Google Classroom

So it seems more and more that technology companies are taking over the world, what with i-this and google-that.

Well here is another thing that we are currently implementing. This time Google Classroom.

Classroom is a free shared online learning tool that hangs off of the Google platform. It offers the ability to set up online classrooms to anyone that has a google account. The main features are the 'Stream' which is like a facebook style comment/video sharing section. Of course being Google it embeds Youtube and Drive documents seamlessly.

Secondly the stream can be used to set and monitor home learning in the form of assignments. These assignments can be set, time scales given and documents/ handouts attached for good measure. Pupils can then electronically 'hand-in' their learning for digital marking using the collaborative tools of Google Drive.

It is Google Drive that forms the real foundation of this, it is where all documents and images are stored and all pupils in the classroom have access to the shared folder. Google's permission setting is pretty intuitive and has so far been pretty easy to deal with.

We are currently trialling the use of this system for homework tasks and also to create online e-portfolios to help parental engagement. This will help develop the IT ecosystem where everything works together!