• Front Page
    • Digital Education
    • Terry Freedman's Books Bulletin
  • RSS
  • Search
    • Welcome
    • The "About" Page
    • Testimonials
    • CV/Resumé
    • My Writing
    • Published articles
  • Corrections Policy
Menu

ICT & Computing in Education

Articles on education technology and related topics
  • Front Page
  • Newsletters
    • Digital Education
    • Terry Freedman's Books Bulletin
  • RSS
  • Search
  • Info
    • Welcome
    • The "About" Page
    • Testimonials
    • CV/Resumé
    • My Writing
    • Published articles
  • Corrections Policy

4 things to bear in mind when using Google Classrooms as a teacher

July 31, 2022

These are the things I’ve discovered from personal experience (and we all know what Oscar Wilde said about experience!).

Firstly, if you have ore than one Google account, such as a personal one and a college one, it’s easy to try and log in with the wrong one, and then wonder why nothing is happening!

Secondly, I’ve found that, for some odd reason, my mic and video won’t work if I use the Google Chrome browser to try and log into Google Meet — despite the fact that Chrome is made by Google. But using Firefox is fine, and probably other browsers are as well. Just not Chrome!

Thirdly, when you upload a file, whether in the Stream or the Classwork area, it won’t actually be available until you click on Post (or Schedule or Draft). In the Stream area, you can’t click on Post until you’ve entered a comment (such as, “Here’s my file”).

Fourthly, there’s lots on Google Classroom. I’ve been using it for a while, both as a student and as a teacher, and I still keep forgetting where things are, and discovering features I wasn’t aware of. I would strongly recommend giving yourself enough time to become familiar with Classroom before your course begins. You really don’t want to just leave it to the day before and then upload stuff and hope for the best. Well, to be fair, you could probably get away with that, but you could do so much more to make your course engaging.

For something educational but not necessarily about edtech, subscribe to What Now?! What Now? is a general education newsletter written by Terry Freedman. It includes observations, rants, and a section on being a Head of Department in a secondary school. Do have a look and, hopefully, sign up for regular updates:

What Now?

In Using and Teaching Computing & ICT Tags Google classroom
← Amazon StudySummer reading #3: Algorithms →
Recent book reviews
a little history of the earth.jpg
One for your Geography colleagues perhaps? Review: A Little History of the Earth -- two reviews in one!
Read more →
a word for all seasons.jpg
For your English colleagues: A Word for all Seasons -- two reviews in one!
Read more →
the mending.jpg
For your maths colleagues: The Mending of Broken Bones: A Modern Guide to Classical Algebra -- two reviews in one!

I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published. The second one is what I actually wrote! In substantive terms there is little difference between the two, but you may find it interesting to see what the editor altered.

Read more →
the worst exhibition.jpg
For your History colleagues: The Worst Exhibition in the World: Degenerate Art, 1937 -- two reviews in one!

I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published. The second one is what I actually wrote! In substantive terms there is little difference between the two, but you may find it interesting to see what the editor altered.

Read more →
History lesson, by Terry Freedman.jpg
Is The computing Curriculum Too Masculine? Revisited 16 years later!

One of the apparently insoluble problems of the age is how do you encourage more girls to take up Computing? I think a lot can be done, and have done so myself, but I wonder how far a lot of the effort fails to get to the heart of the issue, which could be the curriculum itself, the way it is taught, or a combination of the two?

Read more →
best writing maths.jpg
Book review: The best writing on mathematics, 2016

I think this could be an excellent resource for teachers of mathematics.

Read more →
international short (2).jpg
For your Eng Lit colleagues? The Penguin Book of the International Short Story -- two reviews in one!

I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published. The second one is what I actually wrote!

Read more →
Turner and Constable (1).jpg
Two reviews in one: Turner and Constable: Rivals and Originals -- art and history

One for your colleagues, perhaps: art, art history, ploitics with a small ‘p’.

Read more →
satire (1).jpg
Two reviews in one: State of Ridicule: A History of Satire in English Literature -- politics, history, English

One for your colleagues, perhaps. Sperrin has provided a wealth of information that can be used to provide a rich experience for students of politics, history and English literature.

Read more →
a little history of maths.jpg
Two reviews in one: A Little History of Mathematics

I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published. The second one is what I actually wrote! In substantive terms there is little difference between the two, but you may find it interesting to see what the editor altered.

Read more →
Dig+Ed+Banner.jpg

Contact us

Privacy

Cookies

Terms and conditions

This website is powered by Squarespace

(c) Terry Freedman All Rights Reserved