Google: Education's Next Super Star

I know I'm not the only one that constantly hears (and says) 'well Google it!'. Google has become a verb where adults and children can go to find whatever information they need and that's only the basic function of what Google can do! I've always held a soft spot for Google from the beginning as I always felt they not only gave me the best search results but it was more 'filtered' and user friendly. As time went on, the security benefits of Google compared to Internet Explorer and Safari could not be beat. Now as they continue to add on to their list of amazing capabilities that I'm continuing to learn, I find out there is such a thing as Google Classroom (*Mind blown*).
My Google Alert came from a blog called EdTech (Explore It! EdTech) and was written by Meghan Bogardus Cortez about the benefits of using Google Classroom. The first point she makes is how easy and paperless Google Classroom is. Teachers can manage their classes and post assignments, assessments, and homework for classes or specific students. All of these can be made right in Google digitally so no uploading or scanning either! Also, this eliminates the use for paper and wasting any teacher time by going to the copier three times a day.
Another point she makes which I really enjoy is how Google Classroom can be differentiated for individual students. Worksheets, assessments, and homework can all be adapted to meet the needs of a student. What a great tool for ESL! Just before I started writing this post, I was spending time translating a final for our Spanish ELs which was taking awhile because the teacher only could give me a paper copy. If the teacher had made the final on Google Classroom, I could of easily translated it into Spanish within minutes. Besides translating assessments, this could be a great place for me as the ESL teacher to coordinate with the general education teacher more effectively. If I could see what she had posted before getting to the class and seeing the paper, I could have a resource whether it be a glossary, graphic organizer, anything to help in advance (since we lack common planning time for our co-teaching this year).
The last idea she discussed how easy it is for communication for students and teachers. Students can email a teacher directly from the worksheets with any questions or concerns and the teacher can respond immediately if the dashboard is present on her screen. I think that as a student knowing my teacher was just a click away even when I was not in school would be such a major comfort...don't you?
At the end of the article, they state how Google has explored using the Classroom internationally and found that it eliminates technology anxiety with students. There isn't much more detail about this but I think overall this Google Classroom is amazing for use with ELs. Every point that is discussed in the article has a benefit for not only the ELs but for teachers trying to work together to help them succeed. In my eyes, with all that Google has to offer it really is becoming the next super star for not only everyday use but for our classrooms as well!
Read It! Google Classroom