SA Google Certified Individual Training courses
The two Pilot courses, one to introduce the 6 areas of Google Apps and to provide opportunities to practice, the other to provide focussed training to take and pass the GoogleApps exams were successfully trialled on Saturday 10 September 2011 at Claires Court School Maidenhead, making use of Google Chrome books.
The ISA and Google Programme 2011-12
•FIRST: We all know about the great free range of Google apps out there which includes email, docs (spreadsheets, docs, sites etc) Blogger, YouTube etc. These are powerful applications and many schools have started to use them for collating information from staff. For example, staff use a Google spreadsheet to collate and update Year 11 predicted grades, or to report Homework defaulters - works a treat.
•SECOND: We already know that you can REGISTER your school with Google apps and in doing so you receive - free - extra functionality and syncronisation in your use of Google apps. In other words, you can set up groups of children in years and sets and then invite them to share a doc or spreadsheet. Group members receive emails when things are shared. You can set homework on line in this way! In order to register you have to go through the Google 'road map' which has six stages which is designed to take around six weeks to complete. The time scale does not imply that it is six weeks' solid work but that it gives Google time to catch up with the data you are providing them. This second stage of use of Google Apps is effectively like having a full blown VLE ... free. BUT, it doesn't have a front end - i.e. there is no one-stop place you go to enter the VLE; it all has to be done by going to your email inbox... so....
•THIRD: those clever people at ISA have put together a lovely front end - an icon-based page from which you can click through to homework, email, pictures, videos, blogs etc. In other words, a real VLE with full functionality and an easily visitable front end with your own school's customised home page. There is a cost to this ranging from £500 -£1,500. One-off and no annual fee. For your money, ISA will take your school through the registration process mentioned above, give you a customised front end, train you and support your use for the first 12 months. This cost compares to about £2000 to set up a commercial VLE plus annual costs of about £2.50 per child per year.
•FOURTH: All this is new to Google as well, so they are offering to train ISA teachers to become Google Apps Certified Individuals. The first 100 through the training will receive their exam fees ($90) for free. Training will be administered by ISA with Google trainers leading each session. ISA will roll out a programme of training events around the country, the first few dates are below. Costs are comparable to usual ISA CPD sessions - £150 per delegate. Schools can offer to host the sessions and will receive free training for one of their delegates in return.
Timetable for the day (a specific set of joining instructions will be shared with your email address in the week prior to the course)
Arrive for 8.45,
9-9/30 am Welcome and orientation of hard-ware/software
9.30 am Courses commence
There will be 3 breaks including lunch during the day.
4pm Course closes
The dates are as follows - please click on the link, which will then open, to take you to the form.
Saturday courses
22nd October
Halliford School, Russell Road, Shepperton,, TW17 9HX
19th November
Queen Ethelburga’s College, Thorpe Underwood Estate, York YO26 9SS
3rd December
Claires Court School, Maidenhead, Berks, SL6 8TE
Midweek courses
3rd November
Venue still to be confirmed
9th November (moved to 12th November)
24th November
Venue still to be confirmed
For further information please contact Ian Nairn - ian.nairn@c-learning.com
