and links to any websites, videos, or required reading materials with the post like a nicely wrapped package all ready to go. There are several customization tools in Classroom, like the layout and themes for appearance, but you can also add important files and relevant learning materials to the About section that can be accessed at any time throughout the duration of a course or school year. Google Classroom isn't really just limited to student usage -- it could also be used as a tool for educator Professional Development as well. I created a trial classroom of my own this week, and while I'm not sure it is the most beneficial tool for me in my current teaching position (since my students still color on the walls and take naps), I'm sure it would be a great tool to use with technology-savvy middle, high school, and college students.
Next, we move to Google Photos, which is a little more relevant, since it can be used for education or personal purposes. Photography is a personal hobby of mine and something I enjoy doing when I'm not in the classroom, so this is a resource I could use frequently. Uploading photos and creating albums is user-friendly, and sharing albums with your loved ones or students' families would also be very easy. Here's a photo album I created of my girlfriend and I in a total of about one minute. While Google Photos is fairly comparable to other photo storing websites or programs, which provide convenient access over the internet, the best feature of Google Photos is that you can sync your mobile device to automatically back up your cell phone pictures as you take them. In the event that something tragic were to happen to your phone, your precious photos would remain safe and sound.
Drum roll please.... the star of the week is: Google Keep (insert applause). I'm not sure how I've made it through my 31 years without this app. Check out this video to learn a little bit about the program:
On Google Keep, you can create LISTS! This might just be a teacher thing, but I have to make lists for everything to keep myself organized. I know it seems simple, but in this app you can create lists with or without checkboxes, and cross things off as you go. Students could use this to organize their assignments, and the great thing about it is you can add collaborators on a single list, allowing more than one person to contribute by adding or completing items. As a teacher, sometimes you just need something to help you stay sane between school and home life, and an easy grocery list or to-do list maker is exactly the kind of help I need. I also love the feature that allows you to add a Place Reminder to a list, so that the next time I walk into Hobby Lobby and forget what I needed, my phone will automatically pop up a reminder telling me everything I planned to buy there (assuming I stick to the list!) and refresh my memory. Google Keep is also a great note-taking program for professional development meetings, college classes, or for students to use in class -- and a great thing about it is the choice to type or write the notes manually. Google Keep is for organizers and disorganized friends alike. And list-makers, don't worry... you still get the satisfaction of crossing things off and seeing all that you've accomplished at the end of the day.
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