Module 1 – Digital Learning and SSE

[Pat Brennan]

Consider how you can use Digital Technology in your classroom to enhance students learning? How can you now apply School Self Evaluation Guidelines to your teaching?
What impact can developing your own use of Digital Technology have at school level (SSE)?

Explore the teaching resources area of Google for Education’s Teacher Centre. Choose one that you could use with your pupils in the new school year. Discuss how you would localise and enhance this for your classroom in this Forum as a reply to this post (150 words minimum) and how you would go about using it with your class. Include a link to your chosen resource.

Please Note:  Participants who use Word to write their assignments and then copy and paste these into the forum may find that additional extraneous formatting is brought across. To avoid this, right click in the post window and choose ‘Paste as Plain Text’. Alternatively, you can first paste the content into Notepad (Or similar) and then copy it from here to the topic window.

[Deirdre Farnan]

Module 1 – Digital Learning and SSE

As a teacher in a special school the benefits of using digital technology in teaching are immense. It provides opportunities for greater engagement particularly where pupils may struggle to express themselves through oral or written communication. The needs of pupils within the class are very diverse and digital technology provides the chance to differentiate without it being apparent to their peers. It also allows pupils to work together on projects and provides them with a space to get creative on how they present materials.

With regards to SSE the use of digital technology in our school setting where are pupils are at increased risk of vulnerability online allows us time to explore with the pupils the potential risks and threats in the digital environment.

I have chosen the use of the Jamboard app as an example of one of the teaching resources and can envisage how this could be shared with my colleagues to promote the use of digital technology in other classrooms. Our pupils follow a Music Appreciation module for certification and are required to listen and respond to various genres. The Jamboard app could be used by pupils to listen to cover versions of the same song and respond using text boxes, emojis, images etc. This could be shared on the class whiteboard and also printed as evidence of their engagement and collaboration with their peers.

https://edu.google.com/for-educators/product-guides/jamboard/?modal_active=video-modal

 

[Deirdre Furlong]

https://www.peardeck.com/</span></p&gt;

This is a very versatile tool that would allow me to turn presentations and lessons into interactive learning experiences for my pupils. I teach 4th class and it would be very useful to make a Slides presentation with Pear Deck assessment features embedded on any given topic. Presentations can then be shared with my pupils. It’s easy for children to join as they get a unique code. After different sections of the presentation, Pear Deck would allow me to assess the pupil’s learning in real time. Pear Deck allows for assessment in a lot of different formats from drag and drop, multiple choice to open-ended questions. The beauty of it is that pupils’ responses are anonymous to their peers, but I can still see identifiable information. Shy students and those who are afraid or embarrassed to ask questions in front of their peers would have a venue to speak, share, and participate. This tool also supports multiple learning styles. Students can  type or draw. I can see this being really useful across the curriculum, but especially in areas like literacy and SESE where I could assess pupil’s learning on topics like local history and geography or novel studies. This will increase participation and confidence levels. Pupils could create their own presentations with peers using Pear Deck features. This would serve to improve digital literacy as well as pupil engagement.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by Pat Brennan.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by Eoghan O'Neill.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Deirdre,

Thanks for sharing the link to PearDeck above. It’s a tool which I have often heard great things about, but have yet to actually use it on a consistent basis with my class. However, the description provided would certainly encourage you to want to use it.

The ability to ‘assess the children’s learning in real time’ is something which is so important. I often find that feedback often falls on deaf ears as it is not ‘in the moment’ and the time has passed for it to be very effective. We need to look at ways (across the continuum of assessment) of supporting this in real-time. The fact that Pear Deck is suitable for multiple different learning styles and allows for content to be presented in many forms is another major plus for the platform.

[Katie Stokes]

I also teach 4th class and I never thought of using this!! you have inspired me to give it a go!!! 🙂

[Jen Ní Mhathúna]

Hi everyone,

I searched for resources relating to Arts and Culture and found a brilliant resource called “Viola the Bird.” This would be a great resource to use to enhance a music lesson. The children can “play” the viola, rather direct a funny looking bird to play, but in order to complete the task correctly, they must be aware of note values and tempo. I think this would really engage students and could really bring a music lesson to life.

https://artsandculture.google.com/incognito/experiment/viola-the-bird/nAEJVwNkp-FnrQ

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Jen,

Welcome to the course. Thank you so much for sharing this activity with us. I wouldn’t like to admit how long I have just spent messing around with it. It turns out my online playing of musical instruments is very similar to my offline playing! There is plenty of interactivity in the link, and major ties can be made to the music curriculum. ‘Arts and Culture’ is an amazing resource – I often spend hours moving from one collection to another, totally mesmerised by the available content.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by Eoghan O'Neill.

[Kevin Flynn]

https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/middle-and-high-school/en/design-a-website-to-promote-a-project/design-a-website-to-promote-a-project/share-your-website-with-your-group.html

I liked the above lesson where it showed how to create your own website. We created posters last year when talking about advertising in SPHE while also integrating with literacy and visual arts. I think this would be taking it to another level in terms of our digital learning and working towards the goals as set out by the schools digital learning framework. The three videos are very helpful and show each step in the process of creating your own website. This would be useful for advertising school events, choosing your audience and the content of what to share on the website.

Team work and collaboration is also encouraged in this activity as the children are encouraged to discuss and plan the content before starting the development of the website. This can be difficult for some as there are those who want to take control and those that are happy to sit back and let others do the work. The website can also be shared with the class group and allows for immediate assessment and feedback for the children.

 

[Damien O’Flynn]

 

https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/middle-and-high-school/en/if-then-adventure-stories/if-then-adventure-stories/quiz.html

I first used Google Classroom last year so I’d consider myself a relative novice to it. I never used or heard of the Applied Digital Skills section but can’t believe how good it is.

I really like the lesson plans relating to the what if adventure stories. In it, students (in groups) create an interactive story but each slide has a scenario and an option that the reader has to choose. The story can then go on a different journey depending what the reader chooses.

I like that students first have to brainstorm their ideas collaboratively in a shared document. This way everyone is involved and no one is left out. Students can also comment on each other’s story ideas and provide peer assessment where necessary. The students then create their story using google slides. I found the videos very useful and practical offering clear explanations on what to do next.

Throughout these lessons, students are encouraged to work together and collaboratively. It also allows everyone to be involved and give their ideas in the shared document and comments section. I really like the planning aspect of it as I think students can often rush into projects without thinking about what they should include. Planning is essential in any project for it to be a success but can be the most difficult aspect for children to be motivated for.

 

 

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Damian,

Welcome to the course. It’s great that you have had some experience of working with Google Classroom over the last year. Hopefully, you will be able to draw on this experience and gather some new ideas as you move through the course. The ‘Applied Digital Skills’ element of the Google Suite is an excellent and under-utilised resource. One of the best elements of it is the ‘step-by-step’ nature of its layout and how easy that makes the process for teachers. The ability to seamlessly work collaboratively is one of the main features of the Google Workspace tools, and it’s clear that you are thinking in this way with your suggestions.

[Cal O’Flynn]

<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #1155cc; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; -webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/middle-and-high-school/en/build-a-logo-to-express-who-you-are/overview.html</span&gt;<span id=”docs-internal-guid-a595169d-7fff-7f0e-1b09-c6bb51e835d0″></span></p>
<p dir=”ltr”></p>
<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>I chose this lesson as I think it would be a great one to use with a new class on the first week back. One could use it to get to know the children in the class whilst introducing Google Classroom, Drive and Docs at the same time. It is interactive and engaging. This could be their personal logo for the school year and you could update it throughout the year to see how your interests, etc have changed. It could be printed and displayed within the classroom. The videos are very informative and the lesson is cross curricular bringing in SPHE, art, drawing and visual arts skills. The children would be engaged and they could even assess each other and recommend updates (2 stars and a wish, etc). There are many opportunities for collaboration and feedback. The teacher could upload it onto the school website to interact with parents. This will enhance the school goal of promoting the use of Digital Technology on a school level. Children will encourage their parents to look at their logo and how it represents them. </span></p>

[Maebh Mullins]

I have chosen how to use drive to organise files. https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/middle-and-high-school/en/organize-files-in-drive/overview.html

It is an 8 step by step process in the following:

Introduction to Use Drive to Organize Files.

Create and Color-Code Folders.

Rename, Move, and Delete Files

Upload and Add Files to Drive

Set and Change Sharing Permission.

Use Drive to Organize Files Wrap-Up

Use Drive to Organize Files Extensions

The reason I am doing this course is to do with the fear of what I could do wrong in my Google drive and wanting to know what Google classroom has to offer. I think that as a school we use Google drive and share files etc. amongst the staff but we have received no official training. We are lucky to have staff members who are knowledgeable with Google drive and offer assistance to others. We have been sent information on training sessions but the times haven’t suit me. This is a tool that means people like me can practice at a time suitable for themselves. I believe this is something suitable not only for staff especially for SSE but for students also. It’s a step by step guide which encourages and guides you through how to organise your files and folders. I believe file management is something we must introduce to all students at an early stage not only for students with access to AT. I also think that if school are sharing resources it would be worth while to come to an arrangement of how to name shared files, where to save etc and this tool definitely assists with this.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by Eoghan O'Neill.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Maebh,

Google Drive is such a powerful tool, and with the 100TB storage per school domain, it is something which effectively offers unlimited storage. Using it effectively has so many benefits, and the Applied Digital Skills steps are a great guide. I find ‘Drive for Desktop’, which can be downloaded on the settings cog at the top right of the Drive home screen excellent. The moves your Google Drive onto your desktop, and you can save items directly as you would to documents on your computer. Having this functionality removes the need to use the web browser and takes some steps away from the saving/uploading of files.

[Rioghnach Mhic Ginnea]

https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/middle-and-high-school/en/organize-files-in-drive/organize-files-in-drive/introduction-to-organize-files-in-drive.html

The lesson I have chosen to focus on is the organize files in drive lesson. I currently teach in a large primary Gaelscoil and we have been using Dropbox for a little while now. However, we have decided to move over to Google Workspace after the summer. Therefore, I found this lesson extremely helpful as our school email has been set up by a senior member of staff who has also set up folders for each class level, but we are then required to move whatever material we wish over to the Google platform from Dropbox. I also have a lot of material on USB keys and my home computer which I am now very much looking forward to organising in one space. Even though creating and names folders and documents isn’t altogether new to me the colour coding and short cuts were extremely useful. The most practical element I found was the sharing permissions aspects. I have received and shared some files before, but I hadn’t fully gaged all I could do and what to set these permissions to. I feel this will be hugely beneficial at school for creating collaborative documents, presentations, worksheets etc with my colleague in the other 1st class. We can now add and create resources to be used by both 1st class streams in both classrooms. I feel it was greatly add to ease of workload once I have organised everything as if you are on leave from school I won’t have to be copying and pasting documents or slides for the substitute teacher to access as they will all be available to access in one place. I also feel it will be extremely helpful if a teacher was perhaps on unexpected last minute leave a little folder of work or directions could be added from home from the substitute to access and see what needs to be covered that day.

 

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Rioghnach,

Welcome to the course and thank you for your post. The storage and organisation of files within Google Drive is something which can either cause immense frustration or make your workflow much easier. Setting up a system from the start is an excellent idea and hopefully this short applied digital skills course will help you. The 100 TB organisation limit essentially means that users within an organisation will have unlimited storage. ‘Drive for Desktop’ (which can be downloaded under the settings wheel with Drive on the Chrome browser) has been a game-changer for me. I have this downloaded on my work and personal laptops and can save files seamlessly without the need to move them from documents to Drive on the web browser. It essentially appears as an extra folder on your desktop. You can also add any shared school drives in this way too.

[Laura Kerins]

Module 1 – Digital learning and SSE

https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/middle-and-high-school/en/create-a-photo-journal-in-google-docs/overview.html

I found the above resource of creating a digital photo journal very interesting and feel that it would work well in my own classroom. I work in a Deis school and often find that many of the children shy away from conversation and lack the confidence to share their news with others. I think this resource would create a space where these children might feel safer to contribute.

I also think that this would be a great group project for children, possibly writing about classroom happenings or their school tour. It could also enhance differentiation, allowing the children to work at their own level and contribute in groups or independently. Using google docs for this resource works really well as it is easily accessible on many devices and the children can work simultaneously on the same document, which creates less management issues in the classroom.

I think digital learning really enhances the classroom and creates much more engagement in lessons from students. From my own experience, providing them with the opportunity to create something with full independence really motivates the students, and this is very easy to do with the vast amount of resources available through digital learning.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by TeachNet Support.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by Eoghan O'Neill.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Laura,

Welcome to the course. The short course n creating a photo journal is an excellent choice. The beauty of the Google Workspace apps is that the pupil themselves can choose whether the work they have completed should be shared with a wider audience or kept personal. Having this knowledge before they start a task can often lead to them ‘freeing up’ and expressing themselves clearly, as they view it as a safe space. The task can be manipulated to suit whatever you are doing and can focus on recall of personal events, or be a collaborative endeavour that focuses on some element of school life.

[Katie Stokes]

I have used Google Drive and some other tools before but I have never used Google Classroom. I had never heard of the Applied Digital Skills section and I cant believe how useful it is! Obviously I will need more time to go through and become more competent in using it.
I liked this lesson:
https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/middle-and-high-school/en/build-a-logo-to-express-who-you-are/overview.html
It teaches the students ( and teacher!!!!!) how to design a logo that describes their personality using google drawings.
I thought it would be a great lesson to teach at beginning of the year as I was getting to know the students and their own unique personalities. I do not know the students I will be teaching in September or their level of IT skills. I thought the pace of this lesson would suit all abilities. I might also use peer tutoring and peer support to help those who were struggling.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Katie,

Welcome to the course! Applied Digital Skills is a real hidden gem within the Google Workspace toolkit. I like the particular lesson you have chosen, as it highlights another use of Google Drawings. I have used Drawings so much over the past year to create classroom posters, drag and drop activities, labelling activities and much more. It’s a tool that has huge scope for creating more interactive content for children to engage with. Drawings allows children to showcase creativity – one activity I assigned this year was to create a poster to advertise the novel ‘Holes’, and it really is amazing to see what the children are capable of coming up with.

[Seán Devlin]

https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/middle-and-high-school/en/if-then-adventure-stories/overview.html

I really liked this resource as a way to take away the monotony that can result from the writing process. Even though, its the best approach to writing, sometimes it can get a tad repetitive. This resource is simple and user friendly and includes engaging little videos as well to aid the children. It also, takes the children through the process sequentially, thus allowing them to work at their own pace.

For me the best use of this resource would be for differentiation. It would allow children who are reluctant writers a way for them to write at their own pace. It would allow them to return to their work as an early finisher and thus remove the fear of the ’empty page’ which can be daunting for children. I fully intend to incorporate this into a creative writing lesson in the coming year and to really apply this to differentiation. It could also be done in connection with the support teacher and depending on the child’s context, at home as well. For me, it would be a great resource to building writing confidence and allow for individual expression, while also ensuring a high level of instruction too.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Seán,

Welcome to the course. The choice of resource here is a strong entry point into the writing process. The process is presented in an engaging manner, with various templates there to structure the work for both teacher and children. This provides a sort of scaffold for those reluctant writers and can be used very effectively for differentiation. There is also the scope there to allow more competent writers to extend their writing through various prompts and questioning. All in all, the Applied Digital Skills website is an excellent source for engaging classroom content.

[Colin Ryan]

There are many ways that digital technology can be used to enhance student learning.

Virtual learning platforms can be used to create online classrooms where students can access learning materials, collaborate with their peers, and get help from their teachers. This can be especially helpful for students who are absent from school or who need additional support.

Digital tools can be used to create personal learning experiences for students. Students can use online quizzes and assessments to track their progress and identify areas where they need more help. They can also use digital tools to create their own projects and presentations.

 

School Self Evaluation Guidelines (SSE) can be applied to teaching by using digital technology in the following ways:

 

Using digital technology to collect data on student learning. This data can be used to identify areas where students are struggling and to make adjustments to my teaching.

Using digital technology to provide feedback to students. This feedback can be more timely and specific than feedback that is provided in person.

Using digital technology to collaborate with other teachers. This collaboration can help teachers to learn new teaching techniques and to share resources with other teachers.

 

The impact that developing my own use of digital technology can have at school level (SSE) is that it can:

 

Improve student learning outcomes. Students who use digital technology in the classroom tend to perform better academically than students who do not.

Reduce the achievement gap. Digital technology can be used to provide personal learning experiences for students, which can help to close the achievement gap.

Increase teacher productivity. Digital technology can free up teachers’ time so that they can focus on more important tasks, such as providing individual attention to students.

 

Here is a teaching resource from Google for Education’s Teacher Centre that I could use with my pupils in the new school year:

 

Google Expeditions: https://edu.google.com/expeditions/ is a virtual reality (VR) platform that allows students to explore the world from the comfort of their classroom. Expeditions can be used to teach a variety of subjects, including history, science, and geography.

I would localise and enhance this resource for my classroom by creating my own Expeditions. I would choose topics that are relevant to my students’ interests and that would help them to learn about their local community. I would also create activities that would allow students to interact with the content in a meaningful way.

 

 

 

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Colin,

Welcome to the course. Thank you for your detailed contribution here. I really like how you have focus on ‘personal learning experiences’. The use of online platforms such as Google Workspace enables us to create these learning experiences that bit easier. There is more scope for students to take ownership of their own learning, and elements of it could be categorised as self-directed. Your choice of Google Expeditions is anther excellent one. It is amazing to get that first hand experience of landmark locations around the world – there is only a small selection at present but we can only hope that more locations are added over time.

[Diarmuid Fitzgerald]

I would use digital technology as a way for the children to present information about themselves. Children love to talk about themselves and are passionate about bringing their own interests into the classroom. This would make digital technology real to the children. Children often know more about technology than adults do, so for me, as a teacher, they would be teaching me about it.

In terms of School Self Evaluation, the children in the school would need to improve their digital literacy, and the best way to do this is to embed the practice of using digital resources in the school. The school could use the steps outlined in the SSE process to identify this need, gather evidence about it, and see what the children already know and what gaps there are in this area. We could use Google Forms to help us to do this.

I would use Google Slides as a resource for the children to make a presentation about themselves at the start of the year. They would need to be taught it by me, the teacher, and this would localise it for the classroom. I would get the help of children to demonstrate the process as well. Using Google Images, they could use images from the web to enhance their presentations.

https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/middle-and-high-school/en/create-a-presentation-all-about-a-topic/create-a-presentation-all-about-a-topic/introduction-to-create-a-presentation-all-about-a-topic.html

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Diarmuid,

Welcome to the course. It is certainly fair to say that a high percentage of children really love discussing their own lives and their own interests. Being able to integrate digital skill with this passion is a really good idea, and allows them to showcase creativity in the process. From my experience, Slides and Drawings are the two Google tools that the children enjoy working with the most. They can spend excessive time on the aesthetics of the presentation rather than the content. If this is the case, some limits could be set, e.g. lesson 1 and lesson 2 is for content only, and lesson 3 and 4 could be used for adding backgrounds, themes, animations, etc.

[Maeve OMahony]

https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/middle-and-high-school/en/make-art-with-google-sheets/make-art-with-google-sheets/introduction-to-make-art-with-google-sheets.html

Digital technology can allow us to enhance our students learning through differentiation. Students who need extra time to go over lessons can be afforded this opportunity while more able students are able to work ahead independently. This can also help to free up the teacher to work with children with individual needs.

Most students in our classrooms today have great exposure to technology and they tend to view it as a more interesting and more engaging way of learning.

I am returning to teaching after a career break so I am a novice to Google Classroom so it is great to do this course and see the wealth of resources available.

I chose the above lesson on creating art in Sheets and I really like the idea of linking it with a lesson on famous artists or a piece of art inspired by a country. This allows for great cross curricular learning.

 

 

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Maeve,

Welcome to the course and thank you for your post here. I really like the unit you have attached from the Applied Digital Skills programme. While there is an element of fun within this task, there is a huge amount of learning about using and formatting Google Sheets. There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to navigate a spreadsheet, but much of the content of this unit equips children with the skills they will require to do this. As you have said, there is such a wealth of resources out there within the Google suite – taking a couple of tools over the coming year and getting to grips with them should provide you with a solid foundation that can be added to over the coming years.

[Aileen Hooper]

Phew, I’m doing the course because I’m such a Luddite and I have to upskill myself because we’re going to be making much more use of technology in the next few years.

I work with children with dyslexia and they tend to find any form of technology so much more engaging than regular books. They can become really frustrated at times so having another approach to teaching would be of great benefit. Quite a number of them will be eligible for assistive technology in secondary school so it’ll be helpful for my pupils to become au fait with same before then. Even more helpful for me ,if truth be told .

The one I particularly liked was https://edu.google.com/for-educators/product-guides/jamboard/?modal_active=video-modal https://edu.google.com/for-educators/product-guides/jamboard/?modal_active=video-modal .
It would give my pupils another means for creating posters, brainstorming ideas, making labels…… What was really great was the fact that they could clear every and start all over again. How wonderful is that !

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Aileen,

Welcome to the course! Thank you for your post. Very often, the use of digital technologies can be a game changer for children with literacy difficulties. It offers them an alternative route to accessing content. When used correctly, it can greatly enhance their attainment of learning intentions, and allow them to maintain ace with their peers. ‘Voice typing’ is a feature that is available in Google Docs and will convert oral speech to text with reasonable accuracy. ‘Talk and Comment’ is a Chrome extension that allows children to orally record themselves and embed the recording into a Doc, Slideshow, Sheet, etc.

Jamboard is a brilliant tool – it can be really useful for children with additional needs in an SET setting or whole-class setting. I have used it whole-class for language activities, and you can see children grow in confidence when other responses are added. For example, as Gaeilge they may see that all sentences are structured the same and they just have to use an online dictionary to search for one word to change the description of an animal, for example.

[marie O Donoghue]

https://app.bookcreator.com/read/library/-M10xgn9MIs3l2ae60-Z/46WUh5qZ7lTS9NUapPRohVGjUcY2/YgJbcdkmSs6NBe-KWuMFjA/55T37LIOQLqKrSiiUNbqvg?from=editor  The dlplanning site is a great find which ties in with learner outcomes for the curriculum. It also has loads of videos with ideas to use in the classroom. I particularly like the Book Creator app used to create ebooks which is so versatile for the curriculum. It could be used for history fact files or procedural writing for science etc using “Creative Commons” which is a safe site for students to access photos, sounds and videos. These ebooks can then be published to i-Tunes or a school blog. I also liked the video on using the app “Sworkit” for P.E. where children were divided into groups doing different activities and then used coloured squares as a rubric for self-assessment. When it comes to differentiation, I liked the idea of using Google Classroom for art where the rubric is emailed to pupils beforehand and is personal to them, if necessary while the general rubric is on the whiteboard during the lesson, reminding pupils of the process, not the end product. I also like that Google forms can be used for formative assessment in the form of a quiz.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by TeachNet Support.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by Eoghan O'Neill.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Marie,

Welcome to the course. I fully agree with you in regards to your thoughts on the DL Planning website. It is certainly a ‘go to’ for me as a digital coordinator and really maps easily to the domains and dimensions of the DLF and LAOS. Book Creator is a brilliant app and resource to use as part of the writing process over the school year – there are a number of ‘good practice’ videos on the DL Planning website that focus on Book Creator. For younger children, a similar app/website called WriteReader is a useful alternative.

[Oliver Keating]

While I would be an almost daily user of a Google application, I wasn’t aware of the Google for Education’s Teacher Centre and Applied Digital Skills section.  A great range of resources!  The ease with which they can be accessed i.e. with your Google account is another plus.

The resource I finally settled on is ‘Create a Scrapbook‘.  The 8 step by step process makes the exercise very straighforward –  (1) Introduction to Create a Scrapbook (2) Choose a Subject and Theme (3) Organize Pages (4) Add and Format Images (5) Add Text (6) Add Video (7) Create a Scrapbook Wrap-Up (8) Quiz.  The videos were short (approx. 2 mins) and concise.
I thought that the recap and quiz at the end were very helpful – a useful assessment tool.
Being able to add this lesson to the class you have created will allow children to revisit it at any time.

This could be a very nice exercise to start off the school year.  The topic for the  scrapbook will be ‘A moment from the summer‘.  The children would have flexibility regarding the topic e.g. a day trip, a holiday, the Olympics, the Euros, the All-Ireland, a family occasion, a great win.

Children would have the opportunity to present their scrapbook to the class via the Clevertouch board.   I would envisage using the Scrapbook for different curricular areas during the year – project work, a school outing or event.

An excellent resource.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Oliver,

Welcome to the course and thank you for your contribution here. Like so many daily Google users, there are many hidden gems that we are often unaware of. I stumbled upon the Teacher’s Centre a few years ago and couldn’t believe the depth of resources available within the Applied Digital Skills platform. The Scrapbook selection is a great one. Hopefully, the course will help you uncover other little bits of knowledge relating to the Google tools.

[louise o leary]

There are huge benefits in using digital technology to enhance children’s learning. It allows the children to engage and participate fully in the learning experience. I have had a child in my class this year who was highly dyslexic and I tried to use ict as much as possible in my lessons so he felt he was part of the learning experiences in the classroom. It was great for differentiation as it is subtle and allows for inclusion and for confidence in his/her own learning abilities.
SSE will allow me to reflect on my current practices such as self – reflection and student feedback. It will help me to identify the focus areas that I want to improve upon such as student engagement and assessment methods and my SMART goals.

I have chosen the build your own logo from the google education centre https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/middle-and-high-school/en/build-a-logo-to-express-who-you-are/build-a-logo-to-express-who-you-are/introduction-to-build-a-logo-to-express-who-you-are.html
I think this will be a fantastic back to school lesson. It can be integrated in other subjects such as art and maths as well as language. It would help them to build confidence and would allow them to express their individuality and ideas. I think it would also help them to develop problem solving skills, enhance their IT skills and gain understanding of design principles also related to art. It would also encourage creativity. It’s fun, engaging and interactive and could improve focus, patience and communication skills. I’m looking forward to trying this out in September and see how the children enjoy it.

[Michael Coughlan]

Your plan to use the “Build Your Own Logo” lesson from Google Education Centre is a wonderful approach. Mixing it with art, maths, and language not only enhances learning but also helps to foster creativity and problem-solving skills.

[Maria O’Connor]

MODULE 1

Hi all, I’m Maria from Waterford.

As an administrative principal I have quite a bit of prior experience with the School Self-Evaluation process. However, this course has brought my attention to the fact that there’s a new document which covers the process to 2027, which I hadn’t read previously so I’m delighted with this resource.
Watching the course contents makes me realise how we, as a school need to re evaluate our Digital Learning plan, which we drew up using the 6 step SSE process a few years ago. However, it’s definitely time for reflection and review, Step 6-monitor actions and evaluate impact.
I was totally unaware of the existence of the Resources for Educators available available through Google’s Teacher Education centre. What an amazing array of resources! I could spend hours and hours and hours browing these alone!
As a school we are opening our first Special Class for Autistic learners in September. Many of these pupils have highly developed individual interests, so I’ll be delighted to bring the class teacher’s attention to the following resource, which we will use as a small part of Digital Technology in our classroom to enhance student learning. https://artsandculture.google.com/
Discovering the wealth of resources in various museums around the world will be a wonderful springboard for the Primary Language curriculum, oral language and creative writing, particularly with daily spotlights and Resources of the Day , like the following https://artsandculture.google.com/, which will tap into indivual pupils’ specialised interests.
We will apply School Self Evaluation Guidelines to our teaching in the special class, by listening to the voices of the teachers, parents and pupils themselves in formulating suitable lessons, using Google for Educators resources. Every single step listed below will be essential for planning in our new classroom.
Step 1: Identify focus. (Target setting for pupils)
Step 2: Gather evidence. (Use of questionnaires)
Step 3: Analyse and make judgements. (Teacher’s prior knowledge and collaboration)
Step 4: Write and share report and improvement plan. (Share IEP with parents)
Step 5: Put improvement plan into action. (Termly plans)
Step 6: Monitor actions and evaluate impact. (Review of IEP)

 

[Michael Coughlan]

The discovery of Google’s Teacher Education Centre seems to be a game-changer for you. The variety of resources available there is very broad and can really enhance the learning experience. It’s especially exciting to hear about the opening of your first Special Class for Autistic learners in September.

[Maire Kelly]

Google has a teacher education centre? I didn’t know this!!
Hi I’m Máire and I’m a AP in a small urban school in Cork City.
I have spent about 10 hours looking at all the resources and feel completely overwhelmed. There is just so much out there.
Step by step!
I have just made a personal logo and explored some of the basics that Google has to offer. As a third and fourth class teacher, I feel this would be a nice intro to our chrome books and giving students a nice activity to start the school year.
https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/middle-and-high-school/en/build-a-logo-to-express-who-you-are/overview.html
We are introducing Google Classroom to students this year, despite a bit of noise from parents (increased screen time) but I think I would demonstrate the process using my wireless keypad and then attach the above lesson for pupils to work on this over the course of a week.
It covers a range of subjects: STEM, SPHE, Oral Language, Visual Arts
Just wish I was more adept at doing it all!

[Derek McDonald]

I am excited to use the “Make Pop Art in Google Drawings” lesson from Google for Education’s Teacher Centre with my students. This resource allows students to explore digital art and graphic design using Google Drawings. To localise and enhance this resource, I will incorporate cultural elements relevant to my students. This includes discussing Pop Art’s global influence and featuring local artists who use similar styles.

Students will personalise their projects by choosing images that reflect their interests or local landmarks. I will encourage collaboration by facilitating group discussions and peer reviews.

The lesson will start with a presentation on Pop Art, followed by a guided tutorial, project work, and a session for presentations and feedback. This approach will make the project meaningful and enhance students’ creativity and digital literacy.

I really enjoyed exploring the resources on Google Education’s Teacher Centre. Another lesson that stood out to me that I would like to mention was “Design a Poster About You” using Google Drawings. This lesson is an excellent introduction to digital skills and in my opinion, a great way to start the school year.

By designing a personal poster, students can creatively express themselves while learning to use digital tools. To make the lesson more relevant, I’ll encourage students to include elements that reflect their cultural backgrounds and personal interests. This will make their projects more engaging and meaningful.

https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/middle-and-high-school/en/make-pop-art-in-google-drawings/overview.html

https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/middle-and-high-school/en/design-a-poster-about-you/overview.html

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Derek,

Welcome to the course and thank you for your post here. I hope you found some of the content within the Google Teachers Centre useful for you. You have chosen a very good example from the Applied Digital Skills section. I have loved incorporating Google Drawings into teaching and learning in recent years. It can both be used to develop student design skills, and as teacher to create a variety of ‘drag and drop’ or labelling teacher designed tasks and assessments.

[CIARA JAMESON]

I have never used Google Classroom with my class and I am somewhat apprehensive about the task of setting every child up with their own personal email account and walking everyone through the steps of navigating the platforms.

I had never come across the ‘applied digital skills with google’ website before and I’m excited to use it this year with my 3rd class students.

I loved the simplicity of the set of lessons to ‘introduce yourself in google slides’, linked below. I think this would be a brilliant process to ascertain the level of comfort the students have with digital literacy in a meaningful way. I love how naturally they are exposed to various skills of creating a personal slide – adding a background, inserting relevan images, changing font and formatting text etc. I can imagine the students would have great fun collaborating and exchanging ideas and skill sharing. I love that it results in a collaborative digital project that gives voice to each child’s interests through a digital medium.

https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/middle-and-high-school/en/introduce-yourself-in-google-slides/overview.htmlrd

As a side note , I would appreciate being directed to somewhere which will show me how to set up Google Classroom for use, and guidance as to whether it is necessary for each child to have a personal email address and whether permission is required for same from their guardians. Sorry for my ignorance and thanks in advance for your support.

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Ciara,

Welcome to the course and thank you for your post here. When new to something, there are always questions and teething problems, so feel free to come back with any further questions. I will attempt to outline how you may set up the accounts for individual children. They will all get an account within the school domain, e.g. (@school.ie). I always work with their first name initial and full surname (e.g. jbloggs@scool.ie). To set up an account, you will need access to the ‘admin’ suite, or get the school administrator to do this. The ‘admin’ can be found in the menu on the nine dots at the top right of your Chrome browser if you have access. When you are logged in as admin, you just press ‘Add New User’ and fill in the details. It is very straightforward once you have done it a couple of times, but the initial few may not seem that way. If you were setting up an entire school, there is an Excel that you can download and import all names from Aladdin, etc. but that might be overkill and more work if you are only setting up a few accounts / a single class.

[Jennifer McCabe]

As a teacher in a Gaeltacht based Autism Classroom, I can use digital technologies to great effect.

In our classroom we have access to Ipad, Chromebook and Clevertouch interactive whiteboard. There are three students and two adults in our classroom so there is frequent use of digital technology to enhance learning.

We can use internet access on all interfaces for research, although much of this involves the use of English language sites. This means that research based activities for older children involve much translation unless this is for an explicit English language project. However, there are useful online dictionary resources and our older student really enjoys the translation aspect.

For our younger students there are numerous sites for language, phonics and maths learning through Irish or at least these sites can be muted to allow a teacher or Teaching Assistant to assist in the learning by verbalising the tasks through Irish. Samples of activities include: Stories and associated activities, interactive games, book creator tasks, simple typing task, responding to pictures and videos. There is a wealth of activities for the younger learner. With the newly dedicated Cula 4 channel for children, there is a dearth of videos for learning.

With such wealth of opportunity, it is a challenge to make sure that our teaching is targeted and useful in supporting the primary school curriculum and not just a way of keeping children occupied. This is where the School Self Evaluation comes into play. We need to ensure that the Digital Learning is appropriate to the education of the individual learners.

In the new school year, I intend to use Google Classroom to set individualised tasks for each or the three children. They will be able to use codes to access the tasks. All of them are very comfortable with the available devices. These tasks may include a set of instructions/pictures for tasks in the classroom or they may include a link to an online task. I will  be able to share their progress and contact their parents regarding tasks and their work.

With regard to the SSE element of digital learning in my classroom, this will feed into the overall SSE of digital learning in the whole school.  Each child will be asked about their experiences of Digital Learning. In an Autism room, this will require carefully constructed questions most likely in the format of choice boards in order to elicit how they feel about elements of digital learning in comparison to other aspects of their learning. We will observe the children as they learn and take not of what activities they engage most readily with and what activities they need more support in. We will negotiate with parents regarding their use of digital technologies at home. Using that information, we will tailor the individualised learning plans to suit the needs of each child. Samples of questions, copies of correspondence and minutes of meetings will be kept to assist in our SSE.

 

[Eoghan O’Neill]

Hi Jennifer,

Thank you for your post and welcome to the course. It is great to have participants bring experience from many different settings and perspectives to this course. It’s clear that you can already see a huge benefit in incorporating digital technologies into your classroom learning environment. The fact that your students are comfortable using the available devices should make the use of tasks through Google Classroom reasonably seamless. The subsequent modules will outline how some of the individual Google apps can be used to create tasks similar to those you have mentioned in your overview.

[Shane Byrne]

Having perused Google Applied Digital Skills section, I was particularly taken with the activities geared towards starting a new school year. These serve the dual function of providing nice ‘getting to know you’ activities while also introducing children to the basics of the various Google products.

The lesson which I have chosen to use is attached here.

https://applieddigitalskills.withgoogle.com/c/middle-and-high-school/en/respond-to-a-question-in-google-classroom/overview.html

I feel this is a great introductory activity for pupils unfamiliar with Google  Classroom. During the pandemic, we, as a school, used SeeSaw to good effect and I used a similar method to the one outlined here to familiarise my class (6th class) with the platform.

This year, I have Rang a 4. It will be 3 years since they have used any online platform so this introductory lesson will be very beneficial.

During this lesson, the children learn how to join a class, find an assignment, seek help, submit an assignment and respond to a question. All of these are important skills which the children will need to use throughout the year.

The children would find the videos very helpful if they are unsure of what to do. They are short and to the point. I also liked the Quiz feature at the end which provides the children with an opportunity to review what they’ve learned.

Success in this lesson would stand the children in good stead for a year of using Google Classroom.

[Author]

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