Creating a Google Account

A great starting point for teachers looking to integrate technology into their classrooms is the creation of a Google account. A single username and password will give access to a broad range of tools useful in transforming classrooms into engaging collaborative learning environments. Highlights include but are not restricted to sharing almost any file and type of media, setting up a classroom blog which supports discussion and feedback, creating documents including spreadsheets and presentations which can be shared and edited collaboratively much like a Wiki can. For anything more sophisticated than a blog then Google Sites allows websites to be created which can be organised in a more structured format than is possible with a blog. Google Forms allows for surveys and questionnaires with automatic analysis and presentation of results. Discussion forums are also possible together with creative options such as image creation via Picnik 3D modeling via Sketch up and even programming via Google App inventor for Android. Not to say that everything revolves around Google but a small investment of time and effort opens up a wide range of options which are already familar and easily accessible to the students in your class. Share video clips. To sum up here's a list of top classroom technology tools for which there will soon follow Classroom Technology Clips to get you started

1. Blogger- Create a classroom blog.

2. Docs- Create and share documents and presentations.

3. Youtube-  Share and now edit video clips of demonstrations.

4. Forms - Create surveys and questionnaires.

5. Custom Search - Make a classroom search engine.

6. Sketchup - Make 3D models of objectsandbuildings.

7. App Inventor - Simple programming.