Google Apps for Education (GAFE) refers to a core suite of productivity applications that Google offers to schools and educational institutions for FREE. Beyond the incredible face value of free applications provided for education, the implications of these applications reach far beyond traditional student applications. With the GAFE suite, students, educators, parents, and more can all be collaborators as students create, explore, and publish their learning for larger and more meaningful audiences than ever before.
Google Drive
Google Drive is the "holding tank" for all things Google, and more! Google Drive allows users to access standard Google Applications such as Google Docs, Drawings, Slides, Sheets, and Forms, but is also the pathway for linking additional applications and storing files such as PDFs, photos, videos, and more. The beauty of Google Drive is simple: it can be accessed anywhere, shared by anyone but seen by only those you choose, published easily, and all in a range of applications that provide whatever is needed for any situation.
Google Drive is the "holding tank" for all things Google, and more! Google Drive allows users to access standard Google Applications such as Google Docs, Drawings, Slides, Sheets, and Forms, but is also the pathway for linking additional applications and storing files such as PDFs, photos, videos, and more. The beauty of Google Drive is simple: it can be accessed anywhere, shared by anyone but seen by only those you choose, published easily, and all in a range of applications that provide whatever is needed for any situation.
Docs
Google Docs allows students to collaborate, comment, and interact while composing in ways that previously required a chain of e-mails, USB port swapping, etc. There are a multitude of ways this can be utilized in the classroom, some of which include:
Google Docs allows students to collaborate, comment, and interact while composing in ways that previously required a chain of e-mails, USB port swapping, etc. There are a multitude of ways this can be utilized in the classroom, some of which include:
- Having students create rough drafts of essays and then share their documents so that other students can comment on their work.
- Allowing students to interact with text in a variety of ways:
- Annotating any type of text (a poetry example is shown HERE)
- Creating Found Poems (shown in the example below)
- Encouraging students to collaboratively take notes to ensure they have all essential information
- Asking students to create agendas, brainstorming space, and work-flow procedures for group work scenarios
Drawings
Google Drawings is a fantastic tool that allows people to be creative in what they produce. There are many uses of Google Drawings which include:
Google Drawings is a fantastic tool that allows people to be creative in what they produce. There are many uses of Google Drawings which include:
- Creating graphic organizers (like the one shown below)
- Creating collages
- Allowing students to be creative in their representation of understanding through images, drawings, graphics, etc.
- Creating infographics, signs, billboards, or other potential advertisement tools.
Sheets
Google Sheets provides all of the functionality of Excel, but again with the sharing features and functionality of Google Drive. Excel can be used for more than crunching numbers, but in education there are many ways that this essential feature can be utilized:
Google Sheets provides all of the functionality of Excel, but again with the sharing features and functionality of Google Drive. Excel can be used for more than crunching numbers, but in education there are many ways that this essential feature can be utilized:
- Create a data binder template for students to complete throughout the year (a Middle School example is shown below)
- Note: These can be shared with parents so that they can stay up to date on all essential information for their student's academic progress!
- Allow students to keep data from science labs in a spreadsheet and create graphs based on their results
- Another great idea is to have multiple classes keep all of their data on the same spreadsheet, eliminating the potential bias from a single experiment!
Slides
Google Slides provide more than just an online version of Power Point. Due to the collaborative nature, the ease of embedding videos, and new interactive features, Slides are more relevant to educators than ever. When considering their use in the classroom, here are a few ideas:
Google Slides provide more than just an online version of Power Point. Due to the collaborative nature, the ease of embedding videos, and new interactive features, Slides are more relevant to educators than ever. When considering their use in the classroom, here are a few ideas:
- Create a template for students to use when completing a project (an example is shown below).
- Note: Templates are not only great for reflections like the PDSA process shown, but can also be fantastic for modifications for students who need extra guidance!
- Assign students to groups and each group to a pre-created presentation. If each group knows the content they need to contribute and the slide on which to contribute, it is easy and efficient to co-create bodies of knowledge instead of simply feeding those same concepts to students passively!
- Encourage students to use Google Slides during presentations and employ the interactive features to engage their audience.
Forms
Google forms can be easily created, shared, and used for a variety of purposes in the classroom. A few ideas include:
Google forms can be easily created, shared, and used for a variety of purposes in the classroom. A few ideas include:
- Electronic assessments - Google Forms can be automatically graded using Flubaroo (an Add-on in the spreadsheet view of your Google Form results!)
- An example is linked below!
- Student surveys - Use these to collect quick information on the success of a lesson, get to know students at the beginning of the year, or to have students reflect on their performance and/or preparation for assessments.
- Empowering students to collect their own data - The ease of creating Google Forms allows students to create and share their own forms to learn how to collect and analyze their own data.
- Note: Some of the best uses I have seen have been analyzing the data in math classrooms to make use of authentic information while learning about measures of central tendency, graphing, creating word problems, and more!
And more...
Want more information?
Want more information?
- Check out the #GAFE discussion happening on Twitter and around the globe!
- Check out this GAFE presentation co-created by a group of masters-level students from Baker University (thank you Professor Jeans!)
- Browse through any of these links:
Please feel free to comment below with any and all ways that you use #GAFE in your own classrooms!
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