Getting started with Google Classroom

Instructions

1. Log in to your Staff Portal

2. Click on ‘My Learning Tools’ hyperlink on the left hand side of your Portal 

3. Click the ‘GSuite (Google Apps for education)’ link 

4. Click ‘Classroom’

Transcript and instructions

1. Click the 9 squares icon at the top right of your screen
   
2. Click 'Classroom'

Instructions

1. Navigate to 'My Learning tools' following the instructions above
2. Click 'Show details'
   
3. Then click 'Add to my essentials'

Instructions

Google Classroom can also be easily accessed via the DoE Student portal. 

1. Log in to the student portal

2. In the ‘Learning’ section on the right hand side, click 'GSuite (Google Apps for education)'

3. Click 'Classroom'

Transcript and instructions

The same computer may be used by multiple teachers and/or students. In these cases it is good to use an ‘incognito’ window so the computer will log in to multiple accounts easily on the one machine. 

1. Open the Google Chrome Browser.

2. Click on the three dots icon to the right of the URL bar and select ‘New incognito window’. The keyboard shortcut is ctrl + shift + N

3. Navigate to your staff portal and go to your GSuite as per the instructions above.

Instructions

1. Find and install the Google Classroom App from the App store

2. Open the Google Classroom App

3. Sign in to your Google account using your @education.nsw.gov.au account details. E.g. firstname.lastname1@education.nsw.gov.au

4. Your Google Classroom will now open in the App

Transcript and instructions

1. Open the Google Classroom dashboard

2. Click on the plus icon in the top right hand corner (+)

3. Select 'Create class'

4. Populate the form as required (only the class name is mandatory)

5. Click 'Create'

Transcript and instructions

Sometimes you may wish to copy a class you have created. You may be teaching multiple classes of the same grade or type. Google classroom allows you to quickly copy a class you have set up.

1. Open the Google Classroom Dashboard

2. Go to the classroom you wish to copy

3. Click on the 3 dots for more options

4. Click 'Copy'

5. Populate the form as required (only the class name is mandatory)

6. Click 'Copy'

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To change the theme:

1. Open the Google Classroom Dashboard

2. Go to the classroom you wish to customise

3. Open the classroom 

4. Click 'Select theme' 

5. Choose the theme you wish from the many available options

6. Click 'Select class theme'

7. Your new theme will appear

Transcript and instructions

You can add your own photo as a background (minimum 800x200px)

1. Open the Google Classroom Dashboard

2. Go to the classroom you wish to customise

3. Open the classroom 

4. Click 'Upload photo' 

5. Choose the photo you wish to use from its location

6. Move the slider to show the part of the picture you want

7. Click 'Select class theme'

8. Your new background will appear

Transcript and instructions

Email notifications

There are a few options available to you in terms of email notifications. 

• You can turn off all notifications and you will not receive notifications for any classes

• You can turn off notifications by class 

• You can customise to receive notifications on comments, submissions, mentions

1. Open the Google Classroom Dashboard

2. Click the hamburger icon (three horizontal lines) to access the menu

3. Click the cog icon to access settings

4. To disable all notifications toggle the top blue switch

5. To disable notifications by class scroll down to the bottom of the page and toggle the required blue switch

6. To disable specific notifications, toggle the blue switches as required

1. Click the class

2. Click on 'Classwork'

3. At the top, click '+ Create'

4. Scroll down to 'Topic'

5. Enter the topic name and click 'Add'

6. You can add as many topics as you like 

7. Topics can be moved up and down the page, copied and deleted using the 3 dots (...) button

Transcript and instructions

1. Click on the 'People' tab at the top

2. Click on the 'Invite teacher' icon

3. In the pop up window, type the email address of the teacher using @education.nsw.gov.au account details

4. Select teacher from the list of suggested people

5. Click 'Invite'

Note: Teachers you add can do everything you can, except delete the class. The maximum number of teachers for a class is 20.

Accept an invitation to co-teach a class

Invited teachers get an email asking them to co-teach your class. To join the class, the invited teacher must click a link in the email, or sign into Classroom and click 'Accept' on the class card.

Transcript and instructions

1. Go to the 'People' tab

2. Click on the 3 dots (...) for more options

3. Click 'Remove'

Click 'Remove again' in the pop-up window to confirm action

Transcript and instructions

1. Open Google Classroom Dashboard

2. Click the 3 dots (...) in top right hand corner of the class you wish to leave

3. Select 'Leave class'

4. Confirm 'Leave class' in pop-up window

Note: You won't be able to open this class unless you're reinvited. You will no longer have access to class files in Google Drive.

Transcript and instructions

1. Click the 'People' tab

2. Click the 3 dots (...) next to the name of the person  you wish to transfer ownership to

3. Select 'Make class owner'

Confirm transfer of ownership by clicking 'Invite'

Transcript and instructions

1. Check if you have a class code activated for your Google Classroom

2. Click the cog icon to access settings

3. Under 'General' then 'Invite codes', check if 'Manage invite codes' is turned on. Click the drop down arrow to turn on if required

4. Now you can see your unique random class code

5. Display the code for students to join by clicking  'Display class code'

6. The class code will now be displayed in a large font. You can enlarge it further and make it fullscreen if required by clicking the square corner icon in lower left hand corner

7. Your class code will now also be displayed in your classroom banner

Tip! Turn off your class code once all your students have joined to stop people from randomly joining. You can also Reset your class code if required.

Transcript and instructions

1. Open the Google Classroom Dashboard

2. Click on the plus icon (+) in top right hand corner

3. Select 'Join class'

4. Check that your correct Google account is displayed. Switch account if required

5. Enter the class code in the 'Class code' field

6. Click 'Join'

7. You should now be in your new Google Class

8. This class will also appear in your Google Classes list and dashboard

Transcript and instructions

1. Go to 'Settings'

2. Check if 'Invite codes' is turned on. Use the drop down arrow to turn on Invite codes if required

3. A URL invite link will now appear

4. Copy to your clipboard by clicking on the copy icon (two pages siting on top of each other) You can now paste this link in an email or other electronic document for your students to click on

OR

1. Go to the 'People' tab

2. Scroll down to 'Students'

3. Click the 'Invite students' icon (person with plus symbol)

Copy the URL link by clicking the copy icon

Transcript and instructions

1. Go to the 'People' tab

2. Scroll down to 'Students' and click on the 'Invite Students' icon

3. Start typing in their student email address

4. Select student from the list that appears

5. Click 'Invite'

Transcript and instructions

1. Go to the 'People' tab

2. Scroll to 'Students'

3. Tick which student/s you want to remove

4. Click on the 'Actions' drop down arrow

5. Select 'Remove'

6. A pop up window will appear. Confirm that you want to remove these students by clicking 'Remove'

7. Students are removed from your Google Classroom

NOTE: Removing a student from your class removes their grades from the gradebook and they won't see your assignments in Classroom. However, their work remains in the class folder in Google Drive and their posts remain in the class stream.