Exploring Google Classroom

So far we having been using blogger to share links to assignments with students.
I have also been exploring using Google Forms to create Digital Worksheets....

The problem with a blog is that the posts are arranged chronologically, and I found that the Grade 8s battle to find the posts, as they don't know how to search the blog. I would use their emails but they are still learning how to use email, so I am exploring a few options for next year....

We are building a Google site and Google Classroom recently came out, so I am testing how to host a link to a digital worksheet.

So far I like how simple it is to post content on Classroom and am interested to see how handing in assignments will work. I also like how I make announcements that a pertinent to that class...

I think I will continue with the blog as a public place to share content with other educators/ the public and use classroom as my online learning forum.

Cellphone Worksheets- making homework an enjoyable experience

Photo Courtesy of Shena Macdonald

In 2012 and 2013, I had began using Google docs and prezi to collaborate with learners on  projects. However the juniors were battling to zoom in on Powerpoints on their cellphones, so I decided to explore using Google forms for visual analysis activities and the result was a treat. The answers came through in a spreadsheet format and this made my marking much easier, as it allowed me to mark one question at a time without wasting time flipping through scripts.  This is very useful for short questions as you are able to mark fairly and establish clearer patterns of which areas learners are struggling with or which questions need to be clearer.   I have since tried this method with the seniors and have received some useful feedback from them.  

Link to Tutorial on creating Digital worksheets and self-evaluation forms

Collaborating with learners on assessment strategies

Photo Courtesy of Shena Macdonald


Part of Mrs Moore's training for new teachers includes using rubrics to assess learners. The closeness in mark difference between markers' sheets when using rubrics is remarkable. Thus we began discussing how include in the learners in the assessment process. We hoped that understanding the assessment process would improve learners results.


Robertson (2013) suggests that learning environments adequately prepare students for the working world when they encourage critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration and leadership, agility and adaptability, and initiative and entrepreneurialism.


We have discovered that using self-evaluations has improved the learners critical thinking skills and this allows them to identify and solve problems on their own. Filling in the evaluation gives them time to reflect on and pinpoint problematic areas that they can improve on in the future. Self-evaluations also promote transparency in assessment as our marks are often very similar to the learners own evaluations. Discrepancies in a learners assessment and a teachers' evaluation are also discussed and this helps learners identify misunderstandings. Thus using collaborative assessment to promote transparency teaches learners that their marks are based on performance rather than teacher's bias.


Robertson (2013) states that the comprehensive nature of grading rubrics sometimes stifles learners’ creativity and independence. Therefore Robertson (2013) suggests that allowing students to create their own formative assessment rubrics promotes autonomy and critical thinking.


We have allowed some the junior classes to create their own rubric, but unfortunately senior learners' rubric is set by the Education Department. However we do discuss and customise the rubric as a class. I will add some examples to this post soon.


Thus this blog will document how my Mtech study furthers my research on how involving students in the application of various assessment strategies improves critical thinking and transparent assessment. For now, let me comment on the various programs we have tried as online tools for self-assessment.

Initially we used Survey Monkey to create self evaluations. However, During 2013 we also began exploring various Google functions. We loved its similarity to familiar programs such as Excel, Powerpoint and Word and the collaborative elements were perfect for classroom activities. Using Google forms for self-evaluations was edit friendly in comparison to the free version of Survey Monkey. Another excellent feature of Google forms was that the response came through in a spreadsheet format. We were already marking off Excel Spreadsheets, but we were manually entering the students self-evaluation scores. Therefore having the learners responses come through in a spreadsheet format was much easier! It also allowed us to keep clearer records of where the learners felt they were at and how they were improving.


I will post a tutorial on how we use excel to mark as well as screenshots of how Google forms works.


Link to PPT showing practical examples of how online assessment works





Robertson, K. 2013. Assessment as an Opportunity for Developing Independent


Thinking Skills in Students. (online) Available at: http://www.facultyfocus.com/


articles/educational-assessment/assessment-as-an- opportunity-for-developing-independent-thinking-skills-in-students/ (Accessed October 2013)