As announced at Google Next this week, over 90 million people are using Google for Education. Wildly popular, free, and transformative in the way it allows schools to harness the use of technology, Google for Education can be a positive introduction to collaboration tools that will be transferable outside the walls of the classroom. Google’s core set of apps include Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides. If you want to be able to assist and collaborate with your child using Google, it’s important to understand how teachers and your kid(s) are using Google for Education in schools. It’s also important to be able to transfer those skills to home life (more on that in a future post).
Here are the top questions to ask your school district if your child is using Google for Education.
Is there a “Walled Garden” set up?
A Walled Garden refers to keeping students from interacting with people (other users) that do not have their school’s g suite domain. The g suite domain of a school is easy to determine; it is the part that comes after the @ sign. So yourstudent@example.com; example.com is the domain name. Sometimes schools restrict students to only communicating with teachers within the domains, not other students. In other instances, students can communicate with other students and teachers either inside and/or outside of their domain.
Example 1: Elementary School students can only share with teachers from Gmail or Google Drive.
Example 2: Middle School students can share with both students and staff from Gmail and/or Google Drive.
Example 3: High School students can share with students, staff, and outside of the domain (think colleges, job applications, etc.).
Why does a “Walled Garden” matter?
Gmail– are students able to email outside of the domain? To other students? Or just staff? How can you find out? It’s easy to determine if students can email outside of your domain. Get your kid to try to email your personal email account. Are they able to email you? Then their school does not have a “walled garden” set up. Next, understand if they are able to email other students.
Drive– are students able to share outside of their school domain? To other students? Or just staff? How can you find out? Just like with Gmail, it is easy to determine if students are able to share outside of the domain.
Click the Share button within docs, sheets, and slides. Are you able to send it to another user that does not have the same domain as the school?
Google Classroom
Most schools who use Google for Education use Google Classroom as a way for teachers to present, organize, assess, and engage students in their classes. Guardian access can be enabled teacher-by-teacher. Ask your child’s teacher if they are using Google Classroom and if they have Guardians enabled if you can get an invitation to join. If the teacher uses Google Classroom and does not have Guardian’s enabled, you will need to view Google Classroom when your child is logged in to view assignments, due dates, and any work that has feedback on it. I recommend creating a Chrome profile for your child’s Google account so you have the ability to monitor it when needed.
What apps are being used by the school district to support instruction?
Does your school have a subscription to free or paid apps/services? If so, find out how you can use them at home to support your child’s learning. This can help support what your child is already doing in the classroom and provide a way to connect home and school. Plus, schools have already paid for the service, it’s great when it’s utilized to the fullest as it shows their investment is worthwhile.
Is your child under the age of 13?
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) laws require permissions on certain apps that collect student data under the age of 13. Even some Google apps are not considered “Additional Services” and require separate permissions for any student under the age of 13 as they are under a different service agreement. Here is a list of all Google Apps that are additional services.
What is the Acceptable Use Policy for your child’s school district?
One should have been sent home for you to sign at the beginning of the school year. Don’t remember what it says? It should be located on the school district’s website.
More…are you an Educator?
Check out my post on:
5 Ways to Google Proof Instruction and Why you Should
10 Google Integrated Tools to Try this Year
In Conclusion…
I’m a mom, I’m a Google fan….I’m not seeing much support for parents as schools go 1:1 with Chromebooks and Google becomes more and more entrenched within the lives of our kids when they are at school. As parents, it’s our job to know how best to support them at home. I’d love to hear any tips, tricks, concerns, or questions you have about your kid using Google in school. Drop comments below!
