Google offers some wonderful tools for teachers, but I've learned over the last couple of weeks that while teachers are aware of many of Google's offerings like search, docs, and maps many teachers aren't aware of how to use these tools or what these tools offer beyond the obvious. Therefore, I sat down yesterday and started putting together this guide to using Google search, docs, books, news, and maps in the classroom.
This guide avoids some of the obvious things, like using Google Docs for collaborative writing, and instead focuses on some of the lesser-used Google tools options like publishing an online quiz using Google Docs. In all there are 33 pages containing 21 ideas and how to instructions for creating Google Maps placemarks, directions creating and publishing a quiz with Google Docs forms, directions for embedding books into your blog, and visual aids for accessing other Google tools.
Update: In July 2010 I released a companion to this guide titled Google for Teachers II.
You can download the document from Yudu or DocStoc.
Check out the guide in Yudu format below.
Check out the guide in DocStoc format below.
Google for Teachers
29 comments:
This is so great. Thanks so much!
great stuff - thanks!
This is AWESOME! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome! Thanks my staff will find this extremely useful.
Thanks for always giving such wonderful gifts to teachers and professional developers. Kudos!
This is wonderful! I plan to pass it on to my staff. Thanks!
This is awesome! Thank you for putting this together and sharing!
Richard - is it OK for me to upload your guide to Google Docs to give access to the teachers with whom I work?
Jeff,
Yes, that would be okay.
Richard
Thank you all for the compliments on the guide.
Richard
Absolutely wonderful stuff. Linking to it from Learning in Maine.
Jim
Great resource, passing it around the teachers in my school right now. Great blog/site, keep it up!
Again, you nailed the teachers need. This is great. How about doing a Web 2.0 project with this topic and ask the viewers for more ideas??? Just an idea…. Thanks for all your ideas.
Thanks so much! One question...is the Wonder Wheel still available. It doesn't show on my screen.
This is fabulous! I'll be sharing it with all in my district. Thanks so much!
Mary,
Yes, Wonder Wheel is still available. The screen capture I used was taken on Sunday. To find it you have to do a search on the Google homepage then click show options. If you just jump to advanced search without first entering a search term the Wonder Wheel doesn't show as an option.
Richard
I did just as you instructed and it does not show up. I would love to use this tool. I wish I could see it.
Mary,
That's odd. I went into my GCT discussion group and it appears that you're not the only one to not see the Wonder Wheel. Apparently, it has been known to not display in Internet Explorer. Also it seems that Wonder Wheel does occasionally drop out view for some users only to reappear the next day. I guess it's a bug that Google hasn't resolved yet.
Richard
All the superlatives have been used, geesh. Oh, here's one You Rock! Thanks again for your generous gift of your time and talents.
This is great stuff. Is it ok if I post this for my staff, along with a reference to your blog?
http://techronicity.blogspot.com
Andy,
Yes, you can reuse it.
Richard
Awesome! Thanks buddy!
Just in time for my June Google Class. Thanks so much!
Thanks so much. Lots of stuff about Google that I had no idea about!
Pam
I got this guide at a conference and it's as good as it sounds. Thanks for posting about it--I wish I'd thought of that!
I have been using Google Docs for a while and I find it very useful with collaboration in my classes. This is a big plus for using Google in the classroom.
Thank you so much! This is simply awesome. I can't wait to share with staff.
Your guide, Google for Teachers is amazing! I wish I'd discovered it this summer when I had more time to play. Two questions: 1) How can I use Google Maps in class with two different sections? I want students to be able to access the maps to create a collaborative Lit. trip map and keep it private. 2) I just scrolled through all guide quickly, and came across Google Books. I have been looking for a 6th grade equivalent to Shelfari (since you need to be 13 years+), a site in which students can share their shelves and comment on books they've loved. Since they are younger, and it would be a teacher assignment, I wonder if it would be best for me to monitor the site. Can I do that on Google Books? Thoughts?
Lisa.Cromley,
Unfortunately, the only way that you would be able to monitor your students' bookshelves would be if they either shared their shelves with you or made their shelves public.
Richard
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