Technology for Teaching & Learning
42 Google G Suite
Set-Up | Using G Suite Tools in Your Teaching | Sharing Materials | G Suite FAQs
G Suite is Google’s collection of cloud-based productivity and collaboration tools. It includes:
| Drive - cloud storage and sharing | |
| Docs - collaborative content creation; functions like Microsoft word | |
| Sheets - functions like Microsoft Excel | |
| Slides - Collaborative content creation; functions like Microsoft Powerpoint | |
| Forms - a survey tool; allows for the creation and distribution of quizzes, forms etc. | |
| Calendar - shared calendars; quickly schedule meetings and events | |
| Sites - easy website creation | |
| Jamboard - a digital whiteboard that allows for real-time collaboration | |
| Meet - video and voice conferencing | |
| Chat - team messaging |
You can use the tools in G Suite for both synchronous and asynchronous communication and collaboration. Because of the collaborative, easy to access nature of G Suite, it is well suited for HyFlex Teaching.
- Additional details, and access to G Suite, are located on the UF GatorCloud website.
Set-Up
The G Suite service is available at no cost to all UF students, faculty and staff but a UF Google account is required for access. To set up your UF Google account:
- Visit Google Drive, and select “Personal Account.”
- Enter your UF email address (not a department-specific email such as @aa.ufl.edu), then enter your GatorLink credentials.
Accessing G Suite Tools
You can access your G Suite account by navigating to drive.google.com. You can also try the following steps:
- Go to the UF GatorCloud website.
- Scroll down and click “All G Suite Apps”
- Click the G Suite tool you want to use. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to sign in with your GatorLink username and password.
Using G Suite Tools in Your Teaching
Now that most colleges and universities are doubling their efforts to make online course offerings more robust, G Suite has become a valuable tool for engaging students. Below are some ideas on how you can use them in your classroom.
Google Forms
This tool is best suited for surveying and assessment. Google Forms allows you to create forms that are highly customizable – there are 12 question types and you make cosmetics changes, such as font and color, to your form. If you are teaching sensitive or hot topics, you can anonymize your students’ responses. Responses to the forms you send out are automatically organized into Google Sheets.
Possible usages include:
- Create quizzes and surveys to check student understanding
- Replace traditional worksheets
- Assess your own teaching and learning practice by distributing a survey
Google Slides
Google Slides can be used:
- For a single slide as a “soft start”
- To write and display writing prompts, instructions for class activities, ice-breakers, discussion questions,
- To add polls and assessment questions to slides to make your class more active.
- link to google forms to display r