Google Classroom

Google Classroom is a free web application for schools meant to make the creation, distribution, and grading of classroom and homework assignments easier for teachers. Within the software, teachers and students have access to Google Drive for saving assignments, Google Docs, Slides and Sheets for writing and completing assignments, Gmail for easy communication, and Google Calendar for task scheduling. Google Classroom is meant to enhance and support learning within the classroom, while giving teachers an easy way to go paperless. Mobile apps are available for Android and iOS devices for easy access to some of the features on the go. There are also over a hundred third-party applications and extensions that integrate with Google Classroom. Review: Google Classroom is the ideal tool for classrooms and schools that already use Google's G Suite for Education. Teachers can use the features and tools of the software to move assignments online, share documents, make classroom announcements, and evaluate assignments, making collaboration and feedback easier. However, Google Classroom is not meant to be a completely online classroom environment, and lacks some features found in other online education applications. Google Classroom is easy to set up even for those without much technological expertise, and adding students is as simple as entering in their names or email addresses. Once the classroom is set up, you have the option to create a question, make an announcement or create an assignment. You can decide to publish these right away or set up a time and date to publish them, allowing you to work ahead. The Google Classroom software also makes grading easier for teachers, with the option to evaluate a specific assignment or any assignments marked as done. Although the software lacks a traditional gradebook, you can give students feedback through a number grade or a written response. The best aspect of the online classroom application is its integration with other Google applications, including Drive, Gmail, Docs, and Calendar. The productivity apps have the best integration tools, while the communication apps could use some more integration support. Overall, Google Classroom is a great way for schools to integrate traditional classroom learning with an online classroom environment, but lacks some features seen in other online education software.