Google Apps for the Classroom

The use of Google Apps in a school setting can be used between students and teachers to collaborate, communicate, synthesize, analyze, create projects and so much more!   Anyone can sign-up for a Google account and once that is done the possibilities endless .  Google has a website, Google for Education, that allows educators, students and parents to explore all the benefits of incorporating Google Apps into their school setting.  The great aspect about Google Apps is that they can be used between teacher and student, student to student, or teacher to all students.  Not only will the students be engaged because they are collaboratively working together but they are also doing something they enjoy: Communicating with one another on their device’s.  There is no worry about printing or saving documents because everything is easily stored in a user’s Google Drive, which is pretty much like a USB that you can access from any device.  Perhaps the best feature of Google Apps for education is the fact that they are all free!

In my own school, all students starting in fourth grade are set up with a Gmail account through the school’s technology teacher.  This way they are prepared to start sharing and collaborating on documents once they get to middle school.  The teachers have also been using Google Apps for sometime now.  Often the Principal will share a document or notice that she may need editing on what us to review.  This is a fast and efficient way to get the message out without copying and wasting paper.  I personally love Google Apps and have been using it for about two years now.  I just love the ease of access to all my files and the user-friendliness the applications.  

Survey Results (Using Google Forms)

Social Media in the Classroom: Pros and Cons

In today's world of educational debates, there is a focus on whether social media can be a useful tool when integrated into the classroom.  Here is my pros and cons list as to the use of social media in the classroom:

Pros:

The use of social media allows students to collaborate and connect with one another outside of the classroom walls.  This is particularly important when talking about group projects and assignments.   With the use of social media, students are no longer restricted to their class period to work on things together.  Social media also allows others to comment and share thoughts on projects allowing for an environment more similar to the work environment.  The use of social media may also allow parents to stay connected to what is going on in the classroom.  Applications like Remind and Edmodo, make it easy for teachers to get an important message out to parents or to students.  

Cons: 

When using social media in the classroom, the teacher must also take on the role of moderator to make sure what students are posting is appropriate.  This can take time to go through and check.   With social media comes cyberbullying and the worry that students are using social media in inappropriate ways.  Again, this would fall on the teacher to ensure that students are aware of consequences and what is considered a "good" post versus a "harmful" post.  Then there is the whole other issue that students are not getting the right amount of time communicating face-to-face, both with peers and with family.  Adding the social media component to their school day may hinder this face-to-face communication during afterschool hours.  Finally, not all children have access to the internet or a device let alone the ability to connect to a peer via a social networking site.