Google Classroom and the elementary school media center

I was fortunate this year to receive from the district a cart of 30 Chromebooks for student use.  The most exciting aspect for me was the idea of one-on-one technology.  In the past few years, students have learned research skills and done projects by sharing the 16 desktops in the media center.  While still collaborating and sharing information on topics of mutual interest, students have a much easier time personalizing their projects when they have access to their own device, whether desktop or mobile.  (Not to mention the inherent issues that few consider regarding elementary school students sharing a computer--fighting over who gets to do the typing?)

The students were as excited as I was to be able to use their own Chromebooks and once they learned how to log in using their accounts from Gaggle, they and I discovered other advantages.  Google Classroom allows me to post assignments and announcements, allows students to ask questions on the Classroom wall (which they love; a couple of students called the wall "Facebook"), and allows them to complete assignments using a document, PowerPoint presentation, spreadsheet or drawing.  I can send hyperlinks to websites for them to use, and they can click on them directly, to be opened in Google Chrome, rather than having to type in the URL to the website.  Students are more efficient in completing assignments this way than they were on the desktop.  

I anticipate easier presentation of completed projects as well.  In the past I have saved each student project on a flash drive; I look forward to being able to pull up each completed presentation from Google Classroom itself, with students having to do no more than complete the assignment and press the "turn in" button.