Check out Google Workspace for Education’s new teaching and learning features in Google Classroom, Docs, Slides, Meet and more.
Google for Education puts the safety, security and privacy needs of our users first, with new controls for Google Workspace for Education and ChromeOS.
At Bett 2023, we’re sharing our vision for the future of education, announcing new updates around Google Workspace, Chromebooks and Chrome, and discussing advances in AI…
Today we're announcing new Chromebooks for students and teachers, updates to Screencast and cast moderator, and new features like reading mode.
Learn about the ongoing UNCF and Google partnership and how Ad Grants are helping connect the nonprofit to potential students and donors.
Yesterday marked the start of the 7th year of Google Code-in (GCI), our pre-university contest introducing students to open source development. GCI takes place entirely online and is open to students between the ages of 13 and 17 around the globe.
Open source software makes up the backbone of the internet, from servers and routers to the phone in your pocket, but it’s a community-driven effort. Google Code-in serves a dual purpose of encouraging young developers and ensuring that open source communities continue to grow.
The concept is simple: students complete bite-sized tasks created by 17 participating open source organizations on topic areas of their choice, including:
Coding
Documentation/Training
Outreach/Research
Quality Assurance
User Interface
Tasks take an average of 3-5 hours to complete and include the guidance of a mentor to help along the way. Complete one task? Get a digital certificate. Three tasks? Get a Google t-shirt. Mentor organizations pick finalists and grand prize winners from among the 10 students who contributed most to that organization. Finalists get a hoodie and Grand Prize winners get a trip to Google headquarters in California where they meet Googlers, mentors and fellow winners.
Google Code-in began with 361 students from 45 countries and has grown to include, in 2015, 980 students from 65 countries. You can read about the experiences of past participants on the Google Open Source blog. Over the last 6 years, more than 3,000 students from 99 countries have successfully completed tasks in GCI.
Student Ahmed Sabie had this to say, “Overall, Google Code-in was the experience of a lifetime. It set me up for the future by teaching me relevant and critical skills necessary in software development.”
Know of a student who might be interested? Learn more about GCI by checking out our rules and FAQs. And please visit our contest site and read the Getting Started Guide. Teachers, you can find additional resources here to help get your students started.
Ten years ago, for the very first Doodle 4 Google contest, we asked students “what if?” A decade later, we’ve been privileged to receive hundreds of thousands of submissions for our annual contest—submissions that reflect the dreams, hopes and talents of students across the country. These young artists help us to see the world through their eyes and find inspiration in unexpected places.
This year was no exception. We asked students to respond to the theme “What Inspires Me…” and received doodles depicting everything from a love of family and food to a passion for intergalactic roller coasters (!).
Now we’re thrilled to announce the winner of the 2018 Doodle 4 Google contest: first grader Sarah Gomez-Lane, who drew delightful dinosaurs to highlight her dream of becoming a paleontologist. Sarah was our K-3 finalist, and the Virginia state winner. We fell in love with Sarah’s rendering of her dinos, and were blown away by her big (you might even say “dino-sized”!) ambitions for her future, especially at her young age.
When asked how she felt upon hearing she was a finalist, Sarah exclaimed that she was “surprised!” Her advice to students interested in submitting to future Doodle 4 Google contests? “Try your best and have fun!”
Sarah, first on the left in front, at the Doodle 4 Google award ceremony at Google’s headquarters June 18.
For the first time in Doodle 4 Google’s 10-year history, the National Winner will have the opportunity to turn their submission into an animated, interactive Doodle featured on the Google homepage. Over the summer, Sarah will collaborate with the Doodle team to bring her artwork to life. She’ll also receive $30,000 toward a college scholarship, and her elementary school in Falls Church, VA, will receive $50,000 to spend on technology to help students like Sarah continue to pursue what inspires them.
Thank you to everyone who participated not only this year, but throughout the past decade. And, of course, a huge congratulations to all of the talented 2018 winners. From all of us at Google: keep dreaming—and keep doodling!
Be Internet Awesome helps kids be safe, confident explorers of the online world. Today, we’re launching a number of enhancements to the program, including curriculum expansions, updates to the Interland game, and interactive slide presentations to bring program lessons to life, created in partnership with Pear Deck. We’re also excited to make these important lessons accessible to more families by expanding the Be Internet Awesome program into Spanish as Sé genial en Internet. We’ve invited Araceli Gomez, a STEM educator at South Gate Middle School in Los Angeles, CA, to talk about why these resources are so important for her community.
My career in education began in 1997 at Tweedy Elementary School, in the city of South Gate, CA, where the population is 99 percent Latino. The best part of being an educator in the same city for over 20 years is the relationships I’ve built with families and students in the community. When former students stop by to simply say hello or to share their education and career success, it’s inspiring to know I played a little part in helping them reach their full potential.
Most of the students I work with are bilingual, but their parents predominantly speak Spanish at home. These parents are often seeking guidance and looking for online safety resources. According to new research commissioned by Google, Latino parents in Spanish-speaking households are almost twice as likely as their English-speaking counterparts to favor talking about online safety at home, as a family (39 percent to 21 percent). I’m starting to see more information about internet safety in English, but for most of the families I work with, that information might as well be nonexistent because of the language barrier. That’s a big reason why I’m really excited that Google’s Be Internet Awesome is now available in Spanish as Sé genial en Internet.
With Sé genial en Internet, Spanish-speaking parents in my community and all over the world will now be able to use the program’s tools and resources to help their kids become good digital citizens. Not only will they be able to reinforce at home the lessons we're teaching, they’ll be able to do so in a language they feel comfortable with.
Over the time I’ve been teaching, advances in technology have changed many of the ways learning takes place. Research today is done online, and assignments and homework are given, completed and graded through online accounts. And as a STEM educator, I’m always looking for programs that address the current needs of my students. The Be Internet Awesome curriculum is a great resource because it empowers students with the fundamentals of digital safety in a fun, engaging way they really respond to.
Just as we teach kids right from wrong in the real world, we also need to show them how to interact on the internet. To help make the internet safer for everyone, all families need to be equipped with the right information, resources, and tools to keep the discussion going at home. I’m excited to see Google recognize that need and expand their programs to reach even more kids, families and educators with Sé genial en Internet.“Be Internet Awesome” ayuda a los niños a ser seguros y confiables exploradores del mundo en línea. Hoy, estamos lanzando una serie de mejoras al programa, que incluyen expansiones de planes de estudio, actualizaciones del juego Interland juego y presentaciones de diapositivas interactivas para dar vida a las clases de aprendizaje del programa, creadas en asociación con Pear Deck. También nos entusiasma hacer accesibles estas importantes lecciones a más familias al expandir el programa “Be Internet Awesome” al español con "Sé genial en Internet". Hemos invitado a Araceli Gómez, educadora de STEM en la South Gate Middle School en Los Ángeles, a hablar sobre por qué estos recursos son tan importantes para su comunidad.
Mi carrera en educación comenzó en 1997 en la escuela primaria Tweedy, en la ciudad de South Gate, California, donde la población es 99 por ciento latina. La mejor parte de ser educadora en la misma ciudad por más de 20 años es la relación que he desarrollado con las familias y los estudiantes de la comunidad. Cuando los exalumnos se acercan para decir simplemente hola o compartir su éxito educativo y profesional, es increíble saber que jugué un pequeño papel en ayudarlos a alcanzar su máximo potencial.
La mayoría de los estudiantes con los que trabajo son bilingües, pero sus padres hablan predominantemente español en casa. Estos padres a menudo buscan orientación y recursos de seguridad en línea. Según una nueva investigación auspiciada por Google, los padres latinos en hogares de habla hispana tienen casi el doble de probabilidades que los que hablan inglés de preferir conversar sobre seguridad en línea en el hogar, como familia (39 por ciento comparado con 21 por ciento). Estoy comenzando a ver más información sobre seguridad en Internet en inglés, pero para la mayoría de las familias con las que trabajo, esa información prácticamente no existe por la barrera del idioma. Esa es una gran razón por la que estoy muy emocionada de que “Be Internet Awesome” de Google está ahora disponible en español: Sé genial en Internet.
Con “Sé genial en Internet”, los padres hispanohablantes en mi comunidad y de todo el mundo podrán usar las herramientas y los recursos disponibles en su idioma para reforzar lecciones importantes en casa y ayudar a sus hijos a convertirse en buenos ciudadanos digitales.
Durante el tiempo que he estado enseñando, los avances en la tecnología han cambiado muchas de las formas en que se aprende. La investigación de hoy se hace en línea, y las asignaciones y tareas se llevan a cabo y son calificadas en línea. Y como educadora de STEM, siempre estoy buscando programas que beneficien y satisfagan las necesidades actuales de mis alumnos. El plan de estudios “Be Internet Awesome" es un gran recurso porque ayuda a los estudiantes los fundamentos básicos de la seguridad digital de una manera divertida y atractiva.
Del mismo modo que enseñamos a los niños a diferenciar entre el bien y el mal en el mundo real, también debemos mostrarles cómo interactuar en Internet. Para hacerlo, todas las familias deben contar con la información, los recursos y las herramientas adecuadas para aprender y continuar la comunicación al respecto en el hogar. Estoy emocionada de ver a Google reconocer esa necesidad y expandir sus programas para llegar a más niños, familias y educadores con “Sé genial en Internet”.
In January, we kicked off our 10th year of Doodle 4 Google, and students across all 53 states and territories submitted their representations of this year’s theme, “What Inspires Me...”
We couldn’t help but be inspired ourselves by all of the submissions. This year’s 180,000+ Doodles covered everything imaginable, from cooking to family to dragons.
Now, after millions of public votes, we’re excited to introduce our five national finalists, one from each age group. Here’s what these young artists had to say about their masterpieces:
Grades K-3: Sarah Gomez-Lane (Grade 1, Falls Church, VA)
"The things on my Doodle are my favorite dinosaurs. Dinosaurs inspire me to study more to be a paleontologist. The shovel is for my future job!"
Grades 4-5:Sia Srivastava (Grade 4, Prosper, TX)
"I am very inspired about space travel. I want to explore the galaxy and visit different planets and create a rollercoaster through our universe!”
Grades 6-7:Ignacio Burgos (Grade 7, Portsmouth, RI)
"Fashion inspires me because of how you can reflect your own personal style into just a single garment. Inspiration can be drawn from anywhere and can show any sort of idea. Whatever you can imagine!"
Grades 8-9:Madelyn Kieh (Grade 9, Yeadon, PA)
"The thing that inspires me the most is the work of others. When I see an amazing art piece made by someone else, it motivates me to improve my own art. In my Doodle, I drew my big sister, whose artwork has inspired me to draw since I was young."
Grades 10-12:Mark Thivierge (Grade 10, Lutz, FL)
"Nature has existed long before we have and therefore is where we draw our inspiration from. The word ‘inspire’ means to ‘breathe in’ and the wonders of nature are where I breathe in and find meaning in my mathematics, science, music and writing."
The national finalists will all receive a Pixelbook computer, a $5,000 college scholarship, and a trip to Google’s headquarters in California to celebrate with the other finalists and meet the Doodle Team.
Come back on June 18 to find out who will be the national winner. Thanks to all who voted and all the young artists who submitted their Doodles. We can’t wait to see what you dream up next year!
Editor’s note: Teacher Appreciation Week starts today, and we’re honored to have the recently-named 2018 National Teacher of the Year, Mandy Manning, as our guest author. We’re enormously grateful for the hard work that teachers like Mandy do everyday to ignite curiosity in the next generation. Stay tuned here and follow along on Twitter throughout the week to see how we’re celebrating.
Becoming a teacher wasn’t part of my original plan. I went to school to become a screenwriter and producer, but after my first job working at a local TV news station, I realized it didn’t quite fit my personality. I needed to have a different kind of impact.
That’s when I found a job as a paraeducator (teaching assistant), then taught for two years in the Peace Corps. But it wasn’t until I moved to the tiny town of Spearman, Texas—where I taught theater and communications and coached speech and debate—that I seriously considered pursuing a career in teaching. From the first moment I stood in front of a classroom of nervous but curious teenagers, I was hooked. Looking at their faces, so full of hope and potential, I knew I’d found my purpose.
Nineteen years ago, I could never have imagined being named National Teacher of the Year. Now, in this position, I’m humbled by the opportunity to raise the experiences of educators, and share my students’ voices.
National Teacher of the Year Mandy Manning poses with her students on graduation day.
The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) has run the National Teacher of the Year program since 1952. Google helps sponsor this program, and as part of their partnership, they hosted my 54 fellow State Teachers of the Year and me at their Mountain View headquarters this past February. The experience was inspiring and validating, reinforcing how educators across our nation are putting students at the center of their work, and how much direct impact we can have on our communities.
Here are the 55 of us (2018 State Teachers of the Year) enjoying our time with Google in February.
In one session, we had the honor of collaborating on this year's Doodle celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week, which is live on Google homepage in the U.S. today. It was powerful because it gave each of us the chance to talk about what it means to be a teacher, and to bring those concepts together into a single image. We were especially lucky to have help from Jonathan Juravich, Ohio’s 2018 State Teacher of the Year, who is a talented artist and art teacher (learn more about his experience as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Doodle).
We also had the chance to share thoughts and ideas across a range of topics, including the teachers who inspired us, the future of education, and advice for aspiring educators, which are now part of a new video series called “Lessons from Teachers of the Year.” Starting today, these videos will be available on YouTube and I hope they serve as a source of inspiration for educators.
Other influential individuals in education—like Sal Khan, Charles Best, and Angela Duckworth—answered some of Google’s most-asked questions about education and shared their thoughts on the profession of teaching. Their words of gratitude show the impact that teachers have on their students and the broader community. Check out these videos and trending education-related queries on a Google Trends hub dedicated to Teacher Appreciation Week.
Over the years, Google has listened to and supported educators through its products, programs and investments, and this week Google.org is providing $500,000 to DonorsChoose.org to match donations to classroom project requests. Google has been working with DonorsChoose.org since 2012, providing more than $20 million to fund over 23,000 projects, reaching one out of every ten public schools in the U.S.
Every day I’m thankful my path led me toward teaching. I look forward to my year ahead as National Teacher of the Year and the opportunity to elevate my colleagues and students’ stories. In the most turbulent of times—and especially in those times—the importance of a good teacher cannot and should not be taken for granted. This week, give a shout out to the teachers who have made a difference in your life. You can even try coding a note of thankswith Made with Code!
So make sure to #ThankATeacher today—they deserve it.
