Organizational Structure

for Images

setup.slidesyearbook.com/storing-images

As a yearbook advisor, I worry about the best place to store images. My school creates our softbound 100-page full-color yearbook in Google Slides for less than $10. Despite the cost savings, I still worry about FERPA and storing yearbook images online even though parents complete a photo/video release form.

At first, it appears that we have only two choices for storing yearbook images:

We can use Google Photos with editing and facial recognition capabilities. Photos can be organized in albums. Students can write comments (or captions) on individual pictures. Sadly, we sacrifice student privacy with its non-existent school-level sharing permissions. Google sharing permissions are on or off. No advanced settings exists at this time. Please note that as of August 1, 2017, non-core apps like Google Photos will be turned off. Please talk to your district school domain administrator to have it manually turned on.

Or we can use Google Drive with its site-level folder sharing permissions and the option to prevent editors from changing access and adding new people. Google Drive is a Core Service and, therefore, FERPA compliant. At the same time, we sacrifice photo editing and facial recognition capabilities.

Thankfully, a third option exists. Yearbook advisors can set up an organizational sharing system that embraces both choices with the added benefit of Google Classroom.

Imagine a pyramid organizational chart with the teacher on top. At the next level are trusted student editors. Their job is to upload photos, edit them and use the AI description features for facial recognition. At the bottom of the chart is the rest of the class. These students are the yearbook graphic designers who access the Google Drive folder via Google Classroom. As these students demonstrate responsibility and positive digital citizenship, they earn editing access to Google Photos.

Step 1 - Google Photos

Step 2 - Google Drive

  • Go to drive.google.com.
  • Open Settings -> Automatically put your Google Photos into a folder in My Drive.
  • Open the new folder and select the folder labeled by year
  • Select Share -> Get shareable link (Anyone with a link can view)

Step 3 - Google Classroom

  • Go to your yearbook Google Classroom.
  • Return to STREAM and add Assignment with the Shareable link.
    • Students must open this folder before they can insert these images.
    • Students will go to Insert -> Image -> Google Drive -> Shared with me.
  • Go to ABOUT and add the student editors as co-teachers.
  • When a student un-enrolls, she no longer has access to the Photos.

Why should student editors be co-teachers in Google Classroom? Simple. So that student editors can help give feedback.

Let’s make it clear - GSuite for Education should make Google Photos a Core Service with school-level sharing permissions. Even with the needed change, however, the organizational structure discussed in this blog allows gradual release of responsibility to students. It allows student leaders to edit and use facial recognition in Google Photos, as well as provide feedback in Google Classroom. It allows the remaining students to slowly earn the same photo editing privilege.

For years, I have shared a Google Drive folder with students. I argued against Google Photos because I feared the one student who would share an image outside of the class. But we must train our students to be responsible. As a yearbook advisor, I feel more confident sharing images with students using this structure.

The best answer for yearbook photo storage is not choosing between Google Photos and Google Drive. Rather, it is combining Photos with Drive with Classroom.

Published July 7, 2017.

Updated July 21, 2017.