Google Sites ⭐

For my blog this week, I wanted to explore Google Sites. I have heard of it before, but I had never actually used it for myself. I wanted to see how it works and how it could be used in a learning environment. I use so many different Google owned things like my email and Google Drive, so I thought it would be good to learn another as well.

Google Sites is a web-based platform where you can create a simple website, without needing coding experience. Most of the site is just dragging and dropping things like text, images, videos, and you can also embed things like Google Docs or Google Slides. Overall, it felt similar to Google Docs, just more visual and structured. 

I tested it out by creating a basic site for organizing my class content. It was nice because I was able to make different sections for different topics, add in headings, and also embed a document just to see how it worked. It was easy to do and straightforward. I liked this because when you are working with things like class documents, sometimes things can get a bit hard or confusing. This laid all of the information out, and it didn't feel overwhelming. This is super important for both students and teachers who might not be the best with technology as well. I also really enjoyed how Google Sites was clean and organized automatically, I didn't have to worry about formatting much at all! 

I think that Google Sites could be most useful for organizing information all in one place. Instead of having assignments with links and resources spaced out across multiple platforms, everything can be added into a structured site. I also think instructors could use it to organize and teach class content with weekly materials, instructions, and resources. Students could also use Google Sites to create a website that shows their work overtime, or showing their progress in classes instead of just submitting the assignments. 

One of the downsides of Google Sites is you don't have a ton of control over customization. Other tools make it easier to design if you have an idea for a look you want. Google Sites however is more simplistic, which could also be an advantage. Without the option to design and customize, you have to focus on the content being quality. 

Overall, I had a good experience with Google Sites! It is a practical tool that makes things organized for learning, teaching, or just keeping track of the assignments and resources you want. I think it could be very useful for students or teachers who want a way to share content, build portfolios, or create a learning space digitally (even without technology experience). Check out the eBook my classmates and I put together with all sorts of digital tools, including Google Sites!
⭐ https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QRYRw_Vfb9DnMq1N85BIiJuzKBGzFABkGSJONKsC9H0/edit?usp=drive_link


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