1. Lantie Ward ITEC 7445 Dr. Pourreau April 9, 2018 Emerging Technology
Google Classroom
Lantie Ward ITEC 7445 Dr. Pourreau April 9, 2018 Emerging Technology

2. Google Classroom’s General Purpose
Google Classroom was developed by Google so that the process of education could be made more efficient.
Google Classroom is a free resource that allows for the creation of online classes.
Using Google Classroom creates an avenue of communication between parents, administrators, teachers, and students that is not restricted by location or school hours.

3. Google Classroom’s General Purpose
Here is a short video about Google Classroom.

4. How Google Classroom supports the district’s vision for technology use.
The Glynn County technology plan states that the district, “will establish a school and classroom environment that provides a culture, a climate and the tools necessary to develop and enhance the skills our students need to become successful in the global learning community”. Clearly, Google Classroom serves that purpose. Google Classroom is one of the best tools available for developing the skills necessary to navigate the Internet and locate the information required for success in any content area. It is certain that the establishment of a Google Classroom causes the students to become a part of the global learning community.

5. Initiating and Sustaining the Google Classrooms
At Risley Middle School, the Google Classroom initiative will begin through professional development. All teachers will join a Google Professional Development classroom. They will be taken step-by-step through the process of creating a Google Classroom. The culmination of the program of professional development will result in all teachers having four active Google Classrooms.
A Google Blog will be established for the purpose of continuing professional development and communication.
All students in grades 6 through 8 (ages years) will be included in a Google Classroom in each of their four content areas.
All students will attend their content area class (70 minutes) in the Google Classroom at least once a week. These classes will take place in the school’s computer labs.

6. Funding
In order for a public school to introduce Google Classroom to its students, the school must sign up for a free G Suite for Education account.
Bell (February 1, 2017) at Shake Up Learning explains G Suite for Education as follows:
G Suite for Education tools are: free, ad-free, reliable, and secure.
These tools are already used by millions of students in schools around the world. Of course, free is great, but the best thing is that these tools are relevant to students, easy to use, and open doors to many new ways to learn.
24/7 Access
One Login for EVERYTHING!
Collaborative
Use on Any Device/Cross Platform

7. Funding
Risley Middle School has four complete computer labs (31 desktop computers in each lab, two laptop carts (60 laptops) and a media center that has 32 desktop computers.
Risley Middle School also has all the necessary peripheral devices (headphones, webcams, etc. to support the computers.
All of the school’s hardware and software is supported by the district’s IT department and assistance is readily available.
The school’s Media Specialist is a certified Google Classroom Trainer.
Because this infrastructure is currently in place at Risley Middle School, a Google Classroom initiative can be implemented for zero dollars.

8. Funding
A G Suite for Education account is and it includes:

9. Content Standards and Technology Standards
All Georgia Standards of Excellence, in all content areas, can be satisfied through instruction in a Google Classroom.
The ISTE Standards for Students that are satisfied by using Google Classroom are as follows:
1. Empowered Learner
1.c. Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
6. Creative Communicator
6.b. Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.  6.c. Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects, such as visualizations, models or simulations.  6.d. Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences
7. Global Collaborator
7.b. Use collaborative technologies to work with others, including peers, experts or community members, to examine issues and problems from multiple viewpoints.  7.c. Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles and responsibilities to work effectively toward a common goal.  7.d. Explore local and global issues and use collaborative technologies to work with others to investigate solutions.

10. Specific Learning Goals
The Google Classroom can be used to create an inquiry based, student- centered, collaborative, constructivist learning environment in all content areas. With Google Classroom, students can work in groups even when they are not at school.

11. How Google Classroom can be used in the classroom
Google Classroom is a virtual classroom. According to Ferriman (2013, December 12) “A virtual classroom is an online classroom that allows participants to communicate with one another, view presentations or videos, interact with other participants, and engage with resources in work groups.”
Teachers can present information, create assignments, create assessments, and grade the students’ work.
The classroom can be made available to the parents and the administrators, so they can monitor the students’ progress.
Google Classroom can be used to create a paperless learning environment.
Google Classroom offers a more efficient method of facilitating student achievement by bring all stakeholders together in a virtual classroom.

12. Differentiation
Google Classroom was designed with differentiation in mind.
Students can be given different assignments and the assignments are confidential. That is, the other students in the class are unaware of what the teacher assigns to individual students.
Production and grading of assignments and assessments of varying degrees of difficulty is streamlined and paperless.

13. Google Classroom Promotes Communication
In the Google Classroom, the students can communicate and comment at any time.
Aside from the ability to interact in the Google Classroom itself, one of the apps available with the G Suite for Education is Google Hangouts.
Google Hangouts is a safe and secure platform for students to communicate with other students and teachers.
It includes messaging and video chat across all devices.

14. Endorsements
Cortez (2018, January 20) reports that, “Using Google Classroom allows the students to have instant feedback and gives the teacher detailed item analysis regarding which questions were answered correctly or incorrectly by which students. At a glance, the teacher can see areas that might need reteaching or clarification. Also, by using a web- based classroom, students who miss class can easily catch up on assignments.”
Sinclair (2017, May 13) writes, “Google is helping to drive a philosophical change in public education — prioritizing training children in skills like teamwork and problem- solving while de-emphasizing the teaching of traditional academic knowledge, like math formulas.”

15. Research
The research that is available on Google Classroom is outlined by the findings of the following studies.
Iftakhar’s (2016) found that, “Google Classroom has the potential to streamline communication and workflow for students by providing a single access point to discussion threads and assigned work” (para. 4).
DiCicco (2016) reported that, The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of Google Classroom on teaching social studies for students with learning disabilities. The results show that participating students increased their scores in vocabulary quizzes but there was limited increase in learning content of social studies compared to using textbook and printed materials. Results also show that both teachers and students had positive responses to the survey regarding their teaching and learning of social studies using Google Classroom.” (p. 42).

16. The Implementation Process
The implementation of Google Classroom at Risley Middle School will be an exercise in professional development.
The Media Specialist will set up a Google Classroom for the purpose of professional development.
All teachers will be invited to join the class.
Assignments will be given to the teachers. Accomplishment of the assignments will be recorded and graded.
Teachers will be required to set-up a total of four classes and invite their students to join the class.
The Media Specialist will assign all the tasks necessary for the teachers to set-up their classes. A Google Blog will be established for the purpose of collaboration and communication.
When a teacher has completed all the assignments in the Google Professional Development Classroom, their classes will be set-up and active. The assigned activities involved with setting up the classrooms will serve to make the teachers proficient in the use of Google Classroom.
The results of the completion of all of the professional development assignments will be the implementation of Google Classroom at Risley Middle School.

17. Limitations
Students who do not have access to the Internet at their homes will have limited opportunities in the Google Classroom.
Students who have to share Internet access with siblings and parents will have limited opportunities in the Google Classroom.
English/Language Arts writing assignments can not be properly graded in Google Classroom.
Some teachers may be reluctant to use Google Classroom from their home, since it would effectively extend their work hours to excess.
It may be possible for someone other than the intended student to complete the assignment/assessment due to the anonymity of the on-line environment.

18. Reflection
After learning about Google Classroom, I have come to the conclusion that it should be implemented at Risley Middle School and used faithfully. Its use will save the teachers a tremendous amount of time and work. In the past, the turn-around time for the grading of assessments has been excessive. This platform will make providing the students with assignments and assessments much more efficient. There will also be cost savings to the school, because not as much paper will be needed. With Google Classroom, the students will be able to communicate with the teacher and with each other more effectively. Group work can be accomplished on-line and the efforts of each of the students can be accounted for. Google Classroom has the potential to streamline the process of education. While Google Classroom has tremendous potential, it must also be considered that there are drawbacks. There is the potential for academic dishonesty. Teachers should be aware of their students’ actual abilities and regard the results of on-line assignments accordingly. Ideally, no student would ever have someone else do an assignment for them. Yet, in a virtual classroom, that becomes a possibility that should not be overlooked. Still, I believe that if used properly and honestly, Google Classroom could completely alter the traditional classroom.

19. References
Bell, K. (2017, February 1). G Suite for education: Explained. Retrieved from Cortez, M. (2018, January 20). Google Classroom: Exploring the benefits for teachers. Retrieved from exploring-benefits-teachers DiCicco, K. (2016). The effects of Google Classroom on teaching social studies for students with learning disabilities. Retrieved from Ferriman, J. (2013, December 12). Characteristics of a virtual classroom. Retrieved from Iftakhar, S. (2016). Google Classroom: What works and how? Journal of Education and Social Science, 3, Retrieved from content/uploads/2016/03/KC3_35.pdf Sinclair, N. (2017, May 13). How Google took over the classroom. Retrieved from schools.html