Talawanda Offers Google Training for Teachers

The future is here with Google Drive and all of it’s perks. Slowly, Talawanda students and faculty are starting to do more of their work through Google Drive and on the Internet, rather than through old-fashioned textbooks.

On Wednesday, May 16th, Mr. Jim Vajda held a Google Training session in the media center’s computer lab for all faculty in the school district.

“Hopefully teachers will be acclimated to the new change of using Google drive and Gmail through the google training program,” said Vajda.

The idea of having the Google Training session was not planned by Vajda, but by Joan Stidham, the Director of Curriculum for Talawanda. Stidham believed that it would be beneficial to educate all participating faculty on the use of Google Drive by holding a small workshop located in the high school.

“The idea of an open lab was chosen because it allows all staff to participate, no matter if you are a beginner, or more advanced.  Staff can come and try something in an environment where there is support to move to the next level”, said Stidham.

More and more, the school is starting to do work throughout google accounts, making it easier for teachers and students to communicate and edit work.

On the topic of switching from First Class to Google’s beneficiality, Stidham commented that, “Currently, staff and students can not email back and forth because we essentially are using both gMail and First Class.  By eliminating First Class, this will enable this communication to occur.  We think the use of Google Apps will increase collaboration for all stakeholders.”

With using Google accounts to do our work instead of writing in a notebook, students are probably going to start doing research throughout the Internet rather than reading and gathering information from textbooks.  School systems are slowly starting to keep up with all of the new futuristic devices and being able to use the Internet as a valuable learning tool.