Google for Tech-Enhanced Classrooms

When virtual schooling became a reality for schools around the world, the benefits of video meeting platforms became immediately apparent. Google Meet is a popular platform used by many educators to facilitate virtual classroom experiences for students learning from home. Whether a class meets entirely online or in a hybrid in-person/online setting, Google Meet can be used to facilitate an effective learning experience. In this course, learners will explore features of Google Meet that promote student engagement and collaboration. You will learn how to plan and host virtual class sessions that make all learners feel included and valued as a part of your classroom. Using Google Meet, educators can make all students feel as involved as they would in an in-person setting.

Most educators are driven to do more than just teach students historical facts, grammar rules, or science formulas; they want to prepare students to pursue any path they choose in their adult lives and be successful on that path. Regardless of their plans after graduation, all students would benefit from the development of certain transferable skills in order to seamlessly move between school, work, and social situations. These include organization, time management, productivity, and communication. Follow educators as they address the needs of their students and find ways to integrate transferable skills into their courses. Educators will complete this course with a plan for implementing the practices and utilizing the Google applications to help their students become real-world ready.

Creating and nurturing empathy in our learners is an important job for educators. Learning from and with others who have different life experiences than ourselves builds empathy and allows us to consider new perspectives. With the UN Sustainability goals as a framework, this course will showcase activities using Google Classroom, Google Meet, Google Translate, and Google Maps. Learners will explore how to use these tools to support collaboration among learners with varied backgrounds.

Educators are often looking for forms of assessment that are both engaging and meaningful. Portfolios are a good way for educators and students to assess learning over time and share a collection of work that illustrates growth and provides valuable insights into the learning process. With access to educational technology increasing, educators can utilize digital tools to help students create portfolios that can easily be developed as they progress through the year, and can be expanded as they move into later grades. Additionally, using Google tools for digital portfolios enhances sharing and collaboration over traditional paper portfolios. In this eLearning course, participants will explore the benefits of using portfolios as a form of assessment with their learners, and consider how specific features of Google Suite tools can be used to support portfolio instruction in the classroom.