Universal Design Book

Creating Accessible Lessons in Google Classroom

Google Classroom

Google Classroom is a learning management system (LMS) that can house course content, student activities, grades, and documents. Google Classroom offers an opportunity to engage students by offering them choice and agency in their learning opportunities (Heggart and Yo, 2018). One way that student engagement can be enhanced is through the integration of Web 2.0 tools within activities and content. This book will guide you through the process of creating accessible and engaging content through Google Classroom.

Getting Started: Setting Up Your Google Classroom

1. Open your Gmail account.
2. In the upper right-hand corner of the screen, click the square icon.
3. Scroll until you find the link for Google Classroom
4. Click on the icon and you will be on your classroom dashboard.
5. Click the + sign in the upper right-hand corner and follow the prompts to create your Google Classroom.

You can watch the process with this link.

Creating A Google Classroom Assignment

Creating an assignment in google classroom is a simple process once you know all the features available.

 These are options for managing your assignment:

1. Select which class and students receive the assignment.
2. Select the point value and the due date.
3. Select a topic and rubric.

You can connect documents, videos, or other webpages to the assignment.

Watch this video to create your first assignment.

Integrating Web 2.0 Tools

The importance of Web 2.0 tools is that they provide teachers the support and engagement within a lesson but as Edwards (2016) states the use of these tools only supports students if the teacher uses their skills to make rigorous lessons. Integrating Web 2.0 tools creates a dynamic learning environment that can support HOTS. Using Web 2.0 tools can support engagement and learning within the classroom.

Supporting Students in Google Classroom and with Integrated Web 2.0 Tools 

Supporting students with Web 2.0 tools can help with engagement and activating HOTS. One of the best supports that a teacher can provide is having a deep knowledge of the tools that are incorporated into the activity. Having knowledge of the ins and outs of the Google classrooms and any web 2.0 tools to better be able to add content or troubleshoot anything that comes up.

Performance Task

You will create a Google Classroom assignment with the following features:

• A topic of your choice
• A student-created product as the assessment
• A Web 2.0 integration
• Student collaboration
• Student reflection
• A rubric that guides student work

Activity Continued

 Respond to one of the following prompts and submit to the Google Classroom for this professional development.

1. How did your students respond to their higher-order thinking of your performance task? Explain any changes you would make to the task and why you would not make changes.
2. Discuss, in detail, your experience with using Google Classroom to implement your lesson. Include your experience planning and implementing the lesson.

References

Edwards, L. (2016). Education, technology, and higher order thinking skills. Australian Association for Research in Education Conference (AARE). Melbourne, Victoria. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED591857.pdf. 

Heggart, K. & Yoo, J. (2018). Getting the most from Google Classroom: A pedagogical framework for tertiary educators. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 43(3), 140-153. 

Row, B.N., Subramaniam, S., & Sathasivam, R.V. (2018). When students say I just couldn't think: Challenges in teaching skillful thinking. MOJES: Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Sciences, 4(2), 59-69.