APU Careers & Learning Online Learning

Google Plus in the Classroom

I read this great article from The Chronicle on the use of Google+ in the classroom and figured I should share some thoughts with you guys.

Google+ is very similar to Facebook.  The look and feel are comparable on both platforms, as is the way information is shared.  The one main difference is Google+’s ability to allow users the luxury of almost seamlessly sharing information between groups of friends instead of to your entire network by using your “circles.”  Google+ almost forces users to be more organized with their network.  Smart.

The article points out that Facebook’s flaw (at least when it comes to using it in an educational environment) is that the default shares your updates with everyone.  In Google+, a professor can share an update with his circle of students; unless in that circle, the rest of his network won’t see it.  While Facebook allows you to customize the privacy of each post, the process is clunky and not very intuitive at all.

[read the rest of the post over at The Chronicle Blogs]

Just think — professors (and even students) could have entire discussions (complete with images, files, etc.) within Google+, simply by having a circle for each class or course.

[read more about universities being on Google+]

What do you think about using Google+ for school? Would you use it? And, my favorite idea: would you participate in a Google+ video “hangout” to meet with your peers or perhaps to attend your professor’s office hours?

Weigh in!

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