Upcoming Changes to Google Classroom

Google is rolling out some major changes to Google Classroom in August. I've been playing with a Beta version for the past few weeks

The major changes include a stream that simply provides a snapshot of upcoming assignments, a page called Classwork that provides more detailed information about upcoming assignments and a page for "People" that allows you to add co-teachers and even parents if your school division will allow it.

Announcements now only appear in the stream and not in Classwork.  I love the ability to separate assignments from announcements.

Within the Classwork page, you can organize your assignments by unit.  For example, you will be able to group all your assignments for the Renaissance/ Reformation Unit or the unit on revolutions.

You can also reuse assignments from a previous year and you can organize assignments by date.  Previously, you could only organize them by topic.

Perhaps the biggest change, at least for Chromebook users, includes the ability to make quizzes within Classroom and to lock browsers when students take the quiz. This function only works with Chromebooks right now.

Other changes are more subtle but make using Classroom much easier. For example, you can now access the class drive folder within classroom. You no longer need to search for it in your drive.

In the video below, John Sowash explains the upcoming changes in much more detail.