Google Apps Education Training Center

The Google Apps Education Training Center is an online learning environment dedicated for educators and students to learn how to effectively use Google Apps in an educational context. In other words, it provides training materials to learn how to use Google Apps in education.


While you don't need a Google Apps account to use this site, it is recommended so that you can experience what you learn. Of course, if you have a Google account you can use many of the apps anyway.


This is a good resource for teachers and students whose school system uses Google Apps or for any teacher or student who uses Google's applications for school.

100 Ways Google Can Make You a Better Educator

100 Ways Google Can Make You a Better Educator is a great article on the Online Education Database. The article lists different ways to use Google's applications for communication, collaboration, research, organization and more in the classroom. It is short, sweet, and to the point and gives concrete examples of how to use Google's apps to make education better. Each tip is a link to either a Google app or how-to page or to another online article that describes how to use Google in that way.

The Online Education Database has many more great resources on their page too.

Getting started with Blogger and Google Sites

I use Blogger for this blog, and for my class blogs. I have a blog for each class and I post assignments, announcements, reminders, and links on the site. Students can also post questions and have discussions. Here is the link to my AP Physics class blog as a reference.

I use Google Sites for my class website, which I use to post reference information, links, resources, and files for download. Many of my colleagues ask me how to do this, so I figured I would put up some links on how to get started using Blogger and Google Sites.

Both Blogger and Google Sites are extremely easy to use. You will need to create a Google Account first. I suggest you go to Gmail and create a Gmail account and use that for all of your Google correspondence. Once you have a Google Account through Gmail, you can use that for all Google Products. I also use Google Chrome Web Browser, iGoogle, Picasa, Google Desktop, Google Maps, Google Search, Google Docs, and Google Mobile products.

Getting Started with Blogger:

Go to Blogger.com and create a blog. Blogger will guide you through the process. It is beyond simple. Once you have named your blog and picked a layout, you will ready to go. If you can use the internet and use word processing software, you can create your blog.

Great Blog Article on Getting Started with Blogger

Blogger Help Site

Getting Started with Blogger - YouTube video

Creating your Blog with Blogger - YouTube video

Blogs in Plain English (YouTube/Google Video)

Getting Started with Google Sites:

Go to Google Sites and create a web page. Google sites will guide you through the process. It is beyond simple. Once you have named your site and picked a design, you will ready to go. If you can use the internet and use word processing software, you can create a website.

Introduction to Google Sites

Google Sites Support/Help Page

Video Tutorial to Get Started with Google Sites (YouTube)

Google Tutor - getting started with Google Sites

Articles I have done about Blogger and Google Sites

Blogging as a Teaching Tool

How I use a website and Blogs with my Classes

Technology I use on a daily basis

General Google Information and Resources:

Google Support/Help Page

Google Operating System Blog

Google Tutor - great resource

Have some fun and play with Blogger and Google Sites. As you get more comfortable with them, you will be able to do much more with them. Good luck!

Google Calendar and cell phones

I just read a great post on "From Toy to Tool", a blog about using cell phones as educational tools, about Google Calendar and text messages. I had completely forgotten about this ability because I have a smart phone (Palm Centro). But, as Liz points out, not everyone can access the web on their phone. Pretty much everyone has the ability to send and receive text messages. Her blog is a great resource for those looking to use cell phones in class, or even just show their students how they can use their cell phones for educational purposes outside of school.

Google has great applications, which are free, for students and teachers to use. I have talked about Google's applications before, because I use them a lot and find them easy to use and very useful.

Google Calendar is a great tool to keep yourself organized. A nice feature is that you can allow others to have read access to you calendar, and you can even combine calendars from multiple people or groups.

If you don't have web access with your phone, you can check your calendar, or even add a new event to your calendar, using text messaging. Here is the Google page with instructions. You do need a Google account and need to register your cell phone when you set it up.

Check out the rest of the applications Google offers HERE.