itslearning + Google: All That and a Bag of Chips!
Teaching, planning, prepping, and grading can be very time-consuming tasks. While this news probably comes at little surprise to any teacher, what might be surprising news is the availability of a feature within your learning management system, itslearning, that can help streamline planning while still providing students options and choice while learning. While this feature will not magically create more hours in the day or speed up all processes involved in teaching, it can help boost the implementation of Universal Design for Learning while also saving precious time!
All that, and a bag of chips!
What:
Google integrations on itslearning is a fancy way of describing how a teacher can create an assignment on itslearning using the assignment tool, and seamlessly include any Google Drive resources as part of the assignment. The assignment tool, one of itslearning's most popular features, is a flexible tool for assessing what students understand while providing multiple options for learners to engage. For example, students can insert audio records, video, text, images, and links as their answer to an assignment tool prompt.
Through Google's partnership with itslearning, students can now also include any G-Suite resource-Docs, Slides, Drawings, Sheets-as an assignment tool answer. Notably, this new feature allows teachers to create an assignment for students with the assignment tool, attach a Google Drive resource, and automatically create a copy of said Google Drive resource for each student. In this use of the tool, each student receives his or her own G-Suite resource after opening the assignment. When students go to submit the assignment, students do not have to dig through their Google Drive to grab a shareable link to submit-all they have to do is click "submit," and the Google resource is submitted.
Sounds pretty fantastic, right?
Why:
Google integrated assignments can genuinely help save teachers time-and patience-when sharing assignment resources with students. Thanks to the Google integrated assignment's "make a copy for each student" feature, long gone are the days of no-name Google Docs or countless emails from students requesting access to edit your original template. With Google integrated assignments, students receive their own, named Google resource quickly, providing teachers with more time to focus on supporting student learning rather than organizing workflow.
In terms of Universal Design for Learning, Google integrated assignments can help provide students with choice in learning, boosting engagement for learning. Through a Google integrated assignment, which includes a Google Slide, students have options to insert pictures, audio, video, and links easily. In terms of representation, Google integrated assignments support comprehension by guiding information processing through the scaffold nature of the "make a copy for each student" feature. Using this tool, teachers can help students as they develop a deeper understanding of topics and new skills. By integrating a scaffolded writing prompt or notetaking guide, for example, staff can provide options for expression and communication by providing graduated levels of support.
Reasons for using Google integrated assignments could expand into several additional blogposts. For the sake of your precious time-and eagerness to begin, let's explore how you can leverage this feature in your learning environment.
Lesson Ideas:
- Scaffolds:
- Using Google-integrated assignments, teachers can help students grow notetaking, writing, slideshow creation, and other skills by providing students with a template with editing access. Staff can create a version with a few examples, scaffolds, and instructions. Then, share this version with students and allow students to build from your foundation. Examples:
- Organizing an essay
- Notetaking
- Solving math equations
- Organizing lab/experiment data
- Creating a presentation or slideshow
- Planning and project development
- Developing metacognition and reflection skills
- Checklists:
- Teachers can easily share task lists with students and provide them with the ability to edit/cross off items as they complete them. See more about this in our next episode/post!
- Interactive Vocabulary Development:
- Liven up the vocabulary packets and worksheets of the past. Incorporate a Google Slide into an assignment, and ask students to expand upon their understanding of vocabulary concepts using a Google Slide. The fun part: students can easily insert videos, audio recordings, text, and images into the Slide, turning a basic vocabulary flashcard into an interactive resource.
- Example interactive vocabulary template (borrow, copy, steal-it is up to you!)
- Bonus idea: Students can create vocabulary review game slideshows with video, pictures, and audio "clues" to help other students guess the vocabulary term.
- Assignment Choice:
- Provide students with options in how they demonstrate their understanding of lesson content using Google integrated assignments. A gentle reminder that students can insert links, video, and audio into a Google resource can help encourage creativity
- Easy Exit Tickets:
- Share an exit ticket template quickly with students using the Google integration feature!
How:
Ready to get started? Check out the guides below!
Share how you are using Google integrated assignments in your learning environment!
Learn more about using itslearning Google integrated assignments via itslearning Support.
1. UDL language courtesy of http://udlguidelines.cast.org/
Image courtesy of Ryan Quintal
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