Overview

It is important for teachers to utilize free tools on the internet to enhance the way they teach to meet the needs of 21st century learners. This course focuses on the implementation of Google Tools to support learning and teaching in the classroom. Many of the Google Tools will be useful in the implementation of 21st Century Skills such as collaboration, communication, critical thinking and problem solving. Teachers who have access to technology with their students will benefit from learning about how Google Tools can enhance teaching and learning in the classroom.

During the six weeks of this course, you will learn about a selection of Google Tools as you blog, edit photos, create websites, and use Google Earth. You will concentrate on the use of a different tool during each week of the course. Each tool will be investigated for what it does and how it works. You will share ideas for classroom use and how these tools might be embedded into lessons. You will also examine how the tools will support learning and enhance teaching practices. The culminating project for the course will be to design a lesson that incorporates the use of two of these tools.

Goals and Products

This online course will enable participants to:

• Use Google Docs to enhance student communication and collaboration
• Create a blog to use with students using Blogger and discover blogs that can be utilized for professional growth
• Learn how to use Picasa to edit photos and Sketch-up to create models, then determine how they each might support a lesson
• Create a website using Google Sites
• Use Google Earth to extend learning beyond the classroom walls by taking virtual field trips to destinations worldwide and discovering classroom applications
• Plan a lesson or unit that incorporates at least two Google Tools

Format and Requirements

Prerequisites

This is an introductory course for teachers, technology specialists, curriculum specialists, professional development specialists or other school personnel. Participants are expected to have regular access to computers, and proficiency with e-mail and current web browsers.