The Benefits of Google Tools

My Familiarity with Google Tools

I was fortunate enough to be in school when the digital age was rising. I remember in grade six when Chromebooks came into my middle school. Our principal came in and gave a tour of Google and how to use Google Classroom. I remember being so fascinated with all that Google had to offer, I never thought there would be a day where we would do work online. I recall the first time using Google Classroom and how much trial and error there was. Not only were students trying to learn how to use it but also the teachers were learning as well. My favourite Google tool is by far Google Docs. As basic as that sounds, it is not only a free writing tool but also easy to use. It is fundamental to me currently as I can save my docs as a PDF, plain text, etc. Another Google tool I enjoy using is Google Forms. It is a functional and easy-to-use tool that can be accessed for a variety of reasons. Teachers can use it to have students do tests, it can be used as surveys, or as an adventure story! Not only can teachers use it, but students as well. I find it easy to use to create practice tests that can be shared amongst your peers. I find being in college, me and my peers are always finding new ways to study. Being able to use Google Forms for creating practice tests has been so functional to my learning as well as my peers. I like to call myself a Google expert. Having over ten years of experience using Google, I am certainly familiar with most features. Google tools have opened the world to new ways of teaching and learning. I look forward to being in a new perspective of using Google tools, as a teacher.  

 What I Learned

I had the opportunity to be able to experiment and play around with Google drawings. I was tasked with creating a Google drawing of myself. At first, I was not confident, I had no idea what to do or how to do it. I was able to insert an image of myself and trace overtop of it. This still gave me challenges! After being able to get comfortable with the tool and create more drawings, it was easier than I expected. I was able to draw a portrait of my face and after many trials and errors, it actually looked like me! I was able to create shading and different shapes and textures in my drawing. This tool of Google specifically stood out to me for all the possibilities that can be used. Using Google drawing in older school grades is a great introduction to graphic design. Student's interests may peak and using this tool may spark new opportunities. Google drawings may have endless possibilities and functions for not only students but teachers as well. 

Another Google tool that I think is valuable is Blogger. This is a fantastic way to reach specific audiences, share thoughts and ideas, and use your creativity to capture a learning moment. Using Blogger, I have been able to share my learning, include resources and collaborate with my peers on their learning. Using this specific Google tool, my hope one day is to create a Blog for when I am a service teacher. Having a blog on my teaching can be reached by other educators, parents and students. This is an excellent source for having parents involved in the everyday lives of their children. Not only that, but parents can have direct access to the material students are learning and projects they may be creating. Creating a blog for when I am a teacher is also a time capsule for everything I have done. I will be able to go back over the years and see the evolution of my teaching! Overall, Google Blogger is a prevalent tool that should be used by educators, students, and people in the education community. 

Google has many options for embracing one's creative outlet. There is a wide amount of Google tools that are used every day in the education world. There are endless advantages to using this technology in the classroom for students and teachers. The main reason I enjoy Google's tools is due to the automatic saving. Having this function eliminates the stress and anxiety of making sure your work is saved. It also is a useful advantage for younger students, they do not need the responsibility of having a flash drive and remembering to bring it and not lose it! Google is the future and I can only imagine the endless possibilities that will come in the future of technology. 

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