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Tech Tip: The Benefits of Using Google Forms in Education  

Friday, April 7, 2017 by Cyber Acoustics

Technology is now part of everyday life in the classroom, and teachers continue to look for ways to leverage tech to make work easier and more effective. They often ask: How can my students and I work smarter and not harder? One simple answer is Google Forms. 

From assessments and sign-up sheets to lesson plans and data collection, Google Forms is widely considered the most versatile of all the apps within the Google Apps for Education Suite. This powerful tool can be used to collect, analyze, and organize information in many ways. However, if you thought Google Forms was just for surveys and data collection, think again! Google Forms offers a myriad of ways to not only simplify administrative tasks, but to also give teachers new outlets for connecting with students and parents. 

Google Forms – Benefits & Uses 

Edtech blogger and public school educator Cathy Maher highlights the versatile uses of Google Forms in a recent post titled Google Forms, as Easy as 1, 2, 3. Maher not only provides ideas for Google Forms in the classroom, but she notes that the tool can be a helpful asset for administrators as well. Her suggestions include: 

Google Forms for Administrators 

Administrators make a variety of decisions daily. Gathering information and keeping it organized is just one way Forms can help. Google Forms can keep administrators informed, and the tool can be used for decision making in their buildings. Forms can be used to survey teachers, gather feedback for professional development, or for leadership team reports. 

Google Forms for Teachers and Productivity 

Teachers can use forms for a variety of productivity tasks. Teachers can collaborate with their co-workers at the same time to build surveys in working with their teams or departments. Forms can be used for lesson planning, professional development planning or surveys, and assessment forms. In addition, Forms can be used for gathering student test results to determine areas of need in making informed decisions for instruction. 

Google Forms for Teaching and Learning 

There are many ways that Google Forms can be used that benefit teaching and learning. Not only can you use Forms to build quizzes and surveys, it can also be used for many classroom tasks, such as managing assignments, collecting student feedback, writing book reviews, and collaborating on group projects. 

Endless Possibilities 

So what else can you do with Google Forms? According to Mesa Public Schools in Mesa, Arizona, there’s an ever-growing list of possibilities. As a school system that understands and supports technology in education, Mesa PS shares dozen of ideas for using Google Forms, and they’ve neatly organized the suggestions on their website according to who would be filling out the live form. 

Ideas for Teachers 

  • Status Report

  • In-service Topics& Feedback

  • Campus Concerns

  • Rubric

  • Phone Log

  • ESP for Gifted Students

  • EquipmentInventory

  • Student Progress

  • StudentCheck-In/Check-Out Sheet

Ideas for Students 

  • Spelling Test

  • Comprehension Questions

  • Book Reviews

  • LearningAssessment

  • Formative Assessment

  • Interest Survey to Get to Know Students

  • Learning Styles Survey

  • End of Year/Course Evaluation

  • PeerSurvey

  • Exit Ticket

  • StudentElections

  • Club Application

  • Online Reading Record

  • Review Tests(teacher and/or student created)

  • Digital Assignment Submission

  • Homework Check-in

  • Classroom Library Book Check-out

  • Contest Entry Form

  • Nominations

Ideas for Parents 

  • Parent Contact Information

  • Online Absence Note

  • Teacher Request

  • Field Trip Sign-Up

  • Technology at Home Survey

General Use with Various Audiences 

  • StaffContact Information

  • Technology Request

  • Custodial Request

  • Supply Request

  • Meeting Request

  • Transcript Request

  • Public Survey

As you can see from this extensive list, Google Forms offers a variety of uses while also allowing users to get creative and explore new ideas. If you haven’t tried Google Forms yet, it may seem intimidating or overwhelming to some, but the tool really is simple to use. We suggest starting with basics. Check out Google’s Online Help Center for the Basics of Getting Started, and then start benefiting from technology that makes tasks both easier and more effective.