Creating Classroom Websites with Google Sites

When returning to school each year teachers have so much on their plates especially during the first month of school.  Updating curriculum, syllabus and teaching resources, not to mention class rosters, setting up their phsical classrooms and more.  For the past severals year we have been using Google Sites as our classroom interface for parents, community and students.  Do you need to update and refresh your class site?  Here is a link to a tutorial page  to remind you about setting up your site. For new staff we will be using PD time the first day of school to create your site.

Many of you have started to use Google Classroom, Blogging and microblogging with Twitter as tools to engage students and the community.  If this is your first year using any of the tools, I would recommend you start with one and that would be Google Sites for your interface to students and community.  It's also a great way for you to review what you colleagues are doing in their classrooms.

When ready take a look at Google Classroom.  It's a more efficient way to manage students Google documents and assigments.  I will be setting up some sessions after school on Tuesday's know at Tech Tuesday's to help you get started.  I am also available to work with you in your classes and during your prep time.  Let's use technology to engage students and to streamline your classroom this year!

Summer Institute for GAFE Class and Reflection

What a great week teaching Google Apps for Education last week at FSU.  This was the first time that we used Google Classroom to deliver the class using the University's Google Accounts with Classroom.  We definitely need to work to streamline the process but for the most part it worked well.  This allowed up to setup assignment and share content easily.  We were able to grade portfolios using Doctopus/Goobrics.  It's always great to model for teachers how they can setup their classroom when returning to school next month.  Students created and presented Portfolios as evidence of work. We used the SAMR model to reflect on assignments and our teaching and comfort level with technology.  It was amazing to watch the progression of student growth over the course of the week. I am extremely fortunate to have co-taught with Craig another GAFE Trainer.  We managed to teach 23 students at varying levels and content areas.  I was so impressed with their quality of work.  We will be looking at options to offer in an online blended model next year, in addition to the Summer Institute format.