Category: Google Classroom

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Google Cloud Fundamentals ForAWS Professionals

As cloud computing continues to transform the tech landscape, IT professionals are increasingly required to be proficient in various cloud platforms. For AWS professionals looking to expand their expertise, understanding Google Cloud (GCP) fundamentals is crucial. GCP and AWS are leading cloud service providers with certain fundamental similarities but also key distinctions that necessitate a deeper dive for adequate mastery.

Embracing GCP means recognizing its distinct resource hierarchy and identity management models. Unlike AWS’s reliance on accounts for resource isolation, GCP uses projects as the primary organizational unit, and resources within these projects are managed with IAM policies – much like AWS does – but with subtle differences in granularity and inheritance.

Networking in GCP also comes with its nomenclature and features. AWS professionals familiar with Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) will find a homologous concept in Google VPC, though they differ in their approach to scalability – with GCP offering a global VPC model compared to the regional approach of AWS.

GCP’s compute options like Compute Engine and Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) may remind AWS veterans of EC2 instances and the Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS), respectively. On closer inspection, however, unique features such as live migration of VM instances and integration with native Google services set them apart.

Storage in GCP again offers comparable services to those known from AWS: Cloud Storage is analogous to S3, Persistent Disks can be seen as an equivalent of EBS volumes, and Cloud SQL corresponds to RDS for relational database needs. Similarly, both platforms provide robust solutions for Big Data and Machine Learning — services such as BigQuery and TensorFlow on GCP hold their own against AWS’ Redshift and SageMaker.

Cost management is another essential area where norms diverge slightly. Like AWS’s cost allocation tags, GCP uses labels to categorize resources for billing purposes. Furthermore, pricing models have some differences; for instance, sustained-use discounts automatically apply in GCP for continued use of certain resources.

A pivotal aspect of adopting any new tech stack is community support; Google fosters a growing ecosystem much in the way that Amazon has over the years. Support offerings, documentation, online forums, customer engineers — all parallel what an Amazon professional is accustomed to yet catered specifically toward Google’s cloud platform.

Migrating or extending infrastructure from AWS to GCP requires careful consideration not just of feature parity but also cultural shifts between the platforms. Accessing data across clouds poses unique challenges but also opportunities for resilience and flexibility.

This overview scratches the surface of transitioning from AWS-centric knowledge to embracing Google Cloud’s offerings. Continuous learning through training materials such as Google’s ‘Cloud Fundamentals’ course can greatly ease this transition. Google Cloud certifications are available that validate one’s skills similar to how AWS certifications are seen as stamps of expertise.

For seasoned AWS professionals exploring new pastures within Google Cloud’s realm or new IT enthusiasts considering which path to tread on their cloud journey – understanding both landscapes offers commanding opportunities in the burgeoning world of cloud services.

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How I Use Google Forms for Formative Feedback

Introduction

As both an educator and a lifelong learner, I have always been fascinated by the potential of technology to enhance the learning process. One product that has consistently stood out to me in this regard is Google Forms. At its core, Google Forms is a simple and intuitive tool for creating customizable surveys, quizzes, and questionnaires. However, in my experience as a teacher, I have found it to be an invaluable resource for formative feedback—a key means of improving student learning.

Why Formative Feedback Matters

Formative feedback plays a critical role in helping students understand their strengths and areas of improvement while providing targeted opportunities for growth. By incorporating their understanding of the material into lessons and homework assignments, students can take active steps toward mastering both the content and skills needed for future success.

Using Google Forms for Formative Feedback

So how do I use Google Forms to provide formative feedback to my students? Here are some practical strategies that have proven effective in my classroom:

1. Pre-Assessment Surveys: Before starting a new unit or topic, I create a simple Google Form with questions related to the material we will be covering. This allows me to gauge students’ prior knowledge and make adjustments to my lesson plan accordingly.

2. Exit Tickets: After each class session, I ask students to complete a brief exit ticket via Google Forms. This usually consists of one or two open-ended questions asking them to reflect on the content discussed during class or a specific concept they find confusing. These responses help me identify common misconceptions or areas where additional reinforcement might be needed.

3. Online Quizzes: While traditional paper-and-pencil quizzes can be effective assessment tools, online quizzes created with Google Forms offer several advantages. For one, they enable instant feedback, allowing students to recognize their mistakes immediately and adjust their thinking accordingly. Additionally, teachers can easily track student progress using the platform’s data analysis features.

4. Peer Review: Encourage students to review and provide feedback on each other’s work using Google Forms. This can be particularly useful for group projects, presentations, or essay drafting. By structuring the form so that respondents must provide specific examples of both positive and constructive feedback, students can gain a more objective perspective on their work while practicing critical evaluation skills.

5. Teacher-Student Conferences: I use Google Forms to collect feedback from my students before holding one-on-one conferences, giving me a clear picture of their progress and areas where they might need additional support. Not only does this streamline the process, but it also helps foster open and honest communication about each student’s learning journey.

Conclusion

Google Forms has become an indispensable tool in my approach to teaching and formative assessment. By offering targeted, real-time feedback to my students through various methods such as pre-assessment surveys, exit tickets, online quizzes, peer review, and teacher-student conferences, I have witnessed marked improvements in both student engagement and academic achievement. While technology itself may not be the ultimate solution to all educational challenges, tools like Google Forms can undoubtedly play a significant role in fostering meaningful growth for learners at all stages of their education.

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8 Basic Google Sheets Tips Every Teacher Should Know About

Google provides a lot of useful programs for teachers, but not everyone understands just how to use them. There are a lot of hidden features available for teachers, particularly when it comes to Google Sheets. Understanding how to use these features and apply them in the classroom is essential to help you create better documents in less time.

To get you started, here are eight of the most basic Google Sheets tips that every teacher should know about.

Add a Line Break

While editing a cell, you can insert a line break to help organize your text better. All you have to do is make sure that your cursor is in the cell, ready to type. Press Ctrl+Enter to move to the next line without changing cells.

Merge Cells

Do you need to combine cells in the spreadsheet? You can merge cells both vertically and horizontally. Simply highlight all of the cells you plan to combine and then click merge on the toolbar. There should be a drop-down menu that will give you additional options.

Freeze or Unfreeze Columns and Rows

If you want to see a certain row or column while you scroll, you need to freeze it in place. Highlight the row or column that you would like to freeze. Click “view” and then “freeze or unfreeze.” It might also give you an option to select how many rows or columns you want to freeze in place.

Add a Chart

You can customize your own chart or graph to add to the document with the data you added on the spreadsheet. Highlight all of the data you want to be included in your chart. Under the “insert” tab, you will find a separate option for “chart.” Teachers can choose the type of chart they want under the recommendations tab. Edit the display and the chart itself under the customization chart before you click “insert.”

Use a Formula

Do you want to avoid doing all of the math with your data? You can enter a formula to keep you from pulling out the calculator. In a cell, you can type in the equal sign with the function you want to use. This should prompt a separate help box to pop up that gives you the list of available functions, the wording for each function, and an example of how to use it.

Wrap Text 

If you want to wrap the text in your spreadsheet, select the cell. You can click on the format tab to bring up a list of options. Select text wrapping and then click “wrap.” Follow the same steps to turn it off but select a different final option. 

Protect a Sheet or Range 

Are you afraid someone will edit your spreadsheet? Protect it with this nifty tip. Open up your spreadsheet and head to the data tab. You should see an option for protected sheets and ranges. A separate box will appear after you click here, asking if you want to add a sheet or range to your protection. Select the appropriate options and finish by following the prompts to set permissions or change permissions. Click save or done when you are finished. 

Add a Custom Date or Time 

Start by highlighting the data you want to convert to a specific date or time formula. Then, you will need to head to the format tab and click on “number.” There will be another option for “more formats” and then “more date and time formats.” Find the option that you want or set your own custom date and time format into the search box. Click apply to make it stick.

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Why Education Leaders Love Google’s Purchasing Process

Here’s an insider secret you may not realize about school district leadership: most of them despise the antiquated paperwork process required for purchasing anything — whether it’s a stapler, a school bus or an edtech product.

The purchasing process is cumbersome and slow, sometimes taking weeks or longer for approval.

A buyer acting on behalf of a school or the district must fill out a purchase order, sign it and send it to a supervisor for approval. Teachers need their principal’s authorization, and principals need district leadership endorsement. Large items may require school board support. Once approved, the signed purchase order returns to the originator who then contacts the company regarding the transaction, usually emailing it to them.

In today’s world of one-click purchases on mobile devices, the purchasing process in schools has a long way to catch up. Imagine how tedious the purchasing process can be when teachers want to buy a single edtech app.

Google has become a powerful player in education; 50% of all classroom devices are Google Chromebooks. Google managed to achieve this market share in only three year’s time, and the purchasing process is part of the appeal.

Education leaders fell in love with Google’s purchasing process.  For anywhere from $199 to $249, plus a small management fee, teachers could have unlimited software access to Google Play for Education. In Google Apps for Education (GAFE), schools and school districts were able to set up an account through which they could log into all of their Google Apps edtech products. The initial user set up all the other users, whether teachers or students, and engagement was immediate.

GAFE has given way to Google’s G-Suite for Education, which promises that users – more than 50 million of them – can “save time and stay connected.”  While the unlimited access to edtech apps in Google Play has disappeared from the education scene, education leaders have been able to streamline their paperwork processes with the utilization of features found in the G-Suite for Education, including better productivity tools that can help reduce the reliance on paperwork and improve collaboration.

More than half of district leaders who have used Google as a procurement platform have given it high marks of approval. In a short time, Google has managed to become a leading B2B provider, helping education leaders limit the amount of time they have to spend with purchasing process paperwork.

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10 Ways to Use Google in Your Classroom

If all you’ve ever used Google for is email and web searches, there’s a whole world in which you’re missing out. That world is the Google Suite, consisting of a cloud computing compendium that puts all of your instructional tools in one easily accessed location.

So what can you do with Google in your classroom? As it turns out, Google offers a lot. Check out the list of ten ways use Google in the classroom: 

  1. Collaborate with the teachers on your team, in your building and across the district by sharing folders in Google Drive.
  2. Differentiate instruction by creating folders with designated levels of access. That way your GT students can’t find and complete easier assignments, and your students in special populations can access the differentiated lessons they need.
  3. Communicate regularly. Use Google+ to create learning communities and Blogger to keep students and parents up to date on what’s going on in class. Visitors to your blogger site can interact with your blogs and podcasts.
  4. Offer model assignments. Students like to see examples. Use the Google shared drive to store holistically graded essays or an example of a well-written science experiment.
  5. Monitor assignments with Google Classroom. It’s a management tool that allows for customization and communication. Students turn in assignments electronically, and teachers provide digital feedback and grades to students and their parents.
  6. Curate content. Store the projects your students create and house your own specially developed lessons in Google Drive.
  7. Keep the date with Google Calendar. The calendar keeps you and your students current with reminders and alerts.
  8. Create Google forms. Developing forms in Google is quick and easy, so you can make seating charts, grading rubrics and more.
  9. Make it relevant. Take advantage of Google Earth and Google News for those teachable moments when you want to show what’s going on and where it is in the world.
  10. Incorporate the entire G Suite by getting Google Classroom. Google Classroom gives you at-a-glance views of which students are caught up on assignments and which still owe you work, and the suite brings all the Google services together for convenient access.

There are still a few things Google can’t do for you, like make coffee, but using Google in the classroom may affect your life outside the classroom. With Google, you won’t have to keep schlepping bags of work from school to home and back again. All your work is right there at your finger tips.

Google keeps instruction organized, accessible, and useful.

 

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Using Google Cardboard to Simulate Virtual Learning Experiences

The reason that many teachers strive for a more virtual experience instead of the traditional talking points is that the interaction makes the lesson more memorable to the students. Concepts and ideas that seem too complicated under time-honored instruction methods are easier to grasp when the students can experience the lessons. This does not mean that you need a VR machine to create a virtual experience either. There are a number of tools that can help you establish a virtual environment that makes lessons more entertaining while making the concepts easier to understand.

One of the biggest problems with edtech is the price tag – it can be incredibly cost prohibitive. However, that does not mean that you and your students have to be relegated to using only the old learning methods. Regardless of your budget, you can use Google Cardboard to create a virtual learning experience that will make lessons feel more relevant.

Google Cardboard is an interesting and very low-cost solution to creating a virtual experience. You can compare it to the Oculus Rift, but without the $600 price tag for each unit. As the name suggests, the product is from Google, and it is made entirely of cardboard. You construct the equipment (fold the cardboard) into the shape of goggles. Download the app you want to use in your virtual reality lesson, and place the phone within the frame, and you can start seeing the world from the app. It helps you feel like you are in the locations being displayed or are experiencing the events taking place.

You do need to control the phone and downloaded apps because there are some things you probably do not want to distract your students (such as the haunted house or dating apps). However, you can make this a highly engaging and entertaining part of lessons when students have completed assignments. There are also different models, ranging from $5 to $69.95 (before tax).

Creating an environment that is more obviously tied to the world makes many of the points you want to make much more obvious to your students. When they cannot understand what is meant by a hypotenuse, a simulation can help them get a vivid idea of the hypotenuse and why it is important. Mobile devices make it considerably easier to bring a virtual approach to any classroom, as long as you are willing to do the necessary research and testing before you present it to your students.