Gearing up with Google – Modern Mindset Drives Digital Strategy
RNN Group is proud to share that it has been making rapid progress toward its sites being modern hubs of digital innovation in teaching and learning.
As part of this push, all academic staff are aiming to achieve their Level 1 Google Educator qualification by the end of July 2021. The effort is a collective and concerted one; Quality arrange training and support sessions for staff, and when a staff member feels ready they request an access code from OD/Training Assistant Ian Sutherland for the exam.
The qualification is designed to develop a holistic understanding of Google applications and how to use them effectively in an education environment. With over 100 staff already having passed their certification, and with nearly 20 more passing every week, the Group’s talented teams are able to proactively use G Suite in their teaching and student learning.
Having worked with G Suite since before the pandemic, Covid-19 has just accelerated a shift RNN Group was already making toward well-integrated digital learning support. Examples include using Drive for sharing learning resources and submitting work, using Docs and Sheets for producing tasks and keeping track of busy schedules on Calendar.
Ensuring all academic staff are Level 1 certified is only part of the picture. The Group is establishing eight ‘Google Go-Tos’ across its sites. These are Level 2 Google Educator qualified staff, equipped with coaching skills, who act as digital knowledge reference points for staff and students.
Being provided with 100 hours of coaching, the Google Go-Tos aim to drive innovation and develop digital learning communities across staff and students by sharing how to get to grips with digital software, tools and blended teaching, learning and assessment. Monitoring the impact of digital teaching, they attend monthly meetings with the Quality and Learning department leads to share best practice.
Assistant Principal for Apprenticeships, High-Level Skills and Innovation, Rebecca Blackburn* helped ensure the Group’s efforts were going in the right direction.
Rebecca said: ‘I’m proud to help drive our Google Educator initiative forward. We recognise that our world is an ever-increasingly digital one – whether it’s the way we spend our recreational time or the way we work, there are opportunities available only if we’re equipped with digital skills and behaviours.
‘By learning from Google Educator qualified staff, and with access to digital learning resources and assignments, our students will embed these essential skills to approach their future with a modern mindset.
‘Our concerted and collective effort is a fantastic opportunity for staff and students alike, and I can’t wait to see the doors it opens for everyone involved.’
*Correct at time of publication.