Google+Apps+for+Education

Google Apps for Education
We are experimenting with using Google Apps for Education.

Google Apps for Education allows schools to create their own private space within the Google universe. This private space is hidden from the rest of the world, so it becomes a safe and secure place for students to use Google applications like Docs, Calendar, Mail, Video and more.

How it works
All teachers will automatically be given a new Google Apps for Education account in our dvoraktechacademy.org domain. (We created this domain a place to experiment with interesting web technologies like Google Apps. Note that this domain is different from the school's main web site, dvoraktech.org.)

Teachers' new account names will be their CPS login account + "@dvoraktechacademy.org". This account is separate from any other email or Google account you may have.This account will allow you a way to have students share work, and for you to share items, with your students, separate from your personal email and/or Google account. You will (or have) received an email with your account name and a temporary password at your official CPS FirstClass email account. If not, or if you lost it, email Mr. Davis.

At a teacher's request, we will create student Google accounts in the dvoraktechacademy.org domain. Right now, these will be restricted to students in grades 5 - 8. If you teach a lower grade and would like to use Google Apps for Education, contact Mr. Davis. A parent or guardian of the student MUST have signed the Dvorak Technology Consent Form to use the Dvorak Google Apps for Education service. This form alerts parents that students will be getting a Google Apps for Education account, and agreeing the the Google education terms of service and the Google Acceptable Use Policy (as well as the CPS Acceptable Use Policy).

Student accounts will be named the same as their FirstClass accounts. We will provide teachers with a class list of account names and initial passwords.

Once students have their dvoraktechacademy.org Google account, they may use the allowed Google apps (see below).

Advantages
Google Apps offers many advantages for students and teachers. Here are a few:
 * 1) Students have 7 gb of email storage and 1 gb of document storage.
 * 2) Students use a standard email tool, with skills the student can take with them beyond CPS.
 * 3) A decent web-based word processor, spreadsheet and presentation (PowerPoint-like) app accessible wherever the student can get on the Internet.
 * 4) No wrestling with ancient file formats or incompatible word processors. No extra software for families to buy to allow the student to do school work.
 * 5) Students share documents with you instead of printing them. Saves paper, filing, carrying them about etc.
 * 6) No need to worry about flash drives or disks or where the student will save a file. The student can also upload other kinds of files (besides Google docs) to their Google Docs space.
 * 7) Students have their own accounts, so no need to have them all working in one account, overwriting each others work.

And there are many creative ways to incorporate Google Apps into teaching. For a starter, see Google's Apps for K-12 page.

Restrictions on student accounts
To ensure the safety of our students, we have placed some restrictions on student accounts.

Students may only send mail to, and receive mail from, accounts in the following Internet domains: While they may communicate with their fellow students at Dvorak and in CPS, they cannot use their dvoraktechacademy.org accounts to communicate with the outside world.
 * dvoraktechacademy.org
 * cps.edu
 * cps.k12.il.us

In addition, for now, Google Talk has been disabled for student accounts. If it turns out that this is too restrictive, we can turn on the chat feature for students.

Students may create web pages using Google Sites, but those pages cannot be made public, and can only be shared within the dvoraktechacademy domain. (We still need to determine what this means in practice.)

Teachers have access to Google Talk, and do not have restrictions on their email accounts. The Sites restrictions do apply to teachers. Teachers should use their dvoraktech.org accounts for school and classroom related web site needs.

Shortcuts to Google Apps for Education at Dvorak

 * Email
 * Google Docs
 * Sites
 * Calendar

Resources for using Google Apps
Google for Teachers Guide

Google's Apps for K-12

//Last updated 10/2/2010//