Google Apps and Surveys

              Google is becoming a staple in education across the world. More than half of all devices sold for classrooms are Google Chromebooks (Taylor, 2015). This is up from 1% in 2012 (Taylor, 2015). Google can be used in so many ways that it makes sense that students and educators are using Google as often as they can. The ability to not only take notes on Google but also pass in work through the medium is a great aspect of Google. Over fifty million students are using the Google Apps for Education to work together and collaborate on projects (Taylor, 2015). Students are also able to communicate easily and quickly with teachers.

Teachers can use apps like Classroom to communicate with students. Assignments, notes and upcoming dates in the class can be posted to the Classroom site for all students to see. The classroom app will also update the students calendar if they take the time to link their calendar to their login information from the school. Google is also a great way to keep students secure in the classroom.

Google allows administration and teachers to restrict access to certain applications until the school and district deems the students to be ready to use the application. Take mail for example. The administration, teachers and maybe even parents may not feel as though students in 1^st – 3^rd grade are ready or mature enough to use email so they do not allow students access to that application. As the students grow older the restrictions are lessoned so students can email teachers in the district only and then eventually to the point where student can email anyone they would like. At my district this has been a topic of much discussion.

We want students to learn at a young age how to communicate with adults in the district but also know there can be a fine line between appropriate and not appropriate in terms of students being ready for these steps.

SURVEY RESULTS: Summer vacation is everyone’s favorite time of year, except maybe Christmas time! Below are some of the results that stood out to me. Important to mention though is that EVERYONE thinks summer goes by WAY TOO QUICKLY!!!!

Although not many people took the survey it is pretty clear that for most of us summer begins when the students leave school. I have so many friends within my district that I also feel this way about summer. After the kids leave there is definitely a sign of relief. I also think we already knew the second question that I found interesting but it was worth bringing up. As a class we enjoy a certain level of adventurous sides! 

All the other itesm I asked about; activities, what you are looking forward to as well as when you are ready to go back to school are a huge variety of answers! Seems like everyone has their own thoughts about summer vacation and our own personal definitions of relaxtion! Happy Spring Break and here's to 6 more weeks of School! 

Taylor, H. (2015, December 9). Google's Chromebooks make up half of US classroom devices sold. Retrieved from CNBC: http://www.cnbc.com/2015/12/03/googles-chromebooks-make-up-half-of-us-classroom-devices.html