This week, I decided to take a deeper look at Google Classroom and how it can be used for assessment purposes. This course management system (CMS) is the one I am most familiar with, as it was used frequently during my student teaching at a one-to-one technology district, and a system I use often in my classroom today. While our school has no required CMS, many teachers use Google Classroom in our building. Here are some of the features and their implications for assessment: Privacy Policy/Terms of ServiceIt’s important to note that many course management systems (and the companies that create them) gain access to the information that teachers and administrators input into them. However, upon reviewing Google for Education’s Privacy Policy, Google has made it clear that they do not own that information and it will not be distributed to anyone including third-parties. They also state that there is no advertising available in any of the Google Suite products. To enroll in Google Classroom, students must have a valid email address. School districts can require that students only use their school-provided email. When a teacher wants a student to join their class, they have to join with a specific code, which also helps protect the privacy of the virtual classroom. Parents can also be invited by email for transparency purposes. Compared to other CMSs, Google Classroom seems pretty well protected if all they promised is true. FeaturesStream Page for CommunicationOnce a teacher has created a Google Classroom, the first thing they stumble on is the Stream page, which is basically a communication board. Teachers and students (though that can be adjusted in the settings) can post and comment. All of the posts on the stream are available to all students. Teachers often use this screen to post announcements and reminders. -Affordances: This could be a really great tool for virtual discussion as a form of formative assessment. Teachers or students could start discussions surrounding topics they are covering in class. Students could showcase their knowledge and also seek assistance from others to only further their understanding. -Constraints: The most obvious constraint, at least in my middle-school-geared mind is misuse. Students would definitely have to be given expectations and understand the value of the discussions. Also, unless a teacher were to add every parent by email, many parents would not receive the announcements placed on this page. I also noticed from a student standpoint, there is no way to attach files or photos to the comments, which students may want to post if asking for guidance. Lastly, as a teacher with 150 students, that can be a lot of comments to keep track of and may get overwhelming. -Implications for Assessment: This feature could be great for communication or a quick check-in. However, in regards to assessment, Google Classroom offers more and better options for initiating virtual discussion (see below). I personally do not use the Stream page often and send large announcements to students and parents through our grading/information system. Classwork Page for AssignmentsTeachers have the option to provide students with a variety of different assignments using many of the different G-Suite tools (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, etc.). A teacher can choose to assign students an “assignment” to complete, a “quiz assignment” using Google Forms, a “question” to provoke discussion or “material” to analyze. All of these assignments can be organized into topics and each assignment has room for specific instructions and point values. Students can complete and submit assignments all through Google Classroom and the G-Suite tools. -Affordances: Google for Education has made it extremely easy to send out an assessment to students. Students can also easily complete it and submit it with ease. Once students get comfortable with what Google Classroom has to offer and how it functions, they can really begin to express their understanding through the assessments provided to them. All of the assignment options provide students with the opportunity to showcase their knowledge, including the Question option, where teachers can send out a question for students to discuss virtually, similar to the Stream page. The quiz assignment feature allows for teachers to create a Google Forms quiz which can give students automatic feedback on their understanding by the use of an answer key. -Constraints: The largest constraint I find is that it feels like Google Classroom almost forces teachers to be the ones to provide the assessment. To be more specific, I think the biggest issue is the lack of student choice. If a teacher assigns a worksheet online, the student must complete the worksheet. If a teacher has already created a quiz, the student must take the quiz. There are opportunities for teachers to give students some choice through Google Classroom, but many teachers do not take advantage of that option. For example, teachers could post a rubric (see the grading section below) and students could create their own project using any of the G-Suite tools. However, for some reason, in my experience, this doesn’t happen often. Teachers often stick to uniform assignments that are led by them, which constrains the students’ choices. -Implications for Assessment: Assigning assignments or assessments to students in Google Classroom is quite easy and for most students engaging. However, it is clear that not all students will love assessments given through technology or by a certain technology tool. By allowing students to have some choice, teachers might see students more willing to express their knowledge and understanding on an assessment. Grading Page for FeedbackTeachers are able to view students’ work in Google Classroom at any time. They can provide feedback by commenting on the individual student’s work. These comments are private to that particular student. However, these comments can be saved to a comment bank, where teachers can use the same generic comment for multiple students. Teachers may also use the Google Forms and “Quiz Assignment” feature to have the assessment be automatically graded. Google Classroom also just introduced a rubric feature, where teachers can create a rubric for an assignment that students constantly have access to. Teachers then can use this rubric to assess students’ work upon submission. If a teacher awards numerical grades, Google Classroom can keep track of them and has a grade book style organization. -Affordances: Google Classroom gives teachers many opportunities to provide feedback on various assignments and assessments. By adding the rubric and comment bank feature, teachers can quickly and effectively provide the feedback necessary for students to self-assess and understand where they need to improve. -Constraints: If a teacher is using numerical grades, Google Classroom does keep track of them. However, these grades are not public to parents, unless parents are invited to the Google Classroom. Many schools use a Student Information System (SIS) to house student information and grades. Therefore, if a teacher grades an assessment in Google Classroom, the grade also has to be logged for parent/administrator access in the SIS software. Google for Education is currently working on a syncing feature to allow Google Classroom grades to automatically transfer to the SIS and is beta testing this feature with certain SISs. -Implications for Assessment: Google Classroom has really done well with giving teachers opportunities to provide valuable feedback that students need in the classroom. This aspect of Google Classroom continues to grow to allow more opportunities for feedback and communication of learning goals. Other FeaturesGoogle Classroom’s overall design is very user-friendly and allows for accommodations and modifications to be made on assignments for students who need them. Besides being a website, it also can be downloaded as an app on a phone, tablet, and even some gaming consoles, which makes it very accessible. On top of all the great tools it offers, Google also provides additional extensions and applications to make the G-Suite tools and Google Classroom more engaging and functional in the classroom. Lastly, it’s free, which is a great bonus! Overall, I really like using Google Classroom as my preferred CMS and I think by analyzing it further, I realized just how fortunate my students and I are to have access to this powerful tool. I look forward to using it in new ways in the classroom in the future.
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Jennifer StirlingThis is my #MAET journey! Thanks for reading! Archives
August 2020
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