Teachers' Essential Guide to Google Classroom

Because it's a fairly flexible platformeducators use its features in a lot of different ways. With Google Classroomteachers can:

• Streamline how they manage classes. The platform integrates with Google's other tools like DocsDriveFormsMeetand Calendarso there are many built-in "shortcuts" for classroom-management tasks. For exampleif you post an assignment with a due dateit's automatically added to your students' class calendar for them to see.
• Digitally organizedistributeand collect assignmentscourse materials (think: videoswebsitesPDFsand more)and student work. Teachers also can post an assignment to multiple classes or modify and reuse assignments from year to year. If your students have regular access to devicesGoogle Classroom can help you avoid some trips to the photocopier and cut down on some of the paper shuffling that comes with teaching and learning.
• Communicate with students about their classwork. You can use the platform to post announcements and reminders about assignmentsand it's easy to see who has or hasn't completed their work. You can also check in with individual students privatelyanswer their questionsand offer support.
• Give students timely feedback on their assignments and assessments. Within Google Classroomit's possible to use Google Forms to create and share quizzes that are automatically graded as students turn them in. Not only will you spend less time gradingbut your students will also get instant feedback on their work. Teachers can view individual and class data within Forms or an automatically generated Google Sheet.
• Record presentations. It's now possible to use Recordings on Google Slides or use Screencastify to record engaging content ahead of time.
• Experiment with AI. Google's Gemini for Education and NotebookLM are now integrated into Google Workspace and offer many pathways to help create content more efficientlysuch as generating lesson ideas; updating presentations with textchartsand graphics; and assisting in verifying data and facts within content.

Can teachers use Google Classroom for assessments and grading?

Yes. Google Classroom can help teachers streamline summative and formative assessments through its own features and third-party integrated tools.

• Formative: You can quickly createdistributeand collect digital exit tickets or auto-graded assessments. And you can pose discussion questions for quick insights into what students are thinking.
• Summative: Tests can include traditional question types like multiple choiceshort or paragraph answercheckboxand more. There also are options for students to upload files (like movies or photos) when responding to a question or promptallowing students to share their knowledge in a variety of ways.
• Grading and rubrics: Teachers can simply assign points to different assignmentsor give different weights to different types of assignments (essaysclassworkhomeworketc.). You can create rubrics right in Google Classroomand students can view these as they work. Turned-in work can be graded using the rubricand the score will be automatically calculated. Take notehoweverthat it isn't possible to use standards-based grades (at least not yet).
• Plagiarism check: Another feature called "originality reports" is essentially a plagiarism-checking tool that compares a student's Google Document with webpages and books readily available on the internet. If the feature is turned onstudents can run reports before submitting assignments—and teachers can run them after. Teachers may want to use the originality reports feature as an opportunity to teach the importance of citing sources.

Do teachers use Google Classroom to teach livelike with Zoom?

Some teachers use Google Meet as a video conferencing solution (instead of Zoom or a similar tool). Google Classroom integrates with Google Meetand teachers can set up video meetings from within Google Classroom for liveor "synchronous," instruction. By defaultstudents can't begin a meeting before the teacheror rejoin the meeting if the teacher is the last person to leave. Google Meet videos created from within Google Classroom are only accessible from school-managed Google Workspace for Education accounts.

In addition to live-video capabilitiesthe recording feature in Google Meet gives teachers an easy tool for creating prerecorded video lessons for asynchronous learningwhich students can watch on their own time. The Google for Education Teacher Center has helpful video tutorials about Google Meet to help teachers get started.

How do I set up Google Classroom?

The basic setup process for Google Classroom is pretty intuitiveeven for first-time users. The Google for Education Teacher Center offers several tutorials for getting started—this is your best bet if you're looking for the most up-to-date videos and information. There are also plenty of do-it-yourself tutorials on YouTube posted by teachers and tech-integration specialists. Many of these teacher-created videos include practical tips and tricks they've learned from using the platform in their classrooms.

How can Google Classroom support differentiation in the classroom?

Google Classroom makes it easy to customize assignments for individual students or small groups. Teachers can give modified or differing assignments to specific students or groups in a class. You also have the option to check in with a student privately to see whether they have questions or need extra help. An online differentiation strategy like this can make your efforts less conspicuous to the classso students won't feel singled out in the way that they might with other types of in-person differentiation.

In additionGoogle Classroom has unveiled new accessibility tools to allow for students of all learning abilities to engage with classroom content:

• Read Along: This tool pairs young readers with a digital reading assistant named Diyaletting teachers assign activities based on grade or Lexile level while also tracking reading metrics like speed and fluency.
• Reading Mode: Students and teachers can now customize how they view digital texts by adjusting typefacefont sizeand colorsin addition to reducing potentially distracting elements like images and video.

With or without a tool like Google Classroomdifferentiation is always going to be a matter of creative problem-solvingand there's no one or "right" way to do it. Luckilylots of teachers share their tipstricksand creative solutions online. Here's an example of how one teacher uses Google Classroom to meet students at their levels.

How can administrators and curriculum coaches use Google Classroom?

Google Classroom isn't just for teachers. Superintendentsprincipalsand curriculum coaches can benefit from using Google Classroom to organize staff notesannouncementsdatesdocumentsand other resources for teachers and other school staff. When using Google Classroom in this wayadministrators can intentionally model many of the technological skills and proficiencies they'd like teachers to use. 

Curriculum coaches can create anonymous questionnaires (using Google Forms) to receive feedback on recent professional development. Coaches can even go a step further and upload videos of model lessons for teachers in their district to view—a great way to bring teachers who are new to a school or district up to speed.

How can families and parents stay in the loop with Google Classroom?

Google Classroom has options for teachers to send out updates about students' classworkbut it doesn't offer the level of communication you'll find in tools like SeesawClassDojoor Remind. Google refers to parents and families as "guardians" who can opt in to receive email summaries about missing workupcoming workand other class activity. Howeverit doesn't include direct-messaging features for families or allow families to comment on their children's work.

What's new in Google Classroom?

The platform has been updated quite a bit since its launchand Google continues to introduce new features regularlyoften based on feedback from teachers including varied AI-driven features.

• Teachers can also add interactive questions to YouTube videos.
• After educators create a lessonpractice sets use AI to provide real-time feedback and resources to students when they're struggling. Practice sets are available in more than 50 languagesmany of which have localized resources.
• Classroom analytics give educators actionable datawith visibility into assignment completion and grade trendsamong other information. This helps teachers adapt on the fly to boost classroom and individual understanding.
• Teachers can also add interactive questions to YouTube videos through the new Resources tabwhich allows users to manage videos and monitor student engagement.

*Please note that there are different membership tiers with Google Education toolswhich may impact which new features you and your school district have access to in Google Classroom.

How can I make Google Classroom more engaging and interactive for my students?

Check out the following tips to make the Google Classroom experience as engaging as it can be:

• Mix up the types of resources you share with students in Google Classroom. In addition to Google Workspace tools like Docs and Slidesteachers and students can share other types of mediaincluding imageslinks to websitesYouTube videosand screencasts.
• Provide students with a variety of options for submitting work. For exampleyou might offer students the choice to respond to a reading assignment with a commentvideo clipor drawing that shows their thinking (see our section on differentiation above).
• Use Google Classroom's stream page to create an interactive hub. Within Google Classroomthe Stream is a feed where everyone in the class can find daily agendasannouncementsand upcoming assignmentsand it's the first thing students see when they log in. You can also set up class discussion boards on Streamwhere students can interact online by asking questions or commenting on each other's posts. These discussion boards can help increase class participation and offer students more equity in having their voices heard (or read) by the class.
• Integrate digital citizenship lessons. You can use the Stream as a closed social network of sortsand it can be a great way to help kids practice using all kinds of different digital citizenship skills like engaging in civil discourse or deescalating digital drama in a "walled garden" setting.

What other apps and websites integrate with Google Classroom?

There are now hundreds of external apps and websites that integrate with Google Classroomand the App Hub is a great place to explore your options. Some of these apps may partner with Googlewhile others create and publish their own third-party add-ons as Chrome extensions. If you're using Google Classroom extensivelyintegrating other edtech tools can be a way to streamline your instruction.

For examplesay you want your students to study some vocabulary words using Quizlet; you can use the Google Classroom integration to directly share and assign a particular flash card set to your class. Or if you're looking for other learning content onlinethere are integrations with publishers like NewselaKhan Academyand BrainPopamong others—you'll find all kinds of articlesvideosand other educational content to share with your students.

What is Google doing with my students' data? Should I be worried about privacy?

As an educatorprotecting your students' privacy and data should definitely be a consideration whenever you're choosing a digital tool for your classroom. Anytime a tool might collect data from studentsit's essential to ask questions about how the companies involved are securingusingor storing student data. For more informationbe sure to read our full privacy review of Google Classroom.

Google says that data privacy and security are high priorities for all Google Workspace for Education products. Howevereducators should keep in mind that parents and families have a right to opt out if they don't want their children to use Google products in school. Before launching Google Classroomschool administrators and teachers might want to have an alternative plan in place for students who may opt out.

In the pastsome educatorsfamiliesand advocates have expressed doubts about Google's ability to deliver on promises about privacy and data protection. What's morethe prominence of Google branding and products in schools has raised questions about the trade-offs of allowing Google to build its brand in schools. Whether you use Google Classroom or notit's important to get students thinking critically about data privacy and the commercialization we see in different aspects of our lives—including our classrooms. You can also check out our AI Teacher Assistant Assessment

Where can I find more ideas about using Google Classroom?

If you're looking for official information about Google Classroomcheck out Google for Education's X (formerly Twitter) feed for product updatesideas for teachersvideosand even a newsletter about Google Workspace for Education products. Many Google Classroom fans are also posting and even podcasting about all the ways they're using the platform with students. With millions of teachers and edtech specialists field-testingexperimentingand innovating with Google Classroomit's easy to find tips and inspiration from fellow educators online.

As you're using Google Classroomdon't be afraid to get creative with your own strategieshacksand innovative uses for the platform. Like most edtech toolsGoogle Classroom is what you make of itand how it works will probably look very different from classroom to classroom. What's most important is to find the strategies and tools within Google Classroom that work best for you and your students. 

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Image courtesy of Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency for American Education: Images of Teachers and Students in Action.