In Short: Google Classroom is an LMS, or learning management system. But if you’ve been asking yourself this question, it’s probably because you need a little help understanding the difference between a virtual classroom and Learning Management System.
Google Classroom enable students to access the platform from computers, tablets and smartphones. Users can create Google Docs to manage assignments, port YouTube videos and attach files from Google Drive. It enables users to provide feedback through comments on the documents.
Teachers can create online classrooms for sharing the learning materials for downloading and viewing. Online assignments can be created to keep the track of students’ progress.
The interconnectivity of Google products such as Google Docs, Google Spreadsheets and Google Slides allows students to submit their assignments.
In order to cater to the changing needs of the 21st century learners, a paradigm shift in the methodology of teaching English is required. One such innovative methodology is the use of learning management systems (LMS), which provide a blended learning experience. Google Classroom is a freely available LMS and is part of Google Apps for Education. The purpose of this study is to report the overall experience of using Google Classroom in formal, face-to-face English teaching/learning at an undergraduate level. Through the paper, I will explore the reasons for adopting Google Classroom, how the teacher/learners used it, and its effectiveness and limitations from a teacher’s perspective.