Another school year is about to start! Summer is such an important part of processing the learning and growth made during a busy school year. One of the greatest learning challenge that I faced last year was working in a 1:1 Chromebook classroom. Having devices in the hands of students on a daily basis certainly made me rethink my teaching and carefully consider how/why I designed lessons in the manner that I did. As the availability of technology continues to increase exponentially, recognizing which tools are most effective and versatile can help save teachers time, organize/manage work flow, and benefit both teachers and students is critical.
My favorite GAFE tool certainly has to be Google Forms because of the countless ways that it can be utilized. From informal polls and formative assessment to summative evaluations, the possibilities are certainly endless. With creativity and experimentation, teachers can use Google Forms to create meaningful lessons, provide students with feedback, and also collect meaningful data to improve instruction.
In order to help colleagues who may be newer to using GAFE tools, I created a presentation including hints I learned from using it last year as well as a few of my favorite ways to build Forms into my daily classroom practices.
My favorite ways to use Forms includes:
- Surveying students (creating anticipation guides, gathering general information/reactions, and asking students to share their opinions)
- Gathering formative data (quizzing students, assessing students progress with learning targets, exit slips)
- Collecting assignments (papers, daily work, projects, etc.)
- Self-reflecting (asking students to provide feedback about their own learning/work after "handing back" a paper or major assignment grade, quarter reflections, goal setting)
- Creating rubrics
What is amazing about Google Forms is that these are only a few ways that teachers can use this tool. As I did a little research about how teachers are using Forms (thanks for all the help from my Twitter PLN), I found that the possibilities truly are endless! I am excited to begin this year and to continue to learn more about this tool and countless others that can support student learning in my classroom, make managing work flow easier, and benefit colleagues!
It is going to be an amazing year! I am excited for what is to come, personally, professionally, and with technology.
