Gone Google Billboard

Photo courtesy of Nathaniel Lindley

My colleague, Molly Schroeder recently entered our district in a contest for a billboard featuring our use of Google Apps for Education. Well, we were selected as one of the 10 world-wide winners of the "Gone Google Campaign contest", and now, drivers along Interstate 494 in Richfield can view the sign!

On Thursday, Molly appeared on Channel 9 in the Twin Cities and was interviewed regarding the billboard contest and our use of Google Apps for enhancing student learning:

Edina Public Schools Have Gone Google: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com

Molly did a great job discussing the ways that students are using the tools for communication, collaboration, and creating meaning for their learning, and the fact that "the secret to student success is great teaching." She also made an important point regarding the number of colleges and universities that have embraced these tools, and how our use of these tools is helping prepare our students for their future. Currently, Brown, Northwestern, Arizona State, USC, the University of Minnesota, Vanderbilt, Temple and Notre Dame are among the schools using Google Apps.

We currently have 6775 users using our Apps for Education site. As you can see by the following graphs, the use over the last 6 months continues to increase:

The graph on the left shows the number and type of document being used by students and teachers. The graph on the right, shows how more and more users are collaborating on the documents that are created.

There are many districts around the country who have moved to Google Apps for Education, and with Molly's leadership we have developed a very successful implementation. She has been a leader in our district, and as a member of the first group of "Google Certified Teachers," she has taken that experience and expanded it, here and around the world. Congratulations!