If someone is going down the wrong road, he doesn’t need motivation to speed him up. What he needs is education to turn him around.
- Jim Rohn
Wondering why the title is so? Friends it's right, our ever friendly search engine Google has so many helpful tools for Education that we as Administrators and Teachers are still unaware of the benefits provided for absolute FREE OF COST. You are Right!.Google has got an answer for all queries. Thanks to Google.
With the advancement in Educational technology and ICT, the field of education has drastically changed from traditional chalk and talk methods to E- Learning, Online Learning & M- Learning, thus putting a pressure on the 21st century teachers to emerge victorious in their teaching and learning process. Teachers being the nation builders, a great challenge is put up in front of all in which few achieve excellency, few are best and the remaining are good enough. Teachers are appreciated for their strong content knowledge and teaching skills since the traditional time, but if you are a techno savvy teacher as the world needs today, then you become the most favourite teacher of your students,who is able to win the pupil heart not only with strong content knowledge but the excellent technology skills required for teaching.
If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people.
- Chinese Proverb
As the New Academic year is about to begin, and this is the consequent second year of online teaching, let's begin our journey of teaching & learning and be prepared for a new challenge.
In this article I am going to enlist a few easy to use and simple Google tools to make your lesson and teaching attractive. The added advantage of this being that your mobile phones or laptops will not eat your storage memory because everything you do on these tools is saved on cloud. But all you need to have is a valid Gmail account. So you can still have your phone's memory intact. Isn't it a good idea? I am sure this is going to help many of our professional teachers and emerging teachers who actually want to teach but are unable to do it due to lack of technical knowledge and skills.
So are you all ready. Let's begin.
Here is the list of all the Google tools one can use to make the teaching and learning method more vibrant.
1. Google Drive:
Google Drive is the best companion for cloud storage of files, videos, images etc. One can save large size videos or files in this forever, without the risk of losing it
2. Google Classroom:
The best tool for creating, sharing and grading. It can be either a one-on-one session or a group session. The sharing of different assignment, projects and activities, assessments and evaluation, and grading can take place through it
3. Google Slides:
Google Slides work just as a Microsoft PowerPoint. One can create a beautiful slide presentation and make your lecture more interesting and fascinating for students. One can also share these slides with other Co-teachers allowing them to view or edit it.
4. Google Docs:
Google Docs works just the way Microsoft Word does. One can create lesson notes, assignments, activities and projects and share with all the students.
5. Google Sheets:
Google Sheets works just the way Microsoft Excel does. One can make Summative and formative evaluation sheets, Report cards, final green sheets, white sheets, Attendance catalogue, Log sheets, and lesson plans using this.
6. Google Meet:
Meet is the online platform to conduct Live online classes. One can share the screen and project the presentations, images, stories. Online teachers meeting, seminars, PTA meeting, Open day, Competitions, Cultural Programs and workshops can also be conducted live using it.
7. Google Sites:
Google Sites are the best option available for a teacher who wishes to move out of the box and create their own beautiful website and publish different courses, post lesson videos, post notes, assignments, projects and activities.
8. Google Hangouts:
Google Hangouts can be chosen as an equivalent to Whatsapp as we all use today. One can post important announcements and notices for parents. Standard Wise and division wise different groups we can create to Share videos, files, images and chat one - on - one or in group.
9. Google Jamboard:
Google Jamboard has the facility of whiteboard with different features and tools which gives the feeling of actual writing on the board, with different color pens, highlighters, brush, eraser, draw tool, sticky notes,and multiple jams (board) to use at one time.
10. Google Keep:
Google Keep helps us to make a note of important points which we might tend to forget. Also is the best option for notes writing.
11. Google Forms:
Google Forms provide the easiest way of assessment and evaluation. One can conduct class tests, half yearly exams, Annual Terminal Exams, surveys and feedback by using it.
12. Google Books:
Instead of arranging books in your shelves, one can search the reference books online using Google Books. Wide variety of books, of different authors and publications are available for free of cost. One can save the book in the library and access it as and when needed.
13.Google Earth:
The biggest challenge faced by geography teachers is easily resolved by Google Earth. The teacher just has to type the name of the location and share with students to enable them to view it on the earth. One can explore the whole world with satellite imagery and 3D representation of earth.
14. Google Drawings:
Google not only has solutions for subject and language teachers but also for Art and Craft teachers. Teachers and students can get hands-on drawing experience of different objects and tools. It's a diagramming software as a part of Google Docs Editors suite.
15. Google CS First:
Google CS First is an online platform for creating, managing, and teaching the basics of computer science concepts to students. One can enrol as a teacher and have the wonderful experience of teaching coding Language to students.
16. Google Maps:
Google Maps is a web mapping platform and consumer application offered by Google. It offers satellite imagery, aerial photography, street maps, 360° interactive panoramic views of streets, real-time traffic conditions, and route planning for traveling by foot, car, air and public transportation.
17. Google Translate:
Google's free service instantly translates words, phrases, and web pages between English and over 100 other languages. One can copy the text and use the text generated for learning any new indian and foreign language.
18. Google Indic Keyboard (Input tools):
Google Indic Keyboard is a variation of Google keyboard that can be used to type in different Indian languages. Basically used by different language teachers for writing their lesson plans and typing question papers.
Wasn't it wonderful to know about these simple tools? Instead of investing thousands and lakhs in paid tools and learning apps. Just Google it.
The dream begins, most of the time, with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you on to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called truth.
- Dan Rather
Please share this with as many teachers and administrators, as many lives are dependent on teachers. Happy Teaching.
By Shobha Joy Gaddam
(Academician & Educator)
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