Google Apps Ninjas

You wanna fight???? Fight me!

But not like a fisty cuffs fight, a fight where the winner knows most about google apps.

By writing this blog I am forcing myself to look around for new ideas and I have just come across this nice idea by Jeff Utecht from his thinkingstick blog (by the way this is a fantastic resource). His idea is to encourage students to better their knowledge of Google Apps, through independent learning. Well, this is kind of the idea, the way I read it was that it is more a way to get students to 'learn how to learn' and carry out research tasks on the computer.

To be honest with you, I would like to learn more about Google Apps as it has a tonne of useful tools that I am sure I don't fully utilise. But I'm a teacher, an adult, I know that this will better my interaction with mail, calenders etc and thus speed up my organisational tasks and administration activities. How could you possibly get students interested in becoming Google Apps experts? Tell them they could become Google Apps NINJAS!

The idea is brilliant. They have training material followed by tests. If they get 80% or more they get a new Ninja Belt. White being the beginner, black the expert. Now wouldnt we all like to be black belt Ninjas?

I would absolutely love to first, complete the activities myself to become a Google Apps Expert/Ninja, and secondly us this idea myself to encourage learners to get more involved in ICT and improve their self learning and research skills. I'm not sure that I could use the Google Apps as a resource as my students are 11-12 years old. But I will recommend it to the senior school ICT Teachers.

If I eventually come up with an idea for myself then I will post the results, or perhaps someone could give me some suggestions?

http://www.thethinkingstick.com/become-a-google-apps-ninja/