Google Forms to the Rescue!

Technology is so awesome... Sometimes... I mean that is what we are all here for is to read up on a little bit of technology to use in our room.  This week I was feeling so ambitious and invited my curriculum coordinator to come and observe me using technology for a lesson in my room.  Of course that is when all starts to go wrong.  Here are just a few things that happened on that fateful day:

1. The internet decided to work off and on due to rain.
2. My school district decided to block the website that we have been using for MONTHS that was the base of the whole lesson.  
3. One computer cart decided it did not want to charge ANY of the computers.
4. Our technology lady was in meetings that morning trying to make sure that technology would work for our state testing and could not come to my aid!

Here are a few images that best express my feelings that morning:

After troubleshooting for the first two hours of the day.

After troubleshooting hours 3-4.

Needless to say technology does not always go our way but that should not stop us from using it.  My coordinator showed up during 6th hour right after the technology lady showed up 5th hour.  The next day I showed off even more technology to the superintendent of curriculum and all went just fine.  The moral of the story keep using technology even if it is frustrating at times, because the majority of time it does work.  We just need to stay positive.  

This week I would like to focus on the use of Google Forms in the classroom and other "hidden" Google gems.  

Google Forms

Google forms are a great tool that ALL teachers should use.  The first time used it can seem a little daunting, but then it becomes a cake walk.  Here is a tutorial on the basics of Google forms.  

I started using Google forms for surveys in my classroom.  I would have students do self-checks and give feedback on how I was doing as a teacher.  Then this January for our unit pretest I thought a little more about it put the test online using Google forms.  We have readings with our tests and I showed the kids how to put the reading and the test side by side.  I talked about this on my very first blog post. Remember this image!

Now when you use a Google form for assignments and tests it places all of the answers into a spreadsheet; which is much more easier for grading purposes instead of toting around packets of papers.  

This week I upped the ante and instead of just using links to readings I used links to portions of text I have recorded (using a voice recorder I found in Google Apps).  The students used the listening to answer questions about author's purpose and author's point of view.  We were practicing multiple standards in a fifteen minute activity.  Here just take a peek by clicking here!

Now I know you are BUT it gets even better!  I then used Flubaroo to grade the activity right in front of my students eyes.  We then made goals based on the results of the quiz.  What is Flubaroo you ask???  

Flubaroo

Flubaroo is a Google Add-on that will grade your assignments for you!  You have to check this out >>>> Flubaroo.  It has cut down on my grading time for test significantly.  I can even give students feedback in the same class period.  

They have a test form you can use to test it out.  I didn't believe it would work until I tried it out!  It is a life changer and something you must add to your teaching repertoire.  

Bonus Teacher Tool

We all know how amazing Google Apps is, but did you know that people share their templates they create so that everyone can use them!  I was unaware of this tool until literally this week.  Here is how to explore templates.  Here is a video I made to explain how to find various templates.  My microphone has decided to go to the great beyond today, so sadly this is a silent screencast.

I hope you find this information as inspirational as I have and find use for it in your own classroom.

Until next time...