Assignment 1: Publication Outline

 

PART 1:  REFLECTION QUESTIONS

 

1. What is the topic of your article?

 

      a.             Teaching Students How to Effectively Utilize Google Suites and Searches to Create Significant Learning Experiences

 

 2. What is the connection to your innovation plan or initiative?

 

       a.            The innovation plan I have chosen to implement on my campus is a flipped classroom with project-based learning.  

       

        b.           Since I am currently in a Google district, I am passionate about learners understanding how to utilize Google                                    resources with intention and purpose as they complete home components of flipped learning such as answering                                extension questions at the end of instructional videos and sharing and discussing their ideas with other students as                            well as during the project-based classroom activities like research and presenting information to others.

 

3. How can this information help others?

 

                      a. This information will help teachers by providing them with ideas for how to utilize Google resources to increase the                            learning experience for their students.  

     

                      b. It will also help shift the focus of teachers and students away from the technology itself and place it more towards                              learning. 

 

4. Lessons learned or hoped to learn?

 

                      a.        By writing this article, it is my hope that teachers will gain a better understanding of the importance of                                             students  using technology with intention and purpose.  

 

                       b.        I want educators to become inspired to show learners that Google resources are not just tools to receive                                            information passively.  

 

                        c.       When technology is utilized in an active, creative, and collaborative way, they can be used as tools to create                                    valuable  learning experiences.

 

5. What digital resources will be included in your article? Briefly describe.

 

                         a.       Google Calendar= Program that provides a way to schedule and receive reminders of meetings, activities,                                       events.  

           

                          b.      Google Meet= Program that provides a way to meet with a group in real time  video call   Google Docs=                                         Program that provides a shared workspace for groups to add content, share ideas, and edit documents in                                         real-time whether they are together or not.

              

                           c.       Google Forms= Program that provides a way to collect and organize information from surveys and quizzes

 

                           d.       Google Slides= Program that provides a way to build a presentation that is editable by multiple group                                             members  regardless of location

                  

                           e.        Google Groups= Online community that provides a way for groups with common interests to create and                                            participate in online discussion forums 

 

                           f.        Google Jamboard= Program that provides a space for groups to brainstorm and collaborate in a highly                                            visual and interactive format 

 

                           g.       Blogger= Online platform that allows learners to chronicle and share their learning experiences with others i

 

                           h.       Google Sites= Program that provides students with an opportunity to create their own websites

 

                           i.        Google Search= Search engithat   provides a way students to retrieve various sources of information they                                          may need to enhance learning

                           j.       Google Docs= Program that provides a shared workspace for groups to add content, share ideas, and                                              edit documents in real-time whether they are together or not.

 

 

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES LINK

https://www.edutopia.org/about/your-turn-write-us

 

 PART 2:  ARTICLE OUTLINE

 

Proposed Post Description (Part of Guidelines):  The topic of my post is teaching students how to effectively utilize Google Suites and searches to create significant learning experiences.  In my post, I will provide educators in grades 2 and up with ideas for how to engage students in Google resources in a way that is intentional and active for learning.  By writing this post, it is my hope that educators will become inspired to show their learners that Google resources are not just tools to receive information passively.  When utilized in an active, creative, and collaborative way, they can, more importantly, be used as tools to create valuable learning experiences.

 

1. Introduction

 

                               A.       Need a recipe?  Do a Google Search!  Need to easily share your location?  Use Google Maps!  Need                                            to know how to say ‘Hello’ in Japanese?  Put it in Google Translate!  As adults, Google is often our go-                                            to tool to provide assistance as we aim to share information and solve various problems in our daily                                                lives.  Depending on what we need to accomplish, we seek to use a different Google resource to meet                                              that particular need.      

                               B.         Knowing how we utilize Google resources as adults to meet our specific needs, wouldn’t it be helpful if                                             our students learned how to use Google resources in the same way to meet their specific learning                                                     needs?   

 

                                C.        Below I have included various Google resources and how students can use them as tools to assist them                                              in meeting their needs as they embark on self-directed learning journeys.

 

II.        Google Resources for Effective Collaboration

 

                                A.         Google Calendar

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                                1.         Provides a way to schedule and receive reminders of meetings, activities, events; everyone in the                                                      group has access to add or edit information in the calendar

                                2.         Great tool for students to use when their intention or purpose is to keep track of deadlines for                                                          completing particular work tasks and remain updated of any changes in their group’s schedule during                                              self-directed learning tasks

 

                                B.         Google Meet

                                1.         Provides a way to meet with a group via video call

                               

                                2.        Great tool for students to use when their intention or purpose is to present, share, and discuss                                                           information with others in a real-time, face-to-face format when they are not in the same physical                                                     environment during self-directed learning tasks  

 

   

                                C. Google Docs

 

                                1.        Provides a shared online workspace for students to collaborate in real-time when they are not in the                                                 same physical space

 

                                 2.         Great tool for students to use when their intention or purpose is to create a platform for all group                                                     members to edit, add, share, brainstorm ideas, and provide feedback during self-directed group                                                     writing tasks 

 

                                 D. Google Groups

 

                                 1.           Provides a way for groups with common interests to create and participate in online discussion                                                         forums 

                                           

                                  2.          Great tool for students to use when their intention or purpose is to build learning community with                                                     students and teachers in other classes in order to gain more knowledge of a particular subject                                                         being studied during self-directed learning tasks

 

                                E. Google Jamboard

                     

                                1.             Provides a way for each group member to display individual ideas and thinking 

 

                                2.            Great tool for student to use when their intention or purpose is to conduct group brainstorming                                                         sessions in a manner that highly interactive and visual in order to create better group                                                                     understanding during self-directed learning tasks

 

III.        Google Resources for Active Research

 

                               A.             Google Forms

 

                               B.              Provides a way for students to create surveys and quizzes for others to take

 

                               C.              Great tool for student to use when their intention or purpose is to collect opinions or other data                                                         from others or quiz others as a way to see how effective their presentation of information was                                                         during self-directed learning tasks

 

B. Google Search

1. Provides a way students to retrieve various sources of information they may need to enhance learning

 

                               A.               Great tool for student to use when their intention or purpose is to retrieve information in order to                                                       gain a better understanding of a topic and use the variety of facts and opinions acquired to form a                                                   well-rounded opinion of the topic during self-directed learning tasks

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2. Students can do specific searches based on the type of information they need to retrieve about the topic (e.g. images, video,              news, maps, travel, etc.)

1. Placing quotation marks around the topic they are searching makes the results even more specific to their needs

 

IV.       Google Resources for Presenting/Sharing Learning with Others

 

1. Google Slides

2. Provides a way for students to create learning experiences for others

3. Great tool for student to use when their intention or purpose is to use what they have learned to develop learning opportunities for others via creating presentations, games, digital storybooks, flashcards, videos, etc.  

 

B.  Blogger/Google Sites

1. Provides a way for students to chronicle their learning experiences

2. Great tool for student to use when their intention or purpose is to reflect on their learning experiences and share what they have learned with others 

 

V.       Conclusion

 

1. Just as it does with us adults in our quest to meet our daily needs, knowing which tools to use to meet a specific learning need and how to use it makes the learning process a much easier, enjoyable, and valuable experience.  Today, I challenge you to think of a specific need your students may have in the self-directed learning journeys and teach your students how to utilize the Google resource that will help them address that need.  Which one will you choose?   

 

BIO (Part of Guidelines)

 

Monika  is currently a High School ParaProfessional.  Throughout her  years in education  she has owned a childcare school, taught in private school, Curriculum Coordinator in the Kids R Kids Franchise and she has been a Para in the Klein Independent School District for 4 years. Monika Wiggins has experience from 0 months to high school age students . Monika has a strong passion for effective use of technology in the classroom and aims to create significant learning environments where passion and interest lead to authentic and meaningful learning experiences.