Think Outside the Study Hall With Google Apps For Education

Remember when study halls were rooms where students studied individually in silence, and teachers were reinforcers of the monotony.  Well, the vision of study halls in that sense is fading. Now, the “study hall” is evolving into a period of collaboration between teachers, students, and experts thanks to technology and resourceful educators.

So let me ask:  How many of you have experienced this: “Are you available during study hall? I don’t get the stuff from class today.  Can I get a pass?”  Have you ever asked a student, “Can you come down to my room in the study hall today to work on topics we covered in class? Here’s a pass if you are.”? Or, had a student who wanted feedback on their project during study hall and lugged their laptop through the halls to show it to you in person?  If these interactions have happened to you then you might be interested in learning more about how Google Apps For Education can make the “study hall” period more productive and efficient. Because I did, my “study hall” has not been the same!

As an Algebra teacher in 8th grade, I knew that some students wouldn’t “get it” as quickly as some of my other students, no matter how effectively I differentiated my lesson.  Student mastery happens at different times depending on the individual; therefore, I knew the “silent study hall” was not going to happen for me.  I wanted to be busy during those “study hall” periods to help those students. I wanted student collaboration. However, I couldn’t waste time in the halls or write one more pass!  So, now...I use Google Apps For Education to make better use of my students and my time.  Here are some of the things that I have used to “think outside the study hall” and take it up a level during that period.

Students remain in their “study hall” (no passes needed), but they participate in “pre-mediation” & remediation through a shared link, emailed or posted, to a Google Hangout.  Students use their own devices and earbuds or they borrow one of my school’s laptops with a headphone set to take part. The best part of this entire process is not the teacher-student interaction but the peer collaboration.  Hangouts could also be used for peer tutoring, where students screen share a Google Drawing in a Google Hangout with a touchscreen laptop (or wireless slate).   In addition to using Google Hangouts during study hall, I have also used it to study with my students in the evenings from my home.  (Warning: Students may be shocked that you are a person outside of the classroom with a life if you choose to do this as well.)  

Here’s how I do it:  I “share my screen”, project a Smart Notebook file (or Google Drawing), and use a wireless slate to “write” in the file.  They can ask any questions about the study guide or request additional practice problems.

How to “Screenshare” in Google Hangouts:

Another way to collaborate with your students “live” during “study halls” is through the “Video” or “Chat” feature of Google Docs, Sheets, Drawings, & Slides.  Keep tabs on your student’s progress on projects. Literally! Open several tabs of shared Google files to provide feedback on projects while they are working on them.

To organize my students’ project links, I use this Google Form for students to reserve the date(s) to get help/feedback:  http://goo.gl/forms/yZyNvOAeP0 .  The responses are recorded in a Google Sheet that I use to stay “linked” (get it!) to my student’s projects with a click, and I don’t have to go looking for their projects during different study hall periods.  (This process makes sure that the links are not seen by other students.)  Also, through a fourth column I use to jot down notes on project status/progress, I have documentation on which projects I collaborated on with students and when.  

Implementing some of these ideas, using Google Apps For Education, during Study Hall has decreased test/project anxiety, increased student confidence, and elevated project & test scores! Student and parent feedback has been very positive! Hopefully, your experience with this if you try it is a good one, and I would love to hear feedback!

How do you think outside the study hall?  How have you used any of these features to improve your study hall?