Pioneers Must Blaze New Trails

My research this week shifted from concepts and techniques used in the Google Apps in the classroom to specific instances of educators using them. It seems this is so new, there are no cases of teachers using Google Apps in the classroom that can be documented.

I researched Google Groups relative to education. It appears that Google has an employee in charge of sending a bimonthly news letter to educators about the possibilities of using Google and some of their products. There are some postings but nothing specific to using Google Apps or Docs in the classroom.

I had left a posting some months ago about Wikispaces vs. PBWiki. Having used both in the classroom, I indicated my preference for Wikispaces. There have been no replies or even additional entries in that thread.

Hoping to generate some dialog on the subject specifically, I sent a message to the topic owner. Additionally, I created a Google Group entitled "Google Apps in the Classroom." No response as of the first week.

I have volunteered to present the concept of Google Apps in the classroom at a statewide conference of public educators called UCET, Utah Coalition for Educational Technology. I haven't received word of acceptance as yet, which may be an indication that there are a lot of other good things out there, or there is little interest in the topic on the part of the planners for the conference.