GOOGLE COMMUNITIES IN THE CLASSROOM
Google+ communities allow users to learn about various topics through collaboration, inquiry, and the sharing of ideas. It can be accessed for free with any google account. Just simply click the icon below for the link to google+, or log into google and click the google plus icon on the drop down menu. There is also a google+ app available for free in the app store.
For those familiar with Pinterest and Facebook, Google+ is kind of a hybrid of the two. There are communities and collections. Collections are similar to Pinterest boards. Google+ allows users to save links in a collection that can be revisited at any time. Communities are similar to a Facebook group page. They can be public or private. Within a community users can post links, ask questions, etcetera. I joined the communities pictured at right and have been exploring them for several days now.
My favorite google+ communities are Educational Leadership and G Suite for Education: |
I've found many great resources related to using google in the classroom in the G Suite for Education community, but my favorite resource is the Edu Training Center. By watching two short videos, I learned how to set up a class in google classroom and add students, as well as how to use google classroom to assign and grade work. Click on the Edu Training Center link below to learn how you can do these things too! If the videos seem confusing, there are three fantastic (and free) PDF guides offered for using google classroom. I've also included two other cool google related resources I found in G Suite for Education:
The Educational Leadership google+ community has some really cool resources related to leadership among both students and educators. I found a fun quiz entitled, "What Type of Leader Are You?" I took it myself and discovered that I'm a "Charismatic Leader." I'm sure this quiz could be utilized for the classroom in many ways. For example, students could take the quiz and write about how their leadership style affects the way they learn. How can they use this knowledge to maximize their learning experience? How does their leadership style affect their peers? The link to that quiz is here:
When it comes to joining google+ communities, it can often be hit or miss. Some of the bigger communities contain some totally random posts. Sometimes people upload random selfies or post things totally unrelated to the community. I don't understand what the purpose is, but oh well 😒. I also came across some inappropriate posts, which is something to be aware of. When looking for great resources, it takes some dedicated, time-consuming exploration, but it's worth it.
Google+ communities are a great tool for students too! Maybe students have been assigned a research project. A private community (so random people can't join) could be created for students to submit links to research they discovered. These links don't necessarily have to come from google+. Students can submit any link they find on the world wide web. Maybe students want extra help with a math assignment. I could upload a series of useful videos that they can access at anytime and any place. The possibilities with google+ are really endless.
The best way to discover the potential of google+ communities is to explore it for yourself. I hope you have a great google+ experience. I personally cannot wait to find more educational resources and one day utilize this tool for my own classroom!
Google+ communities are a great tool for students too! Maybe students have been assigned a research project. A private community (so random people can't join) could be created for students to submit links to research they discovered. These links don't necessarily have to come from google+. Students can submit any link they find on the world wide web. Maybe students want extra help with a math assignment. I could upload a series of useful videos that they can access at anytime and any place. The possibilities with google+ are really endless.
The best way to discover the potential of google+ communities is to explore it for yourself. I hope you have a great google+ experience. I personally cannot wait to find more educational resources and one day utilize this tool for my own classroom!