Google workspaces

Google workspaces can be used to collect HSC monitoring documentation.

Staff at Jamison High School use a combination of Google products for HSC monitoring processes and documentation, such as Google Drive, Google classroom, Google sites and Google docs. See how Jamison High School uses Google workspaces for HSC monitoring.

Jamison High School example

Preparing the workspace

Access the Google Workspace tile via the staff portal. Select the Google application(s) you would like to start using.

Google Drive

Steps to create a Google Drive:

Create and name a new shared drive by clicking ‘+New’ button (e.g. ‘Maths faculty’).
Provide access to faculty members by clicking on ‘manage members’ and add the email addresses of staff who need access.
Create or upload relevant files in the shared Google drive.

The Industrial Arts faculty at Jamison High School has set up a shared Google drive, with the 2 main categories; administration and subject content. The administration folder is used for HSC monitoring and contains files such as course programs, scope and sequences and student acknowledgement of assessment notifications. Programs developed as Google Docs are updated regularly with links to relevant Google Classroom posts and supporting resources in Google Sites.

Visit YouTube for more information about how to create a Google shared drive.

Google Classroom

Industrial Arts staff use Google Classroom to issue course work and assessment tasks to students. Student acknowledgement of assessment notifications is electronically recorded in this app. Student submissions are tracked in real time and feedback is provided to students through written comments and marks online. All assessment tasks and course work are organised under topic headings, listed in the left-hand navigation menu. Google classroom posts also contain links to the Google site for the corresponding HSC course.

Visit Google support for more information about how to organise and communicate with your class.

Google Sites

The Industrial Arts faculty has created a Google site for each of their HSC subjects offered. The site hosts all HSC course content, assessment tasks and supporting resources. Students access learning materials, exemplar tasks and video tutorials via the Google site. The course program, used as evidence for HSC monitoring, also contains links to the Google Site.

Visit Google support for more information about how to create a Google Site.

Google Docs

The Industrial Arts programs are Google docs, stored in the Google Drive. All staff have access to the shared drive and collaborate to create a high-quality teaching and learning program, where resources are hyperlinked to the relevant Google classroom and Google site.

Programs are registered when a teacher inserts a comment. Comments are automatically time-stamped and capture the teacher’s unique profile information. This process is simple, collaborative and can save administrative time as the focus is on evaluating teaching and learning practices rather than inserting dates and signatures.

To insert a comment in a Google doc, highlight the section you wish to comment on and click the blue ‘add comment’ speech bubble on the right-hand side of the screen.

Staff can assign a person to register, review or complete a task associated with the Google doc by typing the @ symbol followed by their email address in the comment box.

Accessing documentation

Records kept in Google Drive are securely and centrally located, regularly backed up and accessible to teachers and the school executive. At Jamison High School, one HSC Monitoring template is completed per course.

Staff provide links to key Google docs, Google site(s) and Google classroom posts. Links to web-based records (such as NESA documents) and links to master records, such as course-based attendance are also included, to avoid duplication or unnecessary creation of hard copies.

Advantages and disadvantages

Any method used for HSC monitoring has strengths and weaknesses. The use of Google Workspaces for HSC monitoring is briefly evaluated in the table below.

Positives	Points to consider
Google Classroom is a simple and robust tool that many teachers and students have prior experience with. The use of Google Classroom and Sites supports the sustainability of the HSC course, without the need to redevelop or print materials. Google Classroom posts can be reused in the future and issued to multiple classrooms at once. All documents issued to students via Google Classroom are automatically stored within the Google Drive, to be accessed by the teacher at any time. Student learning can be monitored in real time through Google Classroom and the use of other Google apps such as Docs, Slides and Sheets. Teaching and learning programs are dynamic documents that can be updated as needed. Registration of programs using the comments function within Google Docs provides a time stamp which is digitally locked to the specific user. Teachers are able to collaborate and support each other through Google Workspaces.	Initial set up of Google Sites takes time, and planning, however, this resource can be developed and released as the course progresses. Providing consistency between the structure and presentation of Google Classroom and Sites will aid in effective communication with students.

Positives

Points to consider

Google Classroom is a simple and robust tool that many teachers and students have prior experience with.
The use of Google Classroom and Sites supports the sustainability of the HSC course, without the need to redevelop or print materials.
Google Classroom posts can be reused in the future and issued to multiple classrooms at once.
All documents issued to students via Google Classroom are automatically stored within the Google Drive, to be accessed by the teacher at any time.
Student learning can be monitored in real time through Google Classroom and the use of other Google apps such as Docs, Slides and Sheets.
Teaching and learning programs are dynamic documents that can be updated as needed.
Registration of programs using the comments function within Google Docs provides a time stamp which is digitally locked to the specific user.
Teachers are able to collaborate and support each other through Google Workspaces.

Initial set up of Google Sites takes time, and planning, however, this resource can be developed and released as the course progresses.
Providing consistency between the structure and presentation of Google Classroom and Sites will aid in effective communication with students.

Illustrations of Practice

Four examples of electronic HSC monitoring practices that demonstrate how to streamline paperwork and processes to save teachers' time.

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