Three more Google courses for self-learning

Most people are aware of the Google certifications that are available and the titles that teachers can gain upon completion: Google Certified Educator Level 1 & 2, Google for Education Certified Trainer and Google Certified Innovator. There are separate courses for admin staff also. These are extremely beneficial courses that are self-paced, online and (apart from the final exams) completely free.

Thanks to Lee Blowers, I have recently become aware of three more, lesser-known courses (check out his blog here). Each can be easily completed within an hour, even when working through carefully and thoroughly. They’re not certifications, but they are informative and could be beneficial for you depending on your context.

The courses outlined below are available for free at the Google Training Center. It’s worth noting that the Apple Teacher course (a free certification course) offers similar lessons for Apple alternatives.

Digital Citizenship and Safety Course

This course is longer than the other two (it can still be comfortably completed within an hour) but includes additional incentives. Upon completion, you receive a recognition badge and access to Google’s Digital Citizenship and Safety lesson plans. As you can see from the overview below, the course includes important advice for staying safe and positive online. As well as helping your students, the advice can also be applied to your own online activity.

• Why Teach Digital Citizenship and Safety?
• Teach Students About Internet Safety and Privacy
• Online Safety on the Go
• Savvy Searching
• Stay Safe from Phishing and Scams
• Manage Your Online Reputation

Devices Training

This course helps teachers to get the most out of their Google hardware. It offers an introduction to the features and functions of Google tablets and laptops for the purposes of teaching and learning.

• Android Tablets
• Chromebooks

Tools for Diverse Learners training

The course outlines some accessibility tools that can help learners with specific needs, such as visually impaired students or those with limited reading ability. Although it’s particularly useful when considering special needs students, much of the advice could be helpful for all students.

• Using Chromebooks in Classrooms with Diverse Learners
• Using G Suite in Classrooms with Diverse Learners

Once again, these courses can be accessed from the Google Training Center. If you’re interested in the becoming certified, click here to read about my journey. I can recommend it highly. If you have any questions about any of the courses, let me know in the comments below. As always, I’m happy to help.

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