Google Forms

I use Google Forms to make online quizzes and surveys for my students. It's a platform that is very easy to use, is free, and is ideal for teachers who work with the Google Suite already because it can be linked to classrooms.

Google Forms will auto-grade some of the objective response questions and can easily integrate pictures, videos, texts, and other media into the quiz itself, which is something that regular paper printed quizzes cannot do. As a teacher and as a student, I have used it several times - as an online quiz, a survey to assess interest, background knowledge, or learning progress, and to schedule meetings.

Another great way I've seen Google Forms used is if you want to assign watching a video clip as homework, instead of emailing the link, you can send it in a google form with a question about it so you can be sure that your students have done the assignment.

I would definitely recommend this tech tool for educators to use in their classrooms.

To the right, I've included two screenshots of Forms I've created. The first was used as an introduction to a novel unit (6th Grade) on A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness to have the students start thinking about themes of truth and compassion. The second was a quiz review (10th Grade) for the book Night by Elie Wiesel.

Danielson Framework

The Google Forms tool helps teachers meet all of the domains of Danielson's Framework for teaching. In Domain 1 (Planning & Prep) it helps teachers design assessments that are appropriate to the lesson and students. For Domain 2 (Classroom Environment), teachers can design a get to know you survey or a background probe before starting a unit, helping to make instruction more student centered. In relation to Domain 3 (Instruction), Google Forms helps teachers when they assess students in both formative and summative types. If the students are the ones using this tech tool, though, it connects to Domain 3 (Instruction) because it is a platform that allows them to receive fast feedback from assessments. It also connects to Domain 4 (Professional Responsibilities) well if teachers use it to communicate with parents or colleagues to schedule meetings and keep track of those events. [1b, 1e, 1f, 2b, 3d, 4c, 4f]

ISTE Standards

This tech tool also integrates some of the ISTE Standards for students into the classroom as well. By using Google Forms as a beginning of the year survey, teachers can help their students become more Empowered Learners (1a, 1c), and if the students create their own forms, they will become more Creative Communicators (6a).