Transforming Teaching Tactics

Students, teachers, community members, and commuters on their way to work all see and feel the impacts of MN’s construction. However, the visible changes aren’t the only renovation going on in the building. With the adoption of Google by the Millard District, MN teachers have already started to incorporate Google applications into their classrooms.

“Right now, I am starting to use Google Classroom. With Angel going away next year, I knew I needed to start using the new resources. I hope to use Google Docs and Sheets to collect class data in lab and submit lab proposals,” biology teacher Tyler Pearson said.

With Millard slowly moving away from Angel, more teachers have been pushed toward using Google products.

“Our goal is to enhance student engagement by using various areas of technology in our classroom. I decided to give Google Classroom a crack. Thankfully, this has been a great tool for allowing students to access and hand in work online,” family and consumer science teacher Mila O’Brien said.

For many of the teachers who are starting to incorporate Google products into their classrooms, the Google technology is something new that they aren’t familiar with. They all come from different technological backgrounds.

“I was familiar with Gmail, Drive, Sheets, and Docs. However, I had very little experience with Google Classroom. Now that all students have Gmail, I hope to use the resource more,” Pearson said.

However, the traditional classroom setting isn’t the only place where Google technology is being introduced.

“I’m uploading sketchbook assignments into Google Classroom. If kids are absent, they can access the images. I’ve also uploaded the rubric for a long-term assignment for the semester,” art teacher Miriam Tredway said.

Despite using Google Classroom for different reasons, it seems to be going well for the teachers who have given it a shot this year.

“Although I have just started to use it, Google Classroom is working really well so far. I have a feeling that I will really need to use both Classroom and other Google sites to replace Angel,” Pearson said.

Aside from the transition from Angel to Google, there are other reasons for using Google Classroom as well.

“Nowadays, students have some form of electronic device. With Google Classroom, my students can access assignments and presentations they’ve missed when they are absent. I can automatically see who has completed the work and give feedback on their work electronically. Google Docs is also great for allowing students to share and collaborate with their peers. It is a great way to communicate with my students,” O’Brien said.

However, the benefits of using Google Classroom aren’t just within the classroom, but can help the community and the environment as well.

“In the long run, I hope we are saving paper from printouts,” Tredway said.

Incorporating Google technology into the classroom is definitely something new this year, but teachers are giving it a shot and learning something new while doing so.

“Google technology is definitely new to me. This year, I am taking advantage of what it has to offer. Every time I use it, I am learning something new!” O’Brien said.