Google Classroom: what it is, advantages and disadvantages

Google Classroom it’s a web service developed and provided by Google as a set of tools that facilitate blended education.

It is designed to allow the creation of virtual classroomsthrough which students and teachers can meet comfortably through the platform.

Classroom Features

In addition to being considered as one of the academic resources of Google Suiteincluding Google Drive, Google Calendar, and Gmail, Google Classroom includes other features:

• Security: Google Classroom has a modern level of encryption that prevents malicious files from entering the classroom and destroying or disturbing the content stored there.
• Privacy: the data of all classroom members is kept private, thereby preventing it from being used for commercial purposes. Similarly, Classroom is ad-free.
• Communication: The platform provides appropriate communication tools to facilitate interaction between students and teachers.
• Organization– This service allows teachers to publish content organized by folders, number of pages, name, chronological order, etc.
• Multi platform: In addition to being able to be used on the computer, Google Classroom has support for Android or iOS Smartphones.
• Academic focus: Despite being a digital environment, Google Classroom requires the same approach between students and teachers for correct performance of activities and their evaluation.

What is Google Classroom for?

This application allows teachers to create virtual classrooms in which they can share content with their students, quickly and easily, using different tools available. Between these audio files can be includedvideo, images, documents, among others, that are relevant to the learning of the class.

How does Google Classroom work?

Google Classroom connects directly to Google account, so it is only necessary to have a Gmail email to enter this platform. In addition, it is a free service that has a variety of options or functions, including:

• flipped classroom: It is an individual teaching modality in which the teacher can send additional content to reinforce what has been learned in class.
• Ad publishing: is a function that allows you to post announcements in the virtual classroom so that all students within Classroom can view important information or content. In the same way, it serves for the teacher to answer questions about it.
• Access codes: With this function the teacher can share classroom access codes with his students, so that they can enter the class without major inconvenience.
• Real-time evaluation: Within this Google Classroom function, teachers can upload evaluation files, such as questionnaires, and allow students to edit them individually or collectively, being able to evaluate them in real time.

Advantages and disadvantages of Classroom

Google Classroom has a series of advantages or positive features that allow students and teachers to make the most of each tool. Among these are:

• Is a easy access platform for students and teachers.
• It has a simple interface to understand and use.
• Saves resources (time, money and material) as it is a digital environment.
• Includes access to storage toolssuch as Google Drive and office automation, such as Google Docs, Sheets and Slides.
• It is a free service.
• It is a more comfortable and modern learning system.
• The teachers They can evaluate their students in real time.
• Easily adapts to different platforms.

However, we cannot ignore the fact that Google Classroom It also has certain disadvantages or negative aspects, such as:

• It does not have real-time chat forums.
• The work of uploading files, correcting exams, recording grades, etc., must be executed manuallysince there is no automated system for this.
• Students can make mistakes, deleting part of the published content when they are granted access to the material.
• It does not allow sharing files between students if they are not their own.
• It is not easily accessible to low-income users.
• Your reputation is in questionas many users have accused Google of breaking established privacy policies by sharing information for commercial purposes.

As could be seen, Google Classroom is a service that is quite useful today and that offers clear advantages and disadvantages to its users.