Starting to use Classroom

Classroom Essential Overview for Teachers

• Getting to Classroom
• First Login
• Creating a Class
• Changing the theme
• Exploring the Interface
• Adding Students
• Adding Guardians

Classroom Essential Overview for Students

• Getting to Classroom
• First Login
• Exploring the Interface
• Making a Post
• Checking the About page
• Checking your assignments list
• Checking your calendar

Getting to Classroom

There are two ways to get to Google Classroom in a web browser: type in the URL, or use the App Launcher to select the Classroom app.

This item doesn't have a Classroom activity since if you are in Classroom you already know how to get in :-)

Possible Q: Do I need to be logged in to my NLESD Google Account to use Google Classroom?

Yes. You can login to another app first (Google Gmail or Google Drive) or login when you get to Google Classroom.

Possible Q: My app picker doesn’t have Classroom ?

1. Are they on the main Google search screen? On that screen it doesn’t know they are an education user yet, go to mail or drive or docs or anything specifically associated with their account and their NLESD and education extras will show up.
2. Did they rearrange the apps in the app picker? Look around. It might not be where everyone else's is. These are now able to be click and dragged to reorganize according to personal preference.

Possible Q: I am in Classroom but I do not see any of my Classes

Google Classroom is now available for personal accounts. If the user has multiple Google Account and they are logged in to a device using a non-NLESD account they will not see their NLESD Google Classroom Classes.

Google Classroom First Login

Google Classroom has two roles. On your first login to the Google Classroom App it asks you if you are a teacher or a student. Teachers should click teacher. Students should click student. If the user avoids the question the default role, student, will apply.

• Student role, the default. A user with the Student role can participate in Classes they are invited to, co-teach in Classes they are invited to, but not create Classes.
• Teacher role, available on request. A user with the Teacher role can do all that the Student role can AND create Classes AND change Guardian email addresses.

When a user chooses that they are a Teacher their request goes into a queue that is reviewed weekly. Student accounts and generic accounts will be rejected. Adult accounts will be approved. A user gets the ability to create a Google Classroom class when they apply for the Teacher role, they only get the ability to change Guardian email addresses when they are approved for the Teacher role.

To create a Google Classroom I must have the Teacher role, watch out for that.

Possible Q: What happens if the person picks the wrong one? (teacher)

Ask the principal, School G Suite Administrator to go to the IT Assist site and request a role change.

Possible Q: What do I do when I am working with someone and they do not have the create option?

First make sure they are in Google Classroom using their NLESD account.

Next create a Google Classroom Class for them and invite them as co-teacher. Once they have accepted transfer the Class to them and leave the class yourself.

Finally remind them to get the role change request submitted or if you have access do it for them.

Possible Q: What do I do if someone loses their create access (teacher access)?

Same thing.

Possible Q: How do they lose their teacher access?

Possible reasons: Leaving the Classroom-Teachers group, was using under the old @nlesdonline.ca address and has not used since, or no particular reason. Many of the staff this happens to have not used Classroom actively between their first login and when they notice this problem so there is no way to determine which reason impacts them.

Possible Q: What to do if student picks the teacher role?

If a situation develops contact IT. If not they will loose create access on the next approval pass (weekly) so no need to contact.

Create a Google Classroom Class

To create a Classroom Class go to the + in the upper right corner, click it to dropdown the menu, then select Create a class.

There are three lines to help identify the Class. The top line must be used, the others are optional.

Tip: When creating similar Classes use the second and third lines to differentiate on your Dashboard. Your students will mainly look at the top line of the one that they see.

Change the Class theme

Activity: Change the theme to one of the provided images

Explore the Classroom interface

Add students

Guardian Emails and Notification

The guardian does not need a Gmail account.

More than one person can be connected to a student and they can be removed at any time.

They will get a daily or weekly summary of their child’s progress, etc., whichever they choose (they have to accept the invitation and set their preference).

Email addresses are added to the student. They will be avialable in any Class that student is in.

Control via the switch.