Author: Kaylah Holland

Google for Education Teacher Certifications

Google for Education has a suite of products that are free for educators to use within the classroom. These products include Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, among others that allow teachers to transform their classroom and engage students. Google for Education currently offers four certifications for educators in a training center for educators. The four certifications include Google Certified Educators Level 1 and Level 2, Google Certified Trainer, and Google Certified Innovator. I have personally completed all four badges and grew immensely as an educator by completing each one. 

As a classroom educator, Google Certified Educator Level 1 proves proficiency for using Google for Education products. Educators complete a basic training course on the teacher training center and, when ready, take an intense three-hour exam that costs $10. 

Google Certified Educator Level 2 is the next step and proves an educators expertise using the Google products. This certification is for educators who use Google products in the classroom on a regular basis and often help troubleshoot problems for other educators. Educators complete an advanced training course on the teacher training center and, when ready, take an intense three-hour exam that costs $25. 

Google Certified Trainer certification is for educators who are also in a technology facilitator role and lead others in trainings on using Google products. The Certified Trainer program is more difficult to obtain. The application involves completing Certified Level 1 and 2, completing a trainer course on the training center, a 90 minutes skills assessment, an application video, and complete an application answering questions from previous trainings to use as a case study. These steps may seem daunting but acceptance into the program offers entry into an inclusive group of like-minded educators that help problem-solve and generate new and inspiring ideas through an active community. 

Google Certified Innovator is the final certification. This certification is for educators who desire to make a difference through a particular passion project. Educators must first obtain Google Certified Level 2 before completing the application. The Google Certified Innovator program is the most elusive of the four certifications. The application includes completing the Level 2 certification and submitting a video about a project they are passionate about changing. Acceptance into the Google Certified Innovator includes attendance at a three-day academy, inclusion in an active community of inspiring individuals, active Google Innovators as mentors for one year to help complete the passion project, and yearly energizing events to help each innovator stay connected and inspired. 

How / Next Steps:

I have personally completed all four certifications including Certified Innovator with a passion project that is currently operating as a nonprofit organization empowering educators in under-resourced areas. I have also coached numerous educators to complete the Level 1 certification. Each certification is meant for educators holding specific roles. My advice is to start with Level 1 and transform your own teaching and thus your classroom. 

Feel free to use this checklist to gauge your current knowledge of Google products. 

Also, there are numerous online boot camps available to help you ace the exam. Check out my favorites by Kasey Bell and Eric Curts. 

Be inspired by active trainers and innovators by following these hashtags on Twitter: #GoogleEI, #GoogleCT, #GoogleEDU. 

TLDR (too long didn’t read):

Google for Education currently offers four certifications for educators in a training center for educators. The four certifications include Google Certified Educators level 1 and 2, Google Certified Trainer, and Google Certified Innovator. I have personally completed all four badges and grew immensely as an educator by completing each one. 

References:

References are hyperlinked above as applicable.

@hollandkaylah

Updates to Google for Education

What:

Google for Education recently announced numerous updates to their GSuite products including Classroom and Forms. Google for Education announced the addition of rubrics to Google Classroom through a beta program. Following the launch of a gradebook within Classroom, Google for Education has also announced a beta program for Classroom syncing with student information systems. Google for Education also announced an update to Google Forms with locked mode and importing questions from previously created Forms. 

Why:

Google classroom is a streamlined learning management system that prides itself on simplicity. Adding rubrics is a gamechanger for how teachers can utilize Classroom. With the addition of rubrics, teachers can both create rubrics and grade using rubrics through assignments in Classroom. Using rubrics allows students to understand the objectives for the assignment and allows teachers to give efficient and consistent feedback. With the capabilities of syncing with student information systems, the gradebook in Classroom will sync grades automatically to a student information system so you will not have to enter grades in multiple places. 

Google Forms is a powerhouse product in the education world with capabilities of simple polls to full on final exams with individual responses being saved in a Google Sheet or shown as visual charts immediately upon submission. The update announced is that Forms will now include a locked mode on managed Chromebooks. This means that if you have Chromebooks and also use Forms you can lock students in a Form (usually used for tests, quizzes, final exams, etc.) so they are unable to navigate away from the Form. Another update is that teachers will be able to import questions from a previous Form into a new Form. No more making a copy of a Form and deleting unwanted questions! 

How / Next Steps:

Sign up for the rubric beta program. Prerequisites for the beta program include using GSuite for Education (including Classroom) at your school. 

Sign up for the gradebook syncing beta program. Prerequisites for the beta program include using GSuite for Education (including Classroom) at your school. If your student management system is not on the list complete the beta form and suggest they add it. This will help Google know which student information systems are used most. 

View this step-by-step guide to using locked mode in Google Forms (Chromebooks only). Import questions by clicking the add questions button and choosing Import Questions. 

TIP: If you are currently using GSuite for Education but do not have access to Classroom, speak to your IT director. Classroom is free to use and can be made available to teachers through the Google Admin Console at the request of whoever controls GSuite for your organization. 

TLDR (too long didn’t read):

Google Classroom now has rubrics and launched a beta program so teachers can create rubrics and attach them to any assignment within Google Classroom. Google Forms now has a locked mode that will lock students inside the form (only on Chromebooks). Finally, Google Classroom announced a beta program for syncing information between Google Classroom and a few student information systems. 

References:

All sourced information is hyperlinked as applicable above. 

@hollandkaylah