Task 5- "Google Classroom"

This tool has a lot of freedom when it comes to the size of the groups, teachers can create both large groups and small subgroups. During this pandemic, we have seen how children have learned by themselves how to use this tool and this is due to the fact that it is very clear and easy to use. Classroom is now a very well-known tool in education that’s why if someone doesn’t know how to use it, there are a lot of videos and websites where they can show you how to use it step by step, and not just that but you can also get help from your own implement.

We can also sum up the fact that in this tool students and teachers can communicate through videos, texts, messages...On the whole, this app doesn’t have any problem regarding functionality.

Not only that but also this tool meets all accessibility credits since this tool is designed to be adapted to the needs of everyone. Moreover, it doesn’t need any type of special equipment just a computer, a phone or a tablet and let’s not forget that it is completely free, you will not have to pay anything out of pocket.

Moving to the technical issue, Classroom can be highly integrated into an LMS and also have the full functionality of the tool; the users can effectively use the tool with any standard, the same thing happens with the browser and the additional downloads.

Regarding the mobile design, the accessibility can be accessible both by downloading an app and by the mobile browser, so that students can have access to the tool with any technological device Google Classroom can be accessed through its website and is available for download at the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store. Also, you will have no functional difference between the mobile version and the desktop version. However, this tool doesn’t have an offline version so if you want to use it you need access to the internet.

Let’s now talk about Privacy, Data Protection, and Rights. Google’s terms say they use the information to help improve the safety and reliability of the services. G Suite for Education requires users to create a Google Account which is created and managed by a school for use by students and educators. Google’s terms say they are fully committed to the security and privacy of users’ data and protecting users and schools from attempts to compromise it. Lastly, Google’s terms say they make contractual commitments in their G Suite for Education agreement and commit to comply with privacy and security standards. The Privacy Policy and Terms of Service used for this evaluation can be found on Google Classroom’s website, iOS App Store, and the Google Play Store.

In terms of presence, we have to examine three areas: Social, teaching, and cognitive.

Let’s start with the social presence. Regarding the collaboration part, the tool has the capacity to support a community of learning through both asynchronous and synchronous opportunities for communication, interactivity, and transfer of meaning between users. Instructors can control anonymity. This tool is well known by mostly every learner but some students will have some difficulties if they have a low or non-technical competence.

We can’t talk about presence without naming the teaching presence. Google classroom help teachers stay completely engaged in their work, and also to have feedback f as it is very easy to work with accessible format.

Finally, we are going to examine the cognitive presence. The tool enhances engagement in a targeted cognitive task(s) that were once overly complex or inconceivable through other means. Learners can regularly receive formative feedback on learning. In contrast, the tool likely does not engage learners in higher-order thinking skills.

On the other hand, taking into account the common-sense privacy program.

The program gives a Pass for it with a score of 88%. Attending more detailing to the different marks that the tool deserves in different areas are:

• DATA COLLECTION = SCORE: 65%

• DATA SHARING = SCORE: 90%

• DATA SECURITY = SCORE: 95%

• DATA RIGHTS = SCORE: 95%

• DATA SOLD = SCORE: 70%

• DATA SAFETY = SCORE: 70%

• ADS & TRACKING = SCORE: 65%

• PARENTAL CONSENT = SCORE: 80%

• SCHOOL PURPOSE = SCORE: 70%

In conclusion, Google Classroom is one of the most efficient and simple ways to take learning online for both in-class and remote studying. It's free, uses the Google ecosystem of tools like Docs and Slides for easy materials sharing, and helps simplify student work evaluation.

It also helps a lot of teachers not to bring a lot of paper to home to evaluate and they can easily evaluate them by Classroom. If I can add something to the tool it would be creating an offline mode

We have to be careful when using this tool sometimes as we can be interacting with people that we don’t know.