Collaboration is a key aspect of modern-day education, and Google Classroom has emerged as one of the most popular platforms for facilitating collaboration between teachers and students. With its user-friendly interface and robust features, Google Classroom offers a seamless experience that fosters teamwork and productivity. In this week's post, we are exploring five ways to improve collaboration using Google Classroom.

1. Add emojis to your topics in Google Classroom to make them easy to find

Emojis are a fun and engaging way to make topics more accessible and visually appealing. By using emojis to label different topics, teachers can make it easy for students to find what they need quickly. For example, a teacher could use a rocket emoji to label the topic for the week's science assignment or a book emoji for a reading assignment.

2. Random Name Generator in Google Classroom

You can randomly select students to answer questions, present projects, or participate in discussions using the random name generator feature on the Google Classroom mobile app. This is a great way to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to participate and engage in classroom activities. This feature also eliminates any biases that may arise from selecting students based on personal preferences or social dynamics.

3. Sharing a Youtube video with no ads and nothing to play after it!

Google Classroom offers a seamless way to share YouTube videos with students. By adding a "-" after the "t" in a YouTube web address, teachers can share a full-screen video without any ads, recommendations or other distractions. This is a great way to keep students focused on the content and avoid any distractions

Here’s an example:

4. Force users to create a "copy" for your Google Documents

When sharing documents or other materials with students, teachers can add the word "copy" at the end of the link to force students to make their own copy in their Google Drive. This ensures that each student has their own copy of the material and can work on it independently without disrupting the work of others. Simply replace the word “edit” in the document URL to “copy”. Make sure your you have already shared the document with your students by clicking the share button.

5. Name Topics in Classroom by week

The naming convention for topics has sparked debates about whether they should be organized by unit or week. However, I have come to realize through experience that organizing topics by week is the most effective way to keep everything in order and ensure that students stay on track. You can group assignments, announcements, and other materials by week, which makes it easy for students to manage their tasks.

Grouping topics by week not only provides clear direction and focus for students but also enhances communication and allows teachers to differentiate their instruction more effectively. This is particularly useful for long-term projects, where students need to remain focused on a single task for several weeks. Tell us your views if you agree or disagree by replying to this email.

In conclusion, Google Classroom is a powerful tool that can help improve collaboration in the classroom. I hope using these techniques you can foster a more collaborative and productive learning environment. Tell us which ones you try and how they work by replying to this email. We believe that together we can learn from each other and create better learning environments for our students.