Google Home Mini in The Classroom [Primary Education]

watty on 15/02/2018 - 22:20

Hi everyone,

This post is targeted more towards primary education teachers but all opinions are welcomed. I am teaching stage 3 this year and thought about how I could incorporate interactive learning with the use of technology beyond the use chromebooks or tablets. Given there have been so many deals for the Google Home Mini I wanted to set one up in the classroom and use it as a way that can help facilitate classroom discussions (for example, the topic can be Captain Cook and a stray question could come up as 'how old is Captain Cook'). I want to teach a responsible and valuable method of using technology that is at our finger tips but also expose this type of approach to children that do not know this type of technology exists.

Obviously I could just type the question into google and have the same outcome but my goal is to innovate and create new ways of engagements to spark interest. The device will only be a quality of life factor in the classroom and is purely experimental. Again this is just purely an idea and probably will never come to fruition! What do you think?

Thanks!

Watty

Education & Work

Comments

  • pegaxs on 15/02/2018 - 23:41

    I have a 6yo daughter that loves talking to my google home. Kids really get on well and pick up technology at an alarming rate. I think it’s a great idea, but beware of the tinfoil hat brigade that will be along any moment with their wacky and zany soul stealing, privacy wrecking conspiracy theories.

    I think it’s a great tool for teaching kids about AI and interacting with technology. Get a class question going and let them see if google home can help them out. It could be used to set reminders and birthdays.

    I say, go for it. I may even do the same thing at the school I volunteer at. The kids would love it.

  • Anthrox on 16/02/2018 - 01:17

    Fantastic idea kids need to know that these tools are out there will be in a lot of places in the future.

    be great when the story system comes online in Australia in the USA you can get it to read stories etc but they need partners so i'm sure there some licensing problems around that in Australia.

    maybe some limits of connecting to a school network so check with your IT

    privacy every time someone talks to it its recorded into the first account that linked to the home so you might need to check that out and how it works wit the policy of the school you can view it here https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity?restrict=vaa&utm_so…

    Family Link doesnt support Google Assistant and home in Australia yet https://families.google.com/familylink/ so filtering content could be a problem.
    20+ kids all trying to talk to it at once but there is always the power switch or the mute button.

    • mooney on 16/02/2018 - 10:30

      "be great when the story system comes online in Australia"

      This already works perfectly well at my place- I just say "Ok, Google, tell me a bedtime story" and it fires up. If I say 'READ me a bedtime story" I get told "dont know any stories yet" for some reason.

  • Emli on 16/02/2018 - 02:38
    +2

    Our education department has Siri disabled because of permission issues. I would check with IT first before buying?

  • endotherm on 16/02/2018 - 02:55

    I think it would be a good idea. Often you need to phrase the question a particular way. It's a bit like learning the nuances of a foreign language sometimes! They would learn how to communicate the thought clearly and concisely, and if that doesn't work, how to rephrase and formulate the query so it does work. It will also teach them to interact with AI systems currently in use, as well as improving their diction and elocution. You could easily add examples of home automation at any time quite cheaply, e.g. get the Google Home to control a power point switch, which controls a light over a science project/plants/animals etc. Another handy feature I found is that every command (as it is interpreted by Google) is remembered and accessible so you can review that the system is not being abused or used inappropriately.

  • ShadowCrimson on 16/02/2018 - 07:54
    +2

    I would check with your IT Techs before buying anything first. I am a Tech myself in a school and a lot of the time devices might be great but won't work on the network - dependent on how your tech's/school have the network setup and also what the department etc supply.

    An example is we have some tv's in meeting rooms and leadership wanted to share their screens without plugging in. So we tried Google Chromecast but could not get it working at all due to no proxy support. We had to get one to test and find out - but luckily they hadn't just brought 50 and said he set them up. So before wasting money get your techs to test and check something will work first.

    • watty on 16/02/2018 - 15:53

      I’m fine with that, my mobile phone plan gives me 40gigs worth of data and I end up never using anything close to that hence I would use it with the google home mini. I checked with my tech coordinator today and I’ll have a reply by next week.

      • angelkulit025 on 16/02/2018 - 15:56
        +1

        if you will be using your own data powering Google Home no problem. Education network system and proxy servers are pain in the bum that is why most techs just avoid it.

        • watty on 16/02/2018 - 16:45

          I can totally understand that. I’ve been trying to get my iPad to connect to the internet for months each time just having to punch in the proxy and address which is very inconvenient. I just resorted to my own mobile data (which is tax deductible).

        • ShadowCrimson on 19/02/2018 - 08:06

          @watty:
          That's absolutely fine if you want to do that :) Most teachers/staff don't have big plans on their mobile though is all - or some would say they're happy then complain to principal when they go over as their didn't understand and expect compensation - not that I'm saying you're like that :P

          We tech's can find it a pain a lot of the time also but have to use what is provided also and make it work.
          Just understand if you're hot spotting your phone to the Google Home make sure its a strong password you are using etc or else students will see your connection and try to connect to it also - then they can lookup anything as no filtering in way.

          Sound's like you are fine though - always good to just let those who need to know what you plan on doing - which you have.

        • watty on 19/02/2018 - 16:01

          @ShadowCrimson: I’ll be extra careful! The mini will be turned off or unplugged when not used and data wise if I go over my usage I believe my fault so I won’t be demanding anything since it was my error :)

          My class is also pretty good this year (still kids are still kids) so I’m happy to spend a few extra dollars on them. I feel like this is one of the only careers where you can spend money on your job and feel good about it!

  • spersephone on 16/02/2018 - 09:30

    I had an Apple TV (my own) in my classroom and I loved it. I have Google Home and Mini at home, and could definitely see it being something fun to use in the classroom. However, it might be something that needs to remain unplugged until you want to use it, or it can pipe up without warning, plus the naughtier kids could set it off easily enough.

  • itsdougie on 16/02/2018 - 14:15

    "Hey Google book in Little Jonny for detention today"

  • Apoca89 on 17/02/2018 - 14:57

    You will need permission from all parents of any student who may walk into the room.
    I don't think it will be allowed in schools.
    And can you imagine a whole class of students asking what cats sound like?
    Yes I'm a teacher and I have it at home

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