If you're a teacher who's just starting to go online, Google Classroom is the ideal option for you. It's easy to use and has all the features you need to get started.
Google Classroom is a great Learning Management System (LMS) for those just starting out. It's simple to use and doesn't require any downloads or special software. Google Meet, Google's video conferencing tool, is integrated into Google Classroom so you can easily connect with your students online. This makes it perfect for teachers who are new to online teaching and want an easy way to get started!
In the space of just five years, Google has helped upend the sales methods companies use to place their products in classrooms. It has enlisted teachers and administrators to promote Google’s products to other schools. It has directly reached out to educators to test its products — effectively bypassing senior district officials. And it has outmaneuvered Apple and Microsoft with a powerful combination of low-cost laptops, called Chromebooks, and free classroom apps.
Google’s success in education technology has been built on a simple premise: that its consumer products, like Search and YouTube, can be repurposed for classrooms. That strategy is now bearing fruit. Google Classroom, a five-year-old app that helps teachers create and organize assignments, is being used by more than 100 million students and teachers around the world. And it’s just one of many Google apps finding a place in schools.
But Google’s growing presence in education is also raising questions about its motives. The company says it wants to help educators improve teaching and learning. But critics say Google is primarily interested in collecting data on students and selling ads. They worry that the company will use its educational products to hook young users on its services and then sell them targeted ads for the rest of their lives. Google has said it does not use data from Google Classroom for advertising purposes. But that hasn’t quieted the concerns.
The privacy worries come as Google is facing increasing scrutiny from lawmakers, regulators and antitrust authorities around the world. Google is already the subject of three major antitrust investigations in the United States, and its education business could be a target of those probes. In Europe, Google agreed to changes in how it handles school data after a similar investigation.
Google’s expansive reach into schools also raises questions about whether the company is getting an unfair advantage in the market for education technology products. Google has used its free apps to lure schools to its Google Suite of products, which also includes the Google Meet video conferencing app and the Google Classroom learning management system. That has helped Google establish a strong position in the market for education software.
But some educators say they are concerned about being locked into Google’s ecosystem of products. They worry that they will be forced to use Google’s products even if better options become available. And they say Google is using its clout to push schools to adopt Chromebooks, which now make up more than 60 percent of the laptops shipped to U.S. classrooms.
Google denies that it is trying to lock schools into its products. The company says it offers schools a choice of devices and software and that it is not trying to sell them anything. Google says its goal is simply to help educators use technology to improve teaching and learning.
But for some teachers, the concerns about Google’s motives are outweighed by the benefits of its products. They say Google Classroom has made it easier for them to manage their assignments and communicate with students. And they like the fact that they can use Google Meet to hold video conferences with students who are sick or have other conflicts that prevent them from attending class in person.
For teachers who are just starting out with online learning, Google Classroom is an ideal option. It’s easy to use and it integrates well with other Google apps. And best of all, it’s free.
So if you’re a teacher who is just starting to go online, Google Classroom is the ideal option for you. It’s easy to use and it integrates well with other Google apps. And best of all, it’s free. So what are you waiting for? Try Google Classroom today!
What do you think about Google Classroom? Have you tried it yet? Let us know in the comments below! And be sure to check out our other blog post on Google Meet: The Ideal Video Conferencing Solution for Teachers! Thanks for reading!