Emerging Technology

Google Classroom + Chromebooks

Thao Tran
ITEC 7445

What is Classroom?
Google Classroom is an interactive way for
students, teachers, staff, and parents to
maintain control of the classroom.
Classroom will create classes, distribute
assignments, send feedback, and see
everything in one piece.

Google Classroom Mission Statement:

Mission Control for Students and Teacher

Every class is on a mission. Google

Classroom was designed with teachers and
students to easily connect the class, track
their progress, and achieve more together.

Goal
Students and teachers will interact through
Google Classroom using Chromebooks in
and out of the classroom.

Fair Street IB World School Vision

Fair Street IB World School developed an Authorized International
Baccalaureate for Primary Years Program. It offers inquiry-based learning
that is designed around a formal I.B. Program of Inquiry that incorporates
grade-level standards into interdisciplinary units.
Units are designed to promote higher-order and critical thinking skills and
offer a variety of assessment options. Each unit contains an application of the
standards in solving or examining a real-world problem or issue.
Fair Street offers both World Language Instruction in Spanish, as well as an
Experience Program in other world languages, technology integration,
opportunities for blended learning, and an explicit focus on internationalism.

State of Georgia Technology Vision

Currently, neither Fair Street or Gainesville City
Schools have a technology vision. However, the
emerging technology supports the State of Georgia
Technology Plan.
Under the GA DOE 3-Year Technology Plan, one of
the technology service goals is to provide cost
effective tools [that] are affordable and can be
sustained without high annual subscription or
maintenance fees.

Support for State of Georgia Technology Vision

Google Classroom is considered an easy,

powerful, and cost-effective tool. The
state supports the use of this emerging
technology for the purpose of usage in and
out of the classroom at zero costs to
teachers and students.

Why Chromebooks?
Easy! Chromebooks are user friendly, lightweight,
portable, and cost efficient.
Gone are the days of taking time to go down the hall to
the computer lab during your scheduled time. You will
have access to your Chromebook anytime throughout the
school day.
They save paper and time! No more My dog ate my
homework excuse or trying to find a pack of paper for
the school copier.

Age Level
There are many debates on how young is too
young for children to access the Internet. With
Chromebooks teachers and administrators can
supervise and set boundaries.
Google Classroom at the early childhood age
should be used more with upper elementary
(3rd-5th) grades.

Access
All students must have access to Google
Classroom.
- Students can be invited to
classroom through the teachers
private code.
Students must also have access to
Chromebooks.

Requirements for Implementation

Purchase of Chromebooks.
WiFi connection throughout the school.
Google Classroom set up from teacher and
to students.
Purchase of educational apps (if necessary)

Technical Support
Google has a tutorial on getting started
with Classroom.
Google also has a Classroom Help Center
that has a tab for just about everything you
need to know for a successful online class.

Limitations

Money for Chromebooks

Charged Chromebooks
Student responsibility (damage or theft)
Wi-Fi
Computer access and Internet at home
for students and faculty.

Cost
Google Classroom: It is free for schools that
are using Google Apps for Education.
Chromebook: Depending on the brand and style,
Each Chromebook ranges between $200 to $300.

Additional Cost
Additional Cost: (Not Necessary)
Amazon $145

Amazon $500

Charging Station

(12 Chromebooks)

(30 Chromebooks)

Content and Technology Standards

All subjects can use Google Classroom.
Teachers can input multiple text formats such a
PDFs, Powerpoints, worksheets, photos, etc. for
students to use to complete assignments.
Google Classroom allows students to choose
different ways of presenting projects or reports,
better supporting all subject areas.

Content and Technology Standards

Students will be able to become
more familiar with the use of
technology and Internet as they
use it on a consistent basis.

Differentiation
Google Classroom allows teachers to build a set of
resources for a single assignment. This makes it
possible to offer students choices as to how they
access the information or how the student would like
to address the assignment.
As students become more familiar, they can branch
out on their own and gain the confidence to become
more independent and/or help fellow classmates who
struggle.

Differentiation
Google Classroom allows teachers to add
different resources for students whether it is
helping scaffold steps or ideas, or just by
giving them a little something above their
level to challenge them.

Communication
Some parents find that it can be difficult to
understand what is going on in school when they are
not physically there. Google Classroom can enhance
communication between the teacher and parent(s).
Parents can easily access an assignment at home
with a computer through the classroom login.
Students can see their peers assignments and give
feedback through Google Classroom.

Communication
Google Classroom apps are also available for android
devices so no one misses a beat.
Through the app, teachers can create classrooms, post
to classroom feeds, view assignments, and
communicate with students, parents, and faculty.
Faculty and administration can even create their own
classrooms to post assignments for faculty,assignments
for professional learning days, checklists, extensive
reading or researched material, etc.

Research
Since Google Classroom was established in 2014, there
is not any research available on the effectiveness in
the classroom. Although the media attention given is
mostly positive.
- According to Terry Heicks article, 60 Smarter
Ways to Use Google Classroom, Google
Classroom is quietly becoming the most powerful
tool in education technology.

Research
- The goal, says Classroom creator and Google
product manager, Zach Yeskel, is to make
already overburdened teachers more
productive by reducing the time spent pushing
paper around a classroom. (Lapowsky, 2014)

Implementation Plan
A representative from Google Classroom would conduct a
training course for upper elementary teachers and
administrators.
Conduct a year-long studies analyzing the effectiveness on
different variables, including test scores, technology
enthusiasm, and task completion.
Because this is a new implementation, trying Google
Classroom on Chromebooks with a few classes from each
upper level grade will ensure the worth of the investment.

Implementation Plan
The use of Google Classroom as well as purchasing
Chromebooks for the entire upper elementary grades
needs to be based on positive feedback, test scores,
data, etc.
Professional development meetings need to be
scheduled multiple times throughout the year to ensure
faculty support, extra training, as well as positive and
negative feedback.

Reflection
Google Classroom will be a fantastic tool for teachers and
faculty to use in and outside of the classroom.
It will better enhance:
- Communication among students, peers, coworkers,
and parents.
- Students become more independent with the choices
of presentations they have to complete each
assignment.
- It is a time saver and a money saver for teachers
their school.

Reflection
- Teachers will be able to assign homework or study
material over breaks throughout the school year.
- Having Google Classroom can even help when
unpredictable weather, like snow, may occur.
- Since it is a FREE tool for educators and it saves time
and energy for us to put elsewhere, why not invest
in an amazing opportunity to emerge technology into
our schools and our classrooms!

Reflection
Implementing Chromebooks to help better emerge Google
Classroom is worth the investment!
- Chromebooks are user friendly, lightweight,
inexpensive, and portable.
- Students will love the freedom of taking charge of their
work and using their new tool.
- It will enhance students typing skills, creative
thinking, communication with their peers,
independence, and preparing them for the future: A
technology based world.

Sources
Department of Education (2012). Georgia Department of Education Technology Services: 3Year Plan. Retrieved from
http://www.gadoe.org/Technology-Services/Documents/3%20Year%20Technology%20Str
ategy%20White%20Paper%20May%203%202013_webposted.pdf
Google Classroom:
https://www.google.com/edu/products/productivity-tools/classroom/?gclid=CK-U9I21yc
YCFdcWgQod9vsNgQ
Google Classroom Help Center:
https://support.google.com/edu/classroom/?hl=en#topic=6020277
Heick, Terry (2015). 60 Smarter Ways to Use Google Classroom. Retrieved from
http://ww.teacherthought.com/technology/60-smarter-ways-to-use-google- classroom/

Sources
Keeler, Alice (2014). Using Google Classroom to Differentiate Assignments. Retrieved from
http
://www.alicekeeler.com/teachertech/2014/09/14/using-google-classroom-to-differenti
ate-assignments/
Lapowsky, Issie (2014). Google Wants to Save Our SchoolsAnd Hook a New Generation of
Users. Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/2014/08/google-classrooms/