In response to the pandemic, educators were forced to rapidly adapt to new technologies to teach in the online environment (de Vries, 2021; Iwabuchi et al., 2022; Lim, 2023). Google Classroom, an educational platform that can administer assignments and manage online student-teacher communications, quickly emerged as a popular tool in this arena (Ikeda, 2022; Okmawati, 2020). The Questions function is one of the features that supports this online interaction. This function can facilitate bidirectional feedback and advice. However, with a subtle shift in the framing of Google Questions, more in-depth discussions can be managed using discussion boards. In the following sections, I will describe how to create discussion boards on Google Classroom and give some specific examples of how they can be applied in an educational setting.
Creating a Discussion Board on Google Classroom
This procedure merely requires the instructor to set up a new Google Classroom topic and select the appropriate settings. First, select the Classwork tab to create this new topic. Then click + Create and Topic (see Figure 1).
Figure 1
Creating a New Topic in Google Classroom
Next, type the topic name (i.e., DiscussionBoard) and click Add. The Discussion Board section will then appear in the Classwork tab. You can now add questions to this area to build the discussion board (see Figure 2).
The next step is to post the questions to the Discussion Board. This procedure is the same for creating any question on Google Classroom, but specific settings create the interactivity of the Discussion Board. First, to post a question, click + Create and choose question (see Figure 3).
Next, enter the question text in the appropriate box. Then, select Short Answer from the drop-down menu next to the question. After this, set the due date and points as required. The most important step is to check the Students can reply to each other box, as this essentially creates the discussion board functionality. It is also often useful to check the Students can edit answer box. Next, select the discussion board topic, which was created in the previous step. Finally, click the Ask button in the top right-hand corner to post the question (see Figure 4).
Figure 2
Example of a Google Classroom Discussion Board
Figure 3
Creating a Google Classroom Question
Figure 4
Settings for a Discussion Board Question
Google Classroom Discussion Boards in Practice
For new classes, I add something connected to the commencement of lessons, such as asking students to write a short introduction. This introductory activity helps familiarise learners with the discussion board and integrate it into lessons from the beginning (see Figure 5).
Figure 5
Example Introduction Activity on the Class Discussion Board
As Figure 5 shows, the title does not actually need to be a question. In addition, detailed information can be posted in the dialogue box marked Instructions below the question. The most crucial point, though, is to ask students to comment and reply to each other’s posts. This framing transforms the activity from a question-and-response task into something much more interactive. In this first post on the discussion board, I upload instructions on answering questions and adding comments. For this purpose, simple illustrative slides were produced rather than detailed written instructions (see Figures 6 and 7).
Figure 6
Instructions for Answering Questions on Google Classroom
Figure 7
Instructions for Commenting on Classmates’ Answers
Using Questions on Google Classroom for Assignments
Once the discussion board is up and running, it can manage any number of asynchronous interactions such as debates, conversation practice, homework queries, or collaborative student projects. However, this functionality can also be used for focused and detailed discussion assignments. The following is an example from a communicative English class for 1st-year university students. In this instance (see Figure 8), there was a worksheet attached to the question. The worksheet linked to four English-language YouTube videos. The students had to watch the videos and answer short analysis/opinion questions in the worksheet. Finally, the students summarised their worksheet answers in the Google Classroom Question section and then read and commented on classmates’ summaries.
Figure 8
Example Homework Assignment Using a Google Classroom Question
To ensure this activity did actually become a discussion, the question was posted with instructions telling students to comment on a minimum of five classmates’ posts. In addition, a due date was set for the assignment. I found this type of task worked best if students were instructed to make a minimum number of comments and awarded points for completing the task on time. Without these instructions, learners were sometimes confused about how many comments to make and some members did not respond or comment at all.
Google Questions can also facilitate more in-depth discussions. The final example is from an asynchronous content and language integrated learning (CLIL) class on British youth culture for 3rd- and 4th-year university students. In this instance, several materials were attached to the question (see Figure 9).
In this assignment, students learned about young British people’s attitudes towards race, gender, and sexuality. The question post contained a set of slides and videos of the teacher presenting those slides. There was also a short, subtitled YouTube video where young people discussed their experiences and opinions. Detailed instructions, also explained to the students in person, were posted on the Question screen. The instructions asked learners to view the materials and write a 100-word appraisal of the issues based on the materials and structured questions. Students then read and commented on five classmates’ answers. Thus, this example demonstrates that students can interact with quite complex subject matter using this technique.
Figure 9
Example of an Asynchronous Lesson Using Google Classroom Questions
Conclusion
The advantage of using Google Classroom’s Questions in this way is that the asynchronous part of the class becomes interactive. Moreover, this technique can be used for homework as well as remote learning. Furthermore, learners can work at their own pace, which might allow quieter class members greater opportunities to participate in interactive tasks. A disadvantage might be the dislocation of these remote conversations. However, by mimicking social media communication styles, it may be more relevant for learners. Nonetheless, there is no substitute for actual face-to-face communication, so it is advisable to review these assignments in class and consider them as supplements to the usual classroom activities rather than replacements.
References
de Vries, T. J. (2021). The pandemic that has forced teachers to go online. Zooming in on tips for online teaching. Frontiers in Education, 6, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.647445
Ikeda, O. (2022). The reality of online education by the busiest Japanese teachers in public primary and junior high schools under covid19 in Japan. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Social Science, Humanity and Public Health (ICOSHIP 2021), 40–45. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.220207.007
Iwabuchi, K., Hodama, K., Onishi, Y., Miyazaki, S., Nakae, S., & Suzuki, K. H. (2022). Covid-19 and education on the front lines in Japan: What caused learning disparities and how did the government and schools take initiative? In F. M. Reimers (Ed.), Primary and secondary education during covid-19: Disruptions to educational opportunity during a pandemic (pp. 125–151). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81500-4_5
Lim, S. (2023). Are Japanese junior high school teachers ready for one-to-one devices in schools? A case study. The Language Teacher, 47(1), 3–9. https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTTLT47.1-1
Okmawati, M. (2020). The use of Google classroom during pandemic. Journal of English Language Teaching, 9(2), 438–443. https://doi.org/10.24036/jelt.v9i2.109293
