I used Google Classroom to give out unique copies of documents to my students, to provide them with opportunities to respond back to work that they were working on, and to give them grades.
Client Experience Partner at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
Reliable, unique copy deployment, but learning management system functionally lacking
Pros and Cons
- "Assigning a unique copy of Google Classroom to students and giving out information is what the solution excels at."
- "There are a lot of things that need to be fixed in order for it to be called a learning management system. I think that's where a lot of people are very confused in terms of what Google Classroom actually does. Google Classroom is not a learning management system. A learning management system allows teachers to grade with authenticity and doesn't provide only one grade for a particular document or assignment."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
Assigning a unique copy of Google Classroom to students and giving out information is what the solution excels at.
What needs improvement?
There are a lot of things that need to be fixed in order for it to be called a learning management system. I think that's where a lot of people are very confused in terms of what Google Classroom actually does. Google Classroom is not a learning management system. A learning management system allows teachers to grade with authenticity and doesn't provide only one grade for a particular document or assignment.
Google Classroom only allows for teachers to give out one grade based on work across a larger spectrum of grades. It does have its own limitations in terms of how students see the information. It doesn't allow for folders within the classes, or teachers to group information. What is provided is a list of activities or things that students need to complete.
If Google wants to call it a learning management system, which Google does, it's not. I've used learning management systems that are far greater and better at organizing content, systems, and information than Google is. I work in technology and education and I have a strong basis as to what I'm talking about.
In order for Google to better get into that space, they need to listen to teachers when teachers are willing to give their feedback. I used to comment in the Help Center all the time or provide suggestions to Google on things that I was experiencing or the issues that I was experiencing. The solution is not user-friendly for teachers or students. However, it is user-friendly in terms of it being clean but once you start giving out multiple assessments or multiple assignments, there's no easy way to organize it causing students to get confused.
For a student who's in first grade, who's six years old, for them to use Google Classroom is not going to be something that I would suggest, because they're going to get lost in it. Even somebody who's in fourth grade, which is what I used to teach, fourth graders have a hard time using Google Classroom, because it's difficult for them to keep up with their assignments. If the solution does not have an organizational structure, which it doesn't have, there's no way for you to easily see which assignments have been turned back and why they've been turned back. I can give back an assignment, but it won't tell the student whether the student needs to turn it back in for a redo, turn it back, or not turn it back in. For example, If I want them to see the comments, or if I want them to see the information, I have to turn it back into them or give it back to them, but I don't want them to turn it back into me. It shows up as something that they need to turn back into me on their end, they think they do need to. It's just a very confusing feature overall.
Google has focused more on the teacher's end rather than what the students see. This could improve. There's not an ability to assign multiple grades. I can grade it, but I would have to give them an overall grade, "Overall, you received a 90." Whereas a lot of schools are doing standards-based grading now. "Overall, you received a 90," doesn't always work anymore. What it should be is, "Overall, on the writing part you received a 90, but on the information, you received a 50 and on this, you receive another mark, and on your writing skills you received this." There should be that aspect of it if you're going to call yourself a learning management system.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Google Classroom for approximately five years.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Google Classroom is reliable. It has been stable in my usage. There are times when it does lag and become slow, but that's if Google is having its own issue. If Google's having an issue and Google Classroom's having an issue, you are out of luck and will not be able to operate. There were a lot of the Amazon AWS issues that we were having throughout this year, that caused some problems in Google Classroom.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Google Classroom is scalable but they need to make significant changes for it to be a leading solution in this marketplace. People are using it because it's convenient to provide individual copies to students, which is amazing. However, there are other platforms that can tap into it, and they're doing it better.
This solution was extensively being used, we were remote working at that time.
How are customer service and support?
Google Classroom supports are difficult to get a hold of. When you provide a feedback item, no one will email you and asks, "Hello, why did you suggest this?" I would assume that they would want back feedback from teachers that are using their solution but it does not seem to be the case.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have used other solutions in the past, the school district switched us to Google Classroom. The assigning of unique copies is definitely something that draws teachers to Google Classroom and will continue to draw teachers to Google Classroom. However, now there are other platforms that can tap into the fact that you can assign a unique copy to students through their platform as long as the Google email is attached to it. It's not as unique anymore and there are other learning management systems that do it better.
How was the initial setup?
The hard part of the initial setup is that you have to set up multiple classes for each subject area when you essentially see a student all the time. For example, one student, in fourth grade would have four or five different classes that they need to click into. This aspect of the Google Classroom is fine. However, it's when you are in quarter one and you want all of quarter one's grades together, but you don't want quarter two's grades to go into it. You have to make a new class, have all of your students have to add that class to keep the other class open to allow you to receive the grades from quarter one and still operate quarter two at the same time. It gets confusing for students.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to others is to make sure that you organize correctly. You're going to have to spend a large portion of time organizing and making sure that students know exactly how to use the solution. Set very clear instructions around how you are going to assign work, and how they are going to turn work back in and provide feedback. Those things need to be said ahead of time if Google is not going to fix their permissions.
I rate Google Classroom a seven out of ten.
If you're going to use Google Classroom for creating and giving out unique copies and that's the only use you have for it, then I would rate it as a ten out of ten. If you're going to use it as a learning management system, I would give it a five.
I kind of split the difference between those two ratings to give it a seven, only because I don't think it does the learning management system well, but it does do unique copies well. There is a need to set parameters around it.
If you're only looking at it from the standpoint of assigning a unique copy to students and giving out information, then Google Classroom is the best. It's the fastest and the easiest way to do it. If you're looking for a learning management system and giving out that unique copy, there are other vendors that are doing it better.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Associate professor in accounting at The British University in Egypt
Beneficial online platform, useful to meet people, but not user-friendly
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of Google Classroom is the ability to meet people and it is online."
- "Google Classroom could improve by being easier to use. For example, making it functional with only a few buttons. It's difficult to know how to connect with students and make a link and share it with them. I found it difficult, and this is why I didn't continue using it. Additionally, it should be available to be downloaded to the desktop for use, similar to Zoom."
What is our primary use case?
Google Classroom is an online platform where people can meet together.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Google Classroom is the ability to meet people and it is online.
What needs improvement?
Google Classroom could improve by being easier to use. For example, making it functional with only a few buttons. It's difficult to know how to connect with students and make a link and share it with them. I found it difficult, and this is why I didn't continue using it. Additionally, it should be available to be downloaded to the desktop for use, similar to Zoom.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Google Classroom for approximately two years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have 150 students in my classroom and they were using Google Classroom.
How are customer service and support?
I did not use technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used Zoom and Microsoft Teams and I used them more than Google Classroom because they are free to use.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There are competitors that offer free solutions, making the price of Google Classroom high.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Google Classroom a six out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Google Classroom
October 2024
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Sales representative at LizardFS
A simple and stable solution that is easy to deploy and easy to use
Pros and Cons
- "The product is easy to use."
- "The product must provide different plans for different customers so that we can pay for only what we use."
What is our primary use case?
We were making improvements to our website. We were working closely with the company that was making our new website. They were putting their ideas on Google Classroom. It was easier to communicate through Google Classroom than through calls. We had meetings in Google Meet.
What is most valuable?
The product is easy to use. We can do everything we want. It’s basic, and it is nice. We are a small company. We do not need sophisticated solutions. Simple is best.
What needs improvement?
If we have Google Workspace, we have access to everything, although we don’t need it. We are a small company. The product must provide different plans for different customers so that we can pay for only what we use. Microsoft provides different tools like Microsoft 365 for enterprise, Microsoft Office, and Microsoft 365 Personal.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution occasionally for two to three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I didn’t have any problem with the tool’s stability. I rate the stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s scalability an eight out of ten. Four to five people from our company use the solution. We have some external users, too.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very, very easy. The deployment took 10 to 15 minutes. The product is cloud-based.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend the tool to others. Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Country Director at Inextricable Group Tech
Useful task assigning and helpful overall glass engagement
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of Google Classroom is the ability to share my lectures with many students, assign tasks to be completed, and overall student engagement."
- "It would be helpful to add voice or audio capabilities to the classrooms instead of text only."
What is our primary use case?
The solution is used for teaching remotely.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Google Classroom is the ability to share my lectures with many students, assign tasks to be completed, and overall student engagement.
What needs improvement?
It would be helpful to add voice or audio capabilities to the classrooms instead of text only.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Google Classroom for approximately two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have not had any stability issues with Google Classroom.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have approximately 80 students that have used the solution.
Google Classroom is a scalable solution.
How are customer service and support?
I have not used the support from Google Classroom.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have not used a similar solution prior to using Google Classroom.
How was the initial setup?
The setup of Google Classroom is simple, you go to the website and downloaded the solution, and use it. It is a simple process and can be done in minutes.
What about the implementation team?
I did the deployment of the solution myself.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of Google Classroom has been reasonable.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others. It is a good solution for connecting with students and has many features.
I rate Google Classroom a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Business Development Manager at Computer Learning centre
Makes receiving lecture notes, following discussions, joining and changing classes easier; quick to install and has a free version
Pros and Cons
- "What I like about Google Classroom are the video lessons. I enjoy using it because it makes my life easier, for example, I can easily change my class and my lecture notes."
- "I like Google Classroom the way it is, but an area for improvement could be its dashboard."
What is our primary use case?
I use Google Classroom for my classes. I use it to receive lecture notes and follow discussions.
What is most valuable?
What I like about Google Classroom are the video lessons. I enjoy using it because it makes my life easier, for example, I can easily change my class and my lecture notes.
What needs improvement?
I like Google Classroom the way it is, but an area for improvement could be its dashboard. It could be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Google Classroom for a few years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Google Classroom is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Google Classroom is a scalable product.
How are customer service and support?
I currently don't have issues with Google Classroom, so I have not contacted their technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I haven't used a different learning management system apart from Google Classroom.
How was the initial setup?
Installing Google Classroom was very easy. It took less than five minutes.
What about the implementation team?
I did the installation of the product myself.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I'm using a free version of Google Classroom, so it's a product I don't pay for.
What other advice do I have?
I use Google Classroom and Google Cloud, but only on mobile.
Google Classroom is for my personal use. I don't own the school and I don't own the training center, so I won't increase the number of users of the product.
I would recommend Google Classroom to other people who want to start using it.
My rating for Google Classroom is eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Senior Manager Network Design at MEEZA, Managed IT Services Provider
Secure, reliable, and no license required
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of Google Classroom is security."
- "The user interface of Google Classroom could improve by being more user-friendly."
What is our primary use case?
Google Classroom is used for students.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Google Classroom is security.
What needs improvement?
The user interface of Google Classroom could improve by being more user-friendly.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Google Classroom for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Google Classroom is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have four people using Google Classroom at my residence.
How are customer service and support?
I have not contacted support.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We did not need a license to use Google Classroom.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Google Classroom a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
IT Staff at Holy Name University
Accessible from anywhere, beneficial GUI, and highly reliable
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of Google Classroom is its clouds based. It can be accessed anywhere. Additionally, the GUI is good, we have not had any complaints and the platform has built-in security. For example, email has protection."
- "The initial setup of Google Classroom is straightforward. The deployment took us two to three months because we had to train the faculty."
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Google Classroom is its clouds based. It can be accessed anywhere. Additionally, the GUI is good, we have not had any complaints and the platform has built-in security. For example, email has protection.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Google Classroom for approximately two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Google Classroom is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of Google Classroom is good. However, it depends on the features that they add.
We have approximately 2,000 faculty and 6,000 students using this solution.
How are customer service and support?
I rate the technical support from Google Classroom a five out of five.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not use a previous solution prior to Google Classroom.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Google Classroom is straightforward. The deployment took us two to three months because we had to train the faculty.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation of Google Classroom was done in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Google Classroom is a free solution.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Google Classroom a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
English Teacher at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Free to use, integrates with other google tools, and accessible anywhere
Pros and Cons
- "I find Jamboard to be a great tool for supporting classroom activities."
- "There are certain things that I can do on PowerPoint that I cannot do on Google Presentations and Google Slides, such as using PowerPoint's animation feature, I have found that PowerPoint is generally more feature-rich and offers a wider range of tools that I can use to prepare and enhance my presentations."
What is most valuable?
I find Jamboard to be a great tool for supporting classroom activities. While I also use other Google tools such as presentations and Google Docs, I feel more comfortable working on my computer rather than online. Sometimes, I believe that my computer offers more features than the online versions. However, I particularly enjoy working with Jamboard. I am also a frequent user of Google Meet and appreciate the possibilities of combining these two tools.
What needs improvement?
There are some areas that I would like to improve, but I need to thoroughly evaluate and determine which skills or tools will be most useful for me.
I am aware that Google offers numerous other tools, some of which I have been introduced to in the past, but I have not used them because they were not relevant to my needs at the time. Occasionally, I may explore these tools, but I do not always find them applicable to my work.
While it is not directly related to Google Classroom, I have noticed some differences between using Google Docs, Google Presentations, and Google Slides compared to Microsoft PowerPoint.
There are certain things that I can do on PowerPoint that I cannot do on Google Presentations and Google Slides, such as using PowerPoint's animation feature, I have found that PowerPoint is generally more feature-rich and offers a wider range of tools that I can use to prepare and enhance my presentations.
This can be helpful when I need to create presentations with more complex or detailed content.
For how long have I used the solution?
I work for a large motivational company and used their methods regularly. I am currently working with Google Classroom and have been since January 2022. I received the initial training, and I now use Google Classroom daily.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In my opinion, Google Classroom is quite stable.
How are customer service and support?
I have not contacted technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I used other programs such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Project Other applications I used included Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Project Management. I don't use DropBox, but I do use similar platforms. They all function in the same way.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I use the free version of Google Classroom.
What other advice do I have?
I completed my CV two months ago.
I teach English and work as a translator.
I have worked for twenty years in a company, and I worked on the SAP project for the different experiences I have had with IT.
I was employed at a multinational corporation, where I was assigned to work in the United States for a year. During my tenure, I was stationed in the PMO department, handling various projects. I collaborated with Indian consultants, including one who specialized in sales and execution, and mentored me in configuring SAP. However, this was a while back, and the project eventually stopped, prompting me to resign. Through my experience in working with PMOs, I have gained a solid understanding of their operations, as well as basic SAP functions such as generating purchase orders. Nonetheless, I lack proficiency in system configuration, making it difficult to demonstrate my competency in this area.
I would rate Google Classroom a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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