This article was updated in February 2024.
The powerful Google Classroom has grown since its launch a decade ago. It has helped make the digital classroom a reality in schools around the world and is now easier to use than ever.
The system is also packed with more resources than ever, with plenty of free to use tools to assist with teaching both in the classroom and beyond. Fundamentally, it helps students work on their devices wherever they are. But it also gives teachers a consistent place to work from, both when assigning work and evaluating work presented digitally.
While this is not a full LMS (learning management system) like Blackboard, it offers a lot of integration for teachers. Third-party apps are now integrated, plus there are plenty of list-based task offerings, and even ai is used to improve and optimize the experience.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about Google Classroom.
What is Google Classroom?
Google Classroom is a set of online tools that allows teachers to set assignments, have students submit work, grade, and return graded work. It was born as a way to eliminate paper in classes and make digital learning possible. It was initially planned to be used with laptops in schools, such as Chromebooks, to allow teacher and students to share information and assignments more efficiently.
As more schools have transitioned to online learning, Google Classroom has been used much more as teachers quickly implement paperless instruction. Classrooms works with Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Sites, Earth, Calendar and Gmail, and can be complemented with Google Hangouts or Meet for live in-person teaching or questions.
What's new in Google Classroom?
Google has announced a number of updates recently, but one of the most important is the increased inclusion of artificial intelligence. This comes with the use of Google's Duet ai in certain tools, but also with the application of ai throughout the Classroom system.
Advances in ai mean teachers can now create more intuitively in Docs, generate images in Slides, create projects in Sheets, and more – all in much less time as ai now does much of the legwork. .
Google has a lot of apps that now work with Classroom, and many listed hereincluding Schoolytics, Screencastify and Today.
What devices does Google Classroom work with?
Since Google Classroom is online-based, you can access it in some way from virtually any device with a web browser. The processing is primarily done by Google, so even older devices can handle most of Google's resources.
Specific apps are available for devices like iOS and Android, while it also works on Mac, PC, and Chromebooks. A big advantage of Google is that on most devices it is possible to work offline and upload files when a connection is found.
All of this allows teachers and students to use Google Classroom, since they can connect to it through any personal device.
How much does Google Classroom cost?
Google Classroom is free to use. All of the apps that work with the service are already free-to-use Google tools, and Classroom simply bundles them all together in one centralized place.
An educational institution must register with the service to be able to add all its students and teachers. This is to ensure that security is as tight as possible so that no outsiders have access to the information or the students involved.
Google does not scan any of the data or use it for advertising. Additionally, there are no ads in Google Classroom or the Google Workspace for Education platform in general.
In the broader Google ecosystem, where Classroom is located, there are packages that can offer benefits. He Google Standard Workspace for Education The package is charged in $4 per student per year, which gets a security center, advanced device and app management, exports of Gmail and Classroom logs for analysis, and more.
He Teaching and Learning Update The package (without connection to us!) is charged in $4 per license per month, which allows you to meet with up to 250 participants, as well as live streaming for up to 10,000 viewers using Google Meet, plus features like Q&A, polls, and more. You also get the Classroom plugin to directly integrate tools and content. Unlimited originality reports are also available to check for plagiarism and more.
Google Classroom Assignments
Google Classroom has many options but, more importantly, it can allow teachers to do more to help educate students remotely or in hybrid environments. A teacher can set tasks and then upload documents that explain what is required to complete them and also provide additional information and a place for students to actually work.
Since students receive an email notification when an assignment is waiting, it is very easy to maintain a schedule without the teacher having to repeatedly communicate with students. Since these tasks can be designated in advance and set to occur whenever the teacher wants, it allows for advanced lesson planning and more flexible time management.
When an assignment is completed, the student can turn it in for the teacher to grade. Teachers can then provide annotations and comments for the student.
Google Classroom also allows the export of grades to a student information system (SIS), making it much easier to use them automatically throughout the school.
Google offers an originality report feature that allows teachers to compare submissions from other students at the same school. A great way to avoid plagiarism.
Google Classroom Ads
Teachers can make announcements that reach the entire class. These can appear on the Google Classroom home screen, where students will see them the next time they log in. A message can also be sent as an email so that everyone can receive it at a certain time. Or it can be sent to people to whom it specifically applies.
More rich media with attachments like YouTube and Google Drive can be added to an ad.
Any announcement can be set to remain as a statement on the bulletin board or can be adjusted to allow two-way communication between students.
Should you get Google Classroom?
If you're in charge of teaching at any level and are ready to make a decision about online teaching tools, Google Classroom is definitely worth considering. While this is not a replacement for the LMS, it is a really great tool for bringing the basics of teaching online.
Classroom is very easy to learn, easy to use, and works on many devices, all for free. This means there are no maintenance costs as there is no need for an IT management team to support this system. It also automatically keeps you up to date with Google's developments and changes to the service.
Learn everything you need to know by reading our Google Classroom Review.
