Google Classroom for Pinecrest

Learning Management Systems (LMS) is nothing new to the world of education.  Before LMS or CMS (Course Management Systems), the world of distance education has been a growing topic. Distance education has been around for 160 plus years (Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek, 2015, p. 36).  As you can imagine, the route of distance education has changed dramatically.  

Education settings are taking advantage of the numerous LMS and CMS programs that are available.  Many of these are free while others require a fee.  There is a program available to meet the needs of all learners.  Last school year, our system became a Google Apps for Education school.  This summer we are in the process of setting up our Google Classrooms to get ready for our student 1:1 Digital by Design plan.      

Instructional Design

As our teachers are preparing for the 1:1 student Chromebook initiative, they are using the summer to start planning for the school year.  When using an LMS such as Google Classroom, the planning needs to be well thought out and completed ahead in plenty of time to make any needed adjustments.  The text mentions having a focus on visual presentations, activities with interaction, group work, and be prepared for technical problems (Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek, 2015, p. 130).  Once the Google Classroom is set, this makes a great experience for a flipped classroom.

Teaching

Teachers who love technology will love Google Classroom.  The possibilities are endless. Teachers are able to create multiple classes, invite students to join the class, monitor comments and assignments, and mute trouble makers as needed.  Once the course is complete, the teacher also has the opportunity to save the assignments and reuse (make modifications as needed) for future classes. Teachers can create a test, writing prompts, group assignments, presentations and all can be loaded and saved to Drive.  The use of paper and pencil is greatly reduced.  Just because the teacher has the ability to do so much on Google Classroom doesn’t mean they will. Many of our teachers are nervous about using such a program.  “In any distance learning environment, the technology becomes an element of concern for the instructor.  The instructor must become familiar with the hardware and the nuance of the technology to use them effectively.  The instructor needs to balance concern for the operation of the equipment with effective teaching”.  (Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek, 2015, p. 137)  I tell my teachers all the time, technology is just another resource, it is not a requirement.  All assignments do not have to use technology, but it sure does make it fun!

Students

One of the cool components of Google Classroom, allows students to join multiple classrooms.  My daughter was part of three different Classroom's last year in the third grade.  Each teacher can set up a classroom and all assignments can be posted online.  Google Classroom can be used on a variety of devices which makes access from home a breeze.  One of the most frustrating parts of teaching is when a student says they forgot to write down the assignment or I left it at home.  With Google Classroom, students can not use that excuse anymore.  

As with any new program, teacher guidance is key to the success of the program.  In order for students to be successful with Google Classroom, the teacher needs to provide ample practice with the program.  This, in turn, will help the teacher become more proficient with the program as well.  I like this phrase (and may borrow it for my teachers), “even though most students come to distance learning situations with vast experience using technology, it is not safe to assume they can transition directly into a course delivered at a distance” (Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek, 2015, p.176).  This is where instruction and modeling will be most valuable.  

Support Materials

We all know of the one teacher that you just dread telling he/she must use some form of LMS.  I actually have a few in mind already.  These teachers will need more support.  I have found many great resources from Alice Keeler, Tony Vincent, Google +, Ditch the Textbook (Twitter), Ken Shelton, and numerous Pinterest post and Twitter followings.  The resources are widely available.  

Teachers will be focused on their number one job of teaching their content to their students.  When technical issues arise (and they will) they do not need to take away time from instruction to “fix” a computer.  The support I can offer my teachers will be immeasurable when it comes to these issues.  “Instructors need the assurance that students will have a resource to help them if they encounter technical difficulties in accessing course materials or resources”.  (Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek, 2015, p. 180)

Assessment

Assessments are activities matched to expectations and instruction is then based on assessment plans.  Often times teachers teach to the test. (Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek, 2015, p. 228)  When using Google Classroom, teachers need to plan how they want students to demonstrate their understanding of the content before they begin the instruction.  This can be a challenge to teachers as they do not think of this step first.  Google Classroom does a great job with the different platforms students can load files to demonstrate their understanding.  The only downside, there is not a true “test” that can be taken and graded.  Teachers can create a test in Google Forms, link the form into Google Classroom and have a PDF of all grades.  Once a test is created, it can be reused multiple times.  All data stays with the original document.  “In any instructional environment, assessment should reinforce course content, provide opportunities to practice newly acquired skills, result in meaningful feedback, and motivate learners to succeed.” (Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek, 2015, p. 252)

This school year is going to provide ample growth for myself, fellow teachers and our students.  Overall, I am really excited about the possibilities.  I know that we are going to face some challenges but the growth will be pivotal in helping us reach our goal of educating students to be successful 21st-century students. The video takes a fresh look at how Google Classroom is useful for everyone.  

References:
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S. E., & Zvacek, S. (2015). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education. Charlotte, North Carolina:     
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