Collaborating with the classroom teachers, we design a pre-assessment using Google Forms. The classroom teacher or myself create a Google Form and then share with everyone in the group to edit. Once students complete the form, the results are automatic and viewable in Google Sheets by the team of teachers and librarians.
In Google Sheets, we can manipulate the information to view how many students need more information about a variety of areas including searching the databases or finding citation information in databases. I can also sort by teacher and class period to view specific needs of each class and individual students.
Create a Google Form with the necessary questions. We typically create a ranking matrix as seen in the image. From the results, we can design our instruction that allows us to personalize the learning.
If you need assistance setting up a Google Form, click here.
Choose a column to sort by clicking on that column. Go to Data > Sort. Sorting is helpful when organizing results by teacher name and class period.
With multiple classes taking the same form, I create a new sheet and copy and paste class results for each teacher. This makes it easier for the teacher to view only their class results.
- In the bottom, left corner, click the + to open a new sheet.
- Copy and paste the information into the new sheet.
- Rename the sheet by teacher name. To do so, click on the dropdown arrow next to the sheet name. A menu will appear–choose Rename.
View the information easily by color coding responses with conditional formatting. The cells will change color depending on the answer provided. A nice way to easily view results.
- Go to Format > Conditional Formatting.
- Choose Add a New Rule from the right sidebar.
- Choose your cell range and click the dropdown arrow for “Format Cells If…”.
- If it is text, choose Text Contains.
If it is a number, choose greater than or less than for a range.
- Input the value. Put in one of the provided answers from the form.
- Under formatting style, choose preselected formats or customize. I typically choose a preselected format.
- Click Done.
Once the results are organized in Google Sheets, I work with the classroom teachers to design lessons based on the students’ needs. For some classes, we set up instructional sessions that students attend based off the information provided. If a student feels they mastered the information, they can attend a refresher session while other students may need more in-depth information.
What other ways are you utilizing Google Forms with students? Respond in the comments area.
Author: Becca Munson
Becca Munson, Librarian, is a National Board Certified Teacher with over 24 years of experience in education. Becca is the Coordinator for Library Systems in the Blue Valley School District. Previously, she was school librarian at Blue Valley West High School. She opened two buildings in Blue Valley and spent some time as an Ed Tech Specialist before returning to libraries. Becca supports over 45 librarians and support staff as they work to fulfill the mission of flexible scheduling, collaboration, and literacy.