1 Google Apps for Education Henrico County, Virginia

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2 1 Ggle Apps fr Educatin Henric Cunty, Virginia PROGRAM CATEGORY: Infrmatin Technlgy 1. Abstract f the Prgram Henric Cunty Public Schls (HCPS) prides itself n its innvative apprach t instructin. We believe in the pwer f designing high-quality learning envirnments and prviding tls that supprt the develpment and use f key 21st century skills. These beliefs are part f ur culture and are the heart f ur Teaching Innvatin Prgressin Chart (TIPC). As part f this apprach, HCPS has harnessed the pwer f Ggle applicatins since early Ggle Apps fr Educatin (GAFE) is an educatinal versin f Ggle Apps that is hsted by Ggle and managed by HCPS. It gives users access t dcumentcreatin tls with features like real-time editing, pwerful cllabratin, and seamless integratin with ther resurces. These tls prvide all HCPS users with a variety f benefits, including the ability t stay cnnected t the learning experience regardless f the time, their lcatin r their cmputing platfrm. The integratin f Ggle Apps fr Educatin has given ur users an authentic, engaging and prductive cllabrative experience. The prgram has created an envirnment fr teaching and learning unlike any HCPS has enjyed befre. 2. The Prblem/Need fr the Prgram While HCPS use f Ggle apps started in 2011, until the schl year, accunts were manually created and managed by schl Instructinal

3 2 Ggle Apps fr Educatin Henric Cunty, Virginia Technlgy Resurce Teachers. Creating accunts this way was time cnsuming and didn t allw us t supprt users equitably. In additin, the autmatin f Ggle s single-sign-n functinality is efficient, prductive and easily integrates with ther educatinal services. Prductive wrkflws and clud-based cmputing let users stay cnnected t the educatinal prcess at any time, n any device and frm any lcatin. Befre ur adptin f Ggle apps, this wasn t pssible. When we started the prgram, we knew that we needed the fllwing:! An equitable distributin f Ggle applicatins and services t all HCPS users n an internal dmain that culd be managed internally.! Autmatin f the accunt and grup-creatin prcess, making the HCPS Ggle Apps fr Educatin experience mre efficient and prductive.! Supprt fr the design f prductive wrkflws and clud-based cmputing fr all HCPS Ggle apps users acrss all devices and platfrms.! Equal access t tls and services that prvide users with the ability t cultivate key 21st century skills as utline in HCPS Teaching and Innvatin Prgressin Chart. 3. Descriptin f the Prgram Because HCPS embraces an innvative apprach t instructin, we strive t prvide mdern, engaging and relevant tls that supprt the blueprint utlined in the Teaching Innvatin Prgressin Chart. This rubric utlines the skills that ur divisin believes are essential fr ur teachers and students. The skills are

4 3 Ggle Apps fr Educatin Henric Cunty, Virginia divided int fur areas: research and infrmatin fluency; cmmunicatin and cllabratin; critical thinking and prblem slving; and creativity and innvatin. GAFE prvided Henric Cunty Public Schls with the pprtunity t leverage Ggle s pwerful cllabrative applicatins applicatins that supprt the utcmes listed in the teaching innvatin chart. Because the apps are s pwerful and widely available, they have becme an essential cmpnent f ur wrk. In 2011 we adpted Ggle Apps fr Educatin, giving HCPS users a cludbased cmputing slutin that was prvided by Ggle, but managed by HCPS. With a single sign-n, users gt access t a wide variety f applicatins prmting cmmunicatin, cllabratin, research and creativity. In additin t the cultivatin f key 21st century skills, ur users gt the ability t engage in clud cmputing with its mre prductive experience and imprved wrkflw. The ease and flexibility f access als made this an ideal slutin fr ur users. These enhancements prfundly imprved the teaching and learning experience, and we recgnized the need t distribute the resurce t all users equally. Prir t the schl year ur services were made available thrugh a manual prcess. It wasn t efficient, and wasn t rbust enugh t equitably distribute the resurces t all f ur users. The Department f Instructinal Technlgy and the Department f Technlgy recgnized the need t change hw we prvided Ggle applicatins fr ur users, and wrked tgether t refine ur prcesses.

5 4 Ggle Apps fr Educatin Henric Cunty, Virginia By using ur existing active directry structure we were able t autmate the accunt-creatin prcess. This prvided fr efficient, equitably distributed, equitably managed user accunts. Because creating accunts is nw autmated, the time nce devted t managing Ggle applicatins can nw be used fr ther purpses. The departments can nw allcate mre resurces t the building f educatinal cmmunities and mdeling f transfrmative uses. 4. Use f Technlgy The fllwing list includes technlgy, websites and sftware used t supprt the availability f and cmmunicatin abut HCPS Ggle Apps fr Educatin initiative. The Internet! Ggle Drive HCPS GAFE Cmmunity Webpage! HCPS Ggle Sites Online (part f cmmunity page abve)! Scial media HCPS GAFE n Kippt (scial bkmark cllectin fr HCPS GAFE) Lcal server Outside server Cmputer HCPS active directry database Ggle Apps Directry Sync API prgramming tl: This tl was used t

6 5 Ggle Apps fr Educatin Henric Cunty, Virginia sync staff and student accunts thrugh HCPS active directry structure and t ppulate student grups in GAFE. Ggle Apps Manager API tl: This tl was used t retrieve accunt data fr Ggle apps and t take bulk actins n accunts such as passwrd mdificatin, accunt deletin and ther accunt mdificatins. Dctpus script: This tl is used t ppulate flders fr classes. Chrme Web Stre app develpment: Our GAFE team develped a web applicatin fr the Chrme stre that prvides quick, easy access t the divisin s GAFE cmmunity website. 5. The Cst f the Prgram Ggle Apps fr Educatin is a free service prvided t educatinal institutins. The API prgramming tls used t autmate the accunt creatin prcess were all free pen-surce tls.

7 6 Ggle Apps fr Educatin Henric Cunty, Virginia 6. The Results/Success f the Prgram The data indicates a substantial grwth in users and cllabrative wrks related t Ggle applicatins. The ease f access thrugh a single sign-n, alng with a cnsistent username cnfiguratin, has prvided a mre prductive and efficient experience fr ur users. This is evident thrugh the increase in utputs frm thse applicatins. Data belw displays the increase in created and upladed dcuments frm the six-mnth perid frm Sept. 11, 2013 t March 9, Upladed dcuments increased 118 percent, which suggests users are achieving a mre prductive cllabrative wrkflw thrugh the clud envirnment. The increase in HCPS-dmain creatrs and cllabratrs als supprts this cnclusin. In the same six-mnth perid, there was a 63.7 percent uptick in creatrs and a 70.5 increase in cllabratrs.

8 7 Ggle Apps fr Educatin Henric Cunty, Virginia The number f dcuments shared within ur dmain gives an idea f the success f the prgram. Between Sept. 1, 2013 and March 9, 2014, 10,798 dcuments were shared. When publicly accessible dcuments are included, the figures jump t 44,841 dcuments. Transferring infrmatin in this way is mre efficient and timely. 7. Wrthiness f an Award HCPS Ggle Apps fr Educatin initiative is remarkable fr its innvative apprach t the instructinal integratin and peratinal management f Ggle applicatins. In a divisin where we have a 1:1 laptp initiative, it is critical that transfrmative tls are unifrmly prvided t ur mre than 53,000 users. With mre than 20,000 users creating and 36,000 users cllabrating in just the past six mnths, it s evident that wrkflws have been enhanced and users are n lnger wrking in islatin. These pprtunities were made pssible thrugh the cmbined effrts f the HCPS Department f Instructinal Technlgy and the HCPS Department f Technlgy. This team wrked tgether t autmate the accunt-creatin prcess, prviding an equitable distributin f the resurce. The tw departments wrked t create prfessinal develpment pprtunities t shape the user experience and transcend the limitatins f ur previus structure. While ther cunties use Ggle tls, HCPS strategic effrts set the schl divisin apart. By autmating the prvisin f accunts and creating a structure

9 8 Ggle Apps fr Educatin Henric Cunty, Virginia t supprt the develpment f cllabrative learning envirnments, the divisin is making full and creative use f this resurce. This type f educatinal innvatin makes Henric Cunty Public Schls a leading frce in develping prgressive, authentic educatinal experiences that are essential in preparing ur students fr the future. Prgram Categry: Infrmatin Technlgy Submitted By: Kurtney Bstain