I decided to explore Google Classroom, Google Tour Builder, and Icivics. While I am not I the classroom anymore, all of these tools could have been things that I used when I was. I just recently got access to Google Classroom through my work with a couple of Google Apps for Education Schools, and I thought it would be good to get to know it better. I have heard and used Google My Maps, but I honestly forgot tour builder existed. Icivics is an interesting concept that might need a bit more if I were to use it in the classroom.
All of these tools give what diverse learners really need, opportunities. Google Classroom gives teachers an opportunity to have a digital hub where they can easily post and assess assignments based on a learner's needs. It also gives classmates a chance to connect and help each other. Google Tour Builder gives students the opportunity to experience the location in a variety of way. Students can plot points, but they can also add text, images, and videos to further meet every learner's need. Icivics gives interactive games and lessons to learn government concepts. From a student perspective it meets some learners needs through the games, but where it excels in meeting learners needs is the diverse set of lessons, web quest, and resources teachers can use to teach the concept.
If I was still in the classroom, I would definitely use two out of the three. I might take some lessons and concepts from the third. Now that I have gotten to use Google Classroom, I really like it. The integration with drive makes it an unbelievable resource to have. I might not use Classroom as a full on LMS though. I came to the conclusion several years ago that a class website was the way to go. It allows me to really design it the way I want while also bringing in a host of learning tools through HTML embed. Where Classroom would excel for me, is assignment turn in and discussions. It would make that workflow easy. I think the Tour Builder would play right into what I did, I could see it being great for things like a tour of the Civil War battlefields. With Icivics, I might use some of the lessons, but I find the games to be a bit repetitive.
When you look at the digitial divide, I can only speak from what I know. I currently work as a KSU Iteach coach, and I predominantly work with Fulton County Schools. I have seen first hand the massive digital divide between the students in the north end of the county and the students in the south end. Many of the students in the north end of the county come to school every day with their own Macbook, and most have internet access at home. Many in the south end have cell phones, but the data plan is many times lacking and there is no internet access at home. I think this massive digital divide played a role in the district's decision to move to a 1 to 1 program which should roll out almost completely by the start of the 2017-2018 school year.
I think when you at digital equity, I think the easiest ways to branch that divide is by giving students choice and having the right structure to your class. When you give students choice you can give both digital ways of accessing content and completing assignments and analog ways. This ensures that every student's need are met. I think you also need to structure your class where most of the instruction is done in school and very little is done at home. I think you can have a robust class where homework just becomes finishing assignments and studying for assessments. This can ensure that the digital divide is not an issue at home. From a district perspective, there is always the 1 to 1 option. I think they can also get creative like the district that outfitted buses with wifi and then parks them in their poorest areas at night.
All of these tools give what diverse learners really need, opportunities. Google Classroom gives teachers an opportunity to have a digital hub where they can easily post and assess assignments based on a learner's needs. It also gives classmates a chance to connect and help each other. Google Tour Builder gives students the opportunity to experience the location in a variety of way. Students can plot points, but they can also add text, images, and videos to further meet every learner's need. Icivics gives interactive games and lessons to learn government concepts. From a student perspective it meets some learners needs through the games, but where it excels in meeting learners needs is the diverse set of lessons, web quest, and resources teachers can use to teach the concept.
If I was still in the classroom, I would definitely use two out of the three. I might take some lessons and concepts from the third. Now that I have gotten to use Google Classroom, I really like it. The integration with drive makes it an unbelievable resource to have. I might not use Classroom as a full on LMS though. I came to the conclusion several years ago that a class website was the way to go. It allows me to really design it the way I want while also bringing in a host of learning tools through HTML embed. Where Classroom would excel for me, is assignment turn in and discussions. It would make that workflow easy. I think the Tour Builder would play right into what I did, I could see it being great for things like a tour of the Civil War battlefields. With Icivics, I might use some of the lessons, but I find the games to be a bit repetitive.
When you look at the digitial divide, I can only speak from what I know. I currently work as a KSU Iteach coach, and I predominantly work with Fulton County Schools. I have seen first hand the massive digital divide between the students in the north end of the county and the students in the south end. Many of the students in the north end of the county come to school every day with their own Macbook, and most have internet access at home. Many in the south end have cell phones, but the data plan is many times lacking and there is no internet access at home. I think this massive digital divide played a role in the district's decision to move to a 1 to 1 program which should roll out almost completely by the start of the 2017-2018 school year.
I think when you at digital equity, I think the easiest ways to branch that divide is by giving students choice and having the right structure to your class. When you give students choice you can give both digital ways of accessing content and completing assignments and analog ways. This ensures that every student's need are met. I think you also need to structure your class where most of the instruction is done in school and very little is done at home. I think you can have a robust class where homework just becomes finishing assignments and studying for assessments. This can ensure that the digital divide is not an issue at home. From a district perspective, there is always the 1 to 1 option. I think they can also get creative like the district that outfitted buses with wifi and then parks them in their poorest areas at night.