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Quick tips for using Google tools in your classroom

By Team ISTE
May 20, 2015
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You may have heard that Google Apps for Education and other Google tools offer endless possibilities to enhance learning and improve workflow in the classroom. But all that functionality can be a lot to learn, much less manage on a day-to-day basis.

That’s why the presenters from the Google Tools Learning Academy, scheduled Saturday, June 27 at ISTE 2015 in Philadelphia, have developed some simple, innovative solutions for to help educators use Google tools effectively in the classroom.

Here are a few of their favorite Google tricks:

1. Use a Google Chrome extension to help students find fair use photos.

With Chris Craft ’s free Google Chrome extension, CraftyRights, students can quickly and easily find fair use photos. He has also developed an extension for displaying text prominently in the middle of your screen called CraftyText.

2. Use Google Forms to give kids practice defending claims with evidence.

When a fellow teacher struggled to engage students during a lesson on making claims and defending them with evidence from a text, Jeffery Heil saw an opportunity to use Google Forms. Using just one form, students were able to review sources, make claims and analyze each other’s answers anonymously.

3. Use a Google Forms add-on to give real-time assessments.

Real-time formative assessments allow teachers to adjust their instruction to give students help when and where they need it most. During small-group work, Jennie Magiera uses Google Forms with a free add-on called FormMule to create a feedback loop.

4. Use Google Classroom to stay organized.

One of the biggest challenges digital age teachers face is managing hundreds of Google Docs effectively. Julene Reed shares real examples of how Google Classroom can improve your class workflow for creating, sharing, submitting and assessing student work.

Watch the experts give step-by-step walkthroughs for each of these Google tricks in the Google+ Hangout below. And sign up for the Google Tools Learning Academy to dive deep with these presenters during a full day of learning.