Google turns into teachers' pet

Back to schooooooooool...

NEWS

Weeks into a new school year, Google has started courting teachers with a resource guide on how to use its applications in the classroom.

Late on Wednesday, the search giant launched a website called Google for Educators. The site includes how-to video tutorials for products such as Blogger; lesson plans for applications such as Google Earth; and links to a training academy to become a "Google certified teacher", a pilot programme for teachers to learn about technology.

According to Google's site: "We think of this site as a platform of teaching resources - for everything from blogging and collaborative writing to geographical search tools and 3D modelling software - and we want you to fill it in with your great ideas."

With the educators' site, Google continues a run on diversifying its business. Earlier this week, the company announced a $1.65bn acquisition of video-sharing website YouTube.

Google's education push competes with similar efforts by rivals including Microsoft and Yahoo!. Microsoft, for example, shepherded the opening of Philadelphia's School of the Future this autumn - a school that boasts a centralised high-tech network for learning and administration.

Google's resource site includes a teachers' newsletter, with tips and features on using technology. It also has links to how-to guides on 12 Google applications, including web search, Book search, Google Maps, Google Video, Picasa photo-sharing and Google Docs, a free word-processing service. Finally, the site showcases examples of how other teachers are using the programs, in partnership with WestEd at Infinitethinking.org.

Stefanie Olsen writes fro CNET News.com

Comments

There are 5 comments. Join the discussion

  1. 1. Dr. Ethel E. Johnson

    I think this is a wonderful idea and a great venture!

    • 13 October 2006 12:44
    • Add comment
  2. 2. anonymous

    You talked about Google for Educators but did not add any links to it.

    • 17 October 2006 12:02
    • Add comment
  3. 3. anonymous

    As an educator, I would have checked out a link to the new site. When will that info be posted?

    • 17 October 2006 23:19
    • Add comment
  4. 4. anonymous

    Here's the link if you couldn't find it:
    http://www.google.com/educators/index.html

    • 18 October 2006 18:44
    • Add comment
  5. 5. anonymous

    How does Google deal with racist or hoax sites that are frequently in a search? We wouldn't want students to access them without realizing what they are.

    • 18 October 2006 21:18
    • Add comment

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

You can also log in with Facebook. Log in or create your silicon.com account below

  • Login

Will not be displayed with your comment

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy.

Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Membership FAQ

Get silicon.com's daily newsletter

  • Register on silicon.com

    Enter your email to register

Keep in touch with silicon.com

silicon.com newsletters