Teacher Tech blog with Alice Keeler

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Alice Keeler

Taking a Peek at the New Google Classroom

changes to google classroom Fall 2018
Taking a Peek at the New Google Classroom
changes to google classroom Fall 2018

Google Classroom Will Be Different For the Fall

As always G Suite is adding features and updating interfaces. Some pretty big changes are coming to Google Classroom for Fall 2018. The Stream is no longer your one stop. That has been moved over a tab to “Classwork.” Instead, the Stream is where notifications and announcements go. Settings have been consolidated, and the About tab is gone.

Online Workshop

For $20 I am offering an introduction to Google Classroom using the new beta features. One of the best ways to learn Google Classroom is to experience it as a student. This workshop will go through using Google Classroom as both a teacher and a student. You will want to create a sample class to try out the new features.

alicekeeler.com/goslow

Stream, Classwork, People

There are 3 new tabs: Stream, Classwork, and People.

3 tabs in google classroom

Organized by Topics

The Google Classroom team heard your request to be able to organize the assignments. The Stream is no longer where you build assignments. In fact, you can not move or organize the Stream at all. On the Classwork tab, you will click the Plus button in the bottom right (note from the Google Classroom support page that this icon will change to a Create button at the top of the Classwork page) to create a Topic. You can no longer create announcements from the Plus icon. These are created on the Stream and only show in the Stream.

Classwork page

Done Counts Hidden

Personally, I love the Done/Not Done counts in Google Classroom. This helps me to respond more quickly to students completing work. To view the Done/Not Done count you now need to click on the Classwork page and click on the assignment. Please send feedback in Google Classroom with the comment of CLASSROOM BETA to ask for them to be visible without clicking.

Greyed Out

No longer do students see a green checkmark when they have completed an assignment. Instead, the assignment is greyed out on the Classwork page.

Your Work

Students can view the status of their assignments by clicking on “Your work” from the Classwork page.

Your Work

Consolidated Settings

Classroom settings are now all in one place. Click on the settings cog at the top right to set a class description, reset the class code, allow for students to post to the Stream, display the class code, enable guardian summaries, and show deleted items.

Loss of About Tab

Instead of an About tab, all resources and assignments will be located on the newly created Classwork page. Create an About/Resources topic as a place to post your syllabus and other materials. There is now an About link in the header that will allow you to quickly display the class code.

Back Arrow Removed

This is a change I’m excited about. The back arrow has been removed and replaced with the class title. This is consistent with every website on the internet that you click on the site logo to return to the home page.

Tip: take advantage of your BROWSER back arrow. It’s what you thought the Classroom back arrow did anyway.

Send Feedback

Remember, these changes are in beta right now. Unless you have requested beta access you won’t be able to see the new interface until the Fall. Changes are certainly coming and will be influenced by your feedback. Click on the question mark in the bottom left corner of Classroom and choose “Send feedback.”

Start your feedback comments with CLASSROOM BETA.

Please only ONE COMMENT per feedback submission. Google Classroom tags each feedback comment and it is a challenge when more than one idea is shared.

Be Specific. Explain WHY you need a feature to be the way it is.

9 thoughts on “Taking a Peek at the New Google Classroom

  1. About your online workshop… Is there a deadline to sign up for it? I am very interested in it, but I am also prepping for my Google Educator exam. I want to wait to do the online workshop until after I’ve taken the exam, so I don’t confuse myself! (LOL) Thanks!

    1. Hello Kristin, there is a deadline! These workshops are 6 weeks and I release new content each week. You can still sign up for and participate any time during the workshop but it will end on September 1st.

  2. Hi Alice: Can your workshop be done in a faster than “go slow” format? I’d like the crash course before school begins – and that is coming VERY QUICKLY.

    Thanks!

  3. Hello! I was wondering when the Intro to Google Classroom will be offered. Is it a one day/time workshop for $20 or is it on going? Thanks… I see the ad on the right side of the screen. It started July 23. Is it too late to sign up? Thanks!

  4. Could someone tell me (or share a link to a tutorial on) how to sync the Google Calendar I’ve created for the class with the Google Classroom (can this be done)? All of the video tutorials refer to the “About” page, and that is no longer available.

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