Google Groups Assignment

Of all the assignments we have had, this one was probably my favorite. There several features that the group offers such as discussions, file sharing, and the ability to create pages. I feel like this is something I would be most likely to actually use with my students, at least about third grade or so, because posting discussions as a teacher and having students respond is a great way to gain and track participation for every students. It could even be used for the parents. The teacher can post discussions about what is happening in class, and parents can be encouraged to respond with their thoughts, and maybe add some ideas of their own. With the ability to upload files onto the group, it would also be a great way to send communication to parents and students, such as a class newsletter or a calendar of events. Teachers can also share resources that they would like for their students or parents to see or use by creating a page. Or, teachers can allow students to create a page within the group that is their own, and they can show their creativity this way.
Once again, I feel that this assignment does well with covering most of the NETS-T standards. It certainly facilitates and inspires student learning and creativity due to all the possible uses, it is definitely a way to create a technology enriched learning environment, and it is a wonderful medium to collaborate with student, parents, and peers. I feel that all the assignments in this class engage us in professional growth and leadership because we are learning new ways to incorporate technology into our classrooms. That is the main purpose of the course, so it should go without saying from here on out that we are growing professionally from these assignments.