G Suite Support

Google Classroom is where online learning takes place. Here students will view any learning materials posted by their teachers, view any assignments posted by their teachers, and submit assignments for grading.

Students will spend most of their time in the Classwork section. This is where students can interact with learning material and assignments. When viewing a course material or assignment, students may also have the option to watch a video, view a slideshow presentation, view an attached article, fill out a Google Form, or follow links to other learning sites. When all learning materials have been viewed, the student will have the option to create and submit work for an assignment (located in the top right-hand corner of the viewed assignment). Productivity apps such as Docs and Slides can be opened directly from here, and files saved to Drive or on the computer can be uploaded form here. Most of the time, the student will not have to leave the Google Classroom environment when working on and completing an assignment.

Stream is another helpful section in Google Classroom, and is where students will start when entering a particular class. Stream functions similar to a Twitter or Facebook feed. Any new materials, assignments, or updates posted by the teacher will show up in the Stream feed. Teachers can also post comments and important communication directly to the Stream for the students to view.

A menu in the top left corner of Google Classroom allows students to switch to a different class, view the class calendar, a to-do list, and change settings.

Google Classroom is best learned by doing and is very intuitive once you begin exploring. To help with getting adjusted to Google Classroom please view the several video links below:

"Parent's Guide to Google Classroom"

"Navigating Google Classroom for Students"

"How to Use Google Classroom for Students"

For a full list of support topics and help related to Google Classroom straight from Google please click here.

Gmail: Most of you are probably already familiar with Gmail, or other similar email services. Every student will receive a Gmail account linked to G Suite using our school's domain: @egcacademy.org. School email accounts are managed by school administration and are the only way to access Google Classroom and all supported G Suite apps. Once logged into your web browser (Google Chrome is recommended), all apps within G Suite can be accessed using the Google Waffle (see the online learning guide for instructions related to this).

Google Calendar: In G Suite, Calendar is much more than a day planner; it is fully integrated into everything going on in the online learning environment. Every individual class will have its own label in the Calendar allowing the student to keep track of every assignment for every class in an organized fashion on one screen. Due dates for assignments created in Google Classroom are automatically shared to the Calendar as an event. Teachers can schedule video meetings with a link for students, upload files for students, and leave instructions for students all in one event posting. When used as a part of G Suite, Calendar is a powerful communication and organization tool for students, and all they have to do is open it to see what is happening next.

Google Meet: Meet is a web conferencing platform similar to Zoom or Cisco Webex. EGCA will be using Google Meet exclusively for any live video classes or one-on-one video meetings due to its integration with Google Classroom and other Google apps. When necessary, teachers will be able to conduct virtual classes with live video and screen sharing, and students will be able to participate both on video and via text chat. Google Meets will typically be scheduled within Google Calendar, and students can access the meeting simply by navigating to the Calendar app and selecting the link in the appropriate event. Links and codes for Meets can be shared with students within Google Classroom and by email as well.

Google Meet can be accessed from the Google Waffle, within Gmail, or by clicking a link shared by a teacher. Google Meet can also be used on an Android or iOS device by downloading the app.

For quick start guides, videos, and other tools to help with Google Meet click here.

Google Docs: Docs is a word processor similar to Microsoft Word. Students can create documents for assignments and draft reports. Docs are saved automatically in Google Drive, and can be easily shared with teachers and other students for collaboration. Docs can be started using the Docs app, within Google Classroom, or in Google Drive. A Docs app can also be downloaded to Android or iOS devices.

Here are some helpful links for support and resources related to Docs:

"How to use Google Docs"

"Google Docs training and help"

Google Slides: Slides is a presentation program similar to Microsoft PowerPoint. Students can create slideshows as a visual aid for oral presentation, photo slideshows, etc. Slides are saved automatically in Google Drive, and can be easily shared with teachers and other students for collaboration. A Slides presentation can be started using the Slides app, within Google Classroom, or in Google Drive. A Slides app can also be downloaded to Android or iOS devices.

Here are some helpful links for support and resources related to Slides:

"How to use Google Slides"

"Google Slides training and help"

Google Drive: Drive is a cloud storage service similar to Dropbox or Microsoft OneDrive. All materials created by the student are automatically saved to their Drive. It can be organized into folders just like any other flash drive or computer file. New files using Docs and Slides, for example, can also be started within the Drive interface. Like all other Google apps, Drive is accessed within the Chrome browser and does not need to be downloaded to the computer. A Drive app is available to download to Android and iOS devices.

Here are some helpful links for support and resources related to Drive:

"How to use Google Drive"

"Google Drive training and help"

"Google Drive Tutorial Video"