Title: Training outline - Introduction to the Google Workspace and Google Applied Digital Skills

Introduction to the Google Workspace and Google Applied Digital Skills

Overview

This is an introduction to the core Google Workspace tools.

With a combination of demonstration and real-life examples, you’ll explore the many possibilities for choice, collaboration, and communication within the Google suite of programs.


In 6 sessions (90 minutes each), the topics will include: 


In the first five sessions participants will learn how to integrate blended learning into their lesson planning by designing literacy-learning activities using Google tools such as Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Slides, Forms, and Jamboard.


In session six, participants will take their knowledge of the Google essentials and explore how they can be used in multi-activity lesson sets and project-based learning using the Google Applied Digital Skills curriculum.

Session 1: Gmail and Google Calendar

Gmail is a free email service from Google with lots of great features such as ability to easily search mail messages, good spam filters, threaded messages, built in chat and Google Meet. Facilitators can use it to communicate with students and send/receive assignments and notifications. 

Google Calendar allows students and facilitators to organize their day, set up meetings, receive reminders, even share agendas and files. They can be great to plan learning.  We will learn how it can be used to make learning and collaboration easier. 

Learning objectives:

Session 2: Google Drive and Docs

Google Drive allows learners and facilitators to store and manage their documents, images, videos, PDFs, audio recordings in various folders. We will explore how these can be easily created, stored and shared digitally.

Google Docs offers great opportunities to augment the writing process. We will explore sharing and collaboration, feedback and revision strategies for teachers and students to utilize as they create in Google Docs.

Learning objectives:

Session 3: Google Slides 

Google Slides can facilitate the creation of engaging learning experiences for learners. We will explore the basics of Google Slides as we learn to navigate the environment, insert images, videos, audio, and more. We will also learn to create activities to offer voice and choice to students.

Learning objectives:

Session 4: Google Forms 

Google Forms can be used to create formative or summative assessment activities as well as creating differentiated learning activities. We will explore options such as informal surveys and graded quizzes and how to use Google Sheets for data analysis of results.

Learning objectives:

Session 5: Google Jamboard

Jamboard is a virtual board tool that can be used to support student learning in a variety of ways. Learners can write, draw, and collaborate to share ideas and construct meaning. Facilitators can also design individual interactive activities for learners to engage with and demonstrate their understanding of ideas and concepts. 

Learning objectives:

Session 6: Google Applied Digital Skills Curriculum

Google Applied Digital Skills is a free online curriculum created by Google that combines real life skills with Google tools in self-paced, video-based lessons that are perfect for independent, hybrid or remote learning. 

From creating stories and recipes to researching and developing a topic or managing a budget, the curriculum engages learners in problem solving, critical thinking, and hands-on opportunities to develop skills and knowledge.

Applied Digital Skills lessons are similar to real world projects and tasks that learners may encounter at work, in their daily lives and in educational settings . 

As a workshop participant, you will have an opportunity to explore a lesson set of your choice as a learner and, through a process of collective reflective practice, consider the use of these lessons in your own practice. 

Learning objectives:

There are many lessons to choose from. Some we thought might be especially relevant to literacy and basic skills are listed below but you can also choose lessons in Google tools and apps if you want to expand on what you learned in Part 1. The workshop facilitator will help you choose from the 210 possibilities.

Here are some lessons we thought might be relevant to learners in literacy programs:

Tasks 

Looking for work 

Learning to learn 

Further education

Program life

Daily life and independence