Google for Education Suite As a Tool for Remote and Online Learning: During The Covid-19 Pandemic in Kenya

By Fred Sagwe   Google Trainer 

Corona Virus

The Covid-19 pandemic is affecting every single one of us.This is a challenging period for individuals,learners,teachers, communities and businesses around the globe.

This pandemic-its scale and its severity-has taken us and the world by surprise.


                                                                 Image Credit:Getty

The well-being, health,and safety of all of  us should remain a top priority.As we fully embrace the Kenya  and the  World Health Organization ( WHO ) guidelines and regulations.

Google as a tech companies is supporting initiatives to combat Covid-19  including the global  Google for Education Trainers sharing a valuable  resource  to support educators for remote and online learning to aid  learners.

To follow basic hygiene (practices like, avoid large groups and crowds, regularly washing and sanitizing our hands,keep social distance, covering our nose,avoid raw uncooked food,self-isolation even staying at home.Disinfect surfaces and packages,clean  computer accessories  and smartphones  in a safe and procedure manner.


Google for Education 

Learning never stops.Dedicated educators are lifelong learners.With that in mind the G Suite for Education is designed freely to enable online training for the  classroom that helps educators do what the do best even better.
The G Suite for Education is a suite of tools designed to empower educators and students as they learn and innovate together. 

There are 80 million educators and students around the world using what has become G Suite for Education.40 million students and educators rely on Google Classroom to stay organized and support creative teaching techniques.

Google's AI expertise has long been a strength,and the company has been steadily adding machine learning capabilities to its G Suite platform.
G Suite for Education ,Google Classroom is available to both personal Google accounts and G Suite for Education, however,you should only use Google Classroom with your school account.

The tools include and not limited to: Gmail, Google Docs, Google Forms ,Google Groups,Google Drive,Google Calendar,with other extensions like  YouTube, Google Drawings, Google Sites, Google Voice , Google Meet , Google Hangouts, Google Maps  , Google Expeditions  , Google Street , Google CS First, Chromebooks Chromebooks, Google Digital Citizenship Skills for teachers and students e.t.c.

Google Classroom
Google Classroom is designed to help teachers and students communicate and collaborate,manage assignments paperless,and stay organized.G Suite for Education: Google Classroom is available to both personal Google accounts and G Suite for Education accounts, however,you should only use Google Classroom with your school account.
Google Classroom can be used at any grade level, depending on the skills of the teacher and the skills of the students.

To maximize the features in the Google Classroom on the web,teachers and students should use the Google Chrome.Which is a fantastic learning environment for all things Google.

Google Classroom Mobile App

According to  the Communication Authority of Kenya ,Kenya's mobile phone penetration surpasses 100%.mark.This is supported by Kenya Integrated House Budget survey released in April by Kenya Bureau of Statistics which indicates that at least 30 per cent of mobile users in Kenya own more than one SIM card,translating to an average of 1.3 SIM cards per subscriber.
There were 46.6 million active mobile subscribers between July and September,2019 a 2.4 per cent increase compared to April - June period.
This calls for the case and  urgent usage of mobile devices in helping ICT integration in  Kenya education system.

According to the Android Police ,Google Classroom is the most popular education app on Android and  iOS amid coronavirus.
For the Google Classroom app,that's left the app with 50 million downloads on the Play Store overall,a milestone for any application.The app is also the #1 education app on the Android as far as free apps go.
Apple doesn't have a count for the Classroom app on iOS,but the app has exploded in popularity there too.Currently,Classroom is the most popular education app on the App Store.

Teacher and Student Roles

a.) Teacher role: can create and join classes in Google Classroom.
b.) Student role: Can only join classes in Google Classroom.
You can attach multiple files, videos,and links to your assignments,so be sure to include all of the resources that are needed for each post.

c. ) Create a quiz assignment: To create a quiz assignment from the Classwork page click on the "create" button,and select "Quiz assignment". Classroom creates a blank quiz using a Google Form and attaches it to the assignment.

 d.) Add Class Materials: As a classroom teacher,you can post resource materials,such as syllabus, classroom rules,or topic-related reading,to the Classroom  page.

e.) Grade and return an assignment:
In classroom,you can give a numeric grade,leave comment-only feedback,or do both.You can also return assignments without grades.
If you are using Google Classroom to track grades,you have the option to toggle on grade importing to save your time.
For your grading system,you can choose Total points or Weighted by category grading.In both grades are calculated for you,and you can let students see their overall grade.
You can give your students personalized feedback with the Classroom grading tool.

f.) To enroll students in your class,you need to invite them or give them a  code to join.In some cases,your school can add students for you.(Note:students can enroll   themselves from classes,if they unenroll,their grades are removed.

g.)When you create a class, Google Classroom will generate a class code that you can give to your students that will allow them to join your class.This six digit code is unique to your domain and your class.

h.) You have the option of inviting your students with email.

i.) Add announcement to the Stream: Announcements are a great way to communicate with your students.Add reminders,school announcements, friendly messages, anything appropriate for your students.

j.) Create an Assignment:On the  Classroom page,you can add assignment, quizzes,post questions,add classroom  materials,and even reuse old posts.

k.) Collaborate with other Teachers :Be sure to share and collaborate with other teachers on your schools,so your students receive a consistent message on how to use Google Classroom.Start a Google Doc to share your best practices with each other.

l.) Invite a Teacher as a Student Since teachers can both create classes and join classes,invite a colleague to join your class as a student and vice versa.

m.) Class settings:Set student permissions to post and comment: posts are ideas, questions,or information that students share.Students can add files such as images,links,or YouTube videos to their posts.

n.) Google Calendar Integration :Google Calendar is integrated into Google Classroom,which makes it easy for teachers and students to see assignments due dates and more in one location.

o.) Google Drive.:When you and your students connect to Google Classroom will automatically create a folder structure for you in Google Drive.This automation makes organizational for teachers and students so easy.

p.)Archiving Classes: When you no longer need a class that you have created,you can archive the Google Classroom homepage.

Google Educator Groups Kenya

The Google Educator Groups Kenya ( GEG Kenya ) is part of the greater Google for Education Initiatives (URL) with over 10,000 GEG's globally.Engage with a community of passionate educators who bring the benefits of technology to schools,classrooms and communities.

GEGs provide a platform for educators to collaborate with one another, allowing them to pick up new creative ideas from one another, and to help each other best meet the needs of their students with Google solutions. GEG activities take place both online and offline. Online GEGs provide a space for educators to discuss together and learn about one another through Google+; offline, locally run events and workshops are a way to learn and share face to face.
Anyone is very welcome to join GEG. You may be a principal, a school administrator, a professor, a student, or just someone interested in using Google products to help people learn. Each group is organized by a local volunteer (GEG leader) and is entirely independent from Google, the corporation.
GEG Kenya  offers both in-person, face-to-face and online learning.

Kenyan educators  the Google Kenya Headquarters 
Image Credit: GEG Kenya

It was established in the year 2015 and has created awareness for the G Suite in Education in Kenya and beyond.Culminating to a visit to the Google Kenya  professional development for the Kenyan educators.Where the head of G Suite for Education in London,UK facilitated the session.
The educators were also gifted with the Google for Education- Level 1 coupons to do their online examinations.

GEG Kenya, recently curated and shared both remote and online resources via Twitter to support local, regional and international educators.To continue teaching and offering support to teachers and students.
GEG Kenya avowed  mission is to empower over 2 million learners and about 300,000 Kenyan teachers,and the communities to be proficient in the G Suite for Education and enhance the overall  digital literacy in the country.

Google for Education Certifications

Google for Education's Teacher Centre is a free,interactive online platform with a curriculum created by Google for training and certification of teachers,students and G Suite administrators.
GEG Kenya offers teacher professional development and continuous capacity building to the Kenyan teachers and student certifications.

Blogging

A blog can contain information you wish to place in it.For example,blogs contain addresses, thoughts,diaries,and anything else a person or group wants to share.

A  blog is great way to express yourself and your creativity,and you can make money from it too.

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