Google Calendar Goes to School

That oh-so-familiar calendar link on our G-Mail accounts has a scholastic side. Many of us already use G-calendar, so what if we were to use it in our classrooms & schools?
Google offers an apps package, Google Apps Education Edition, which includes G-Mail, G-Talk, G-Calendar, G-Docs, and G-Sites. This ad-free apps package for schools has separate K-12 and university editions. This is an impressive service, but I am specifically interested in the calendar application.

Primary Use
One of the greatest challenges I see for students is keeping track of assignment due dates, exam dates, reading assignments, etc. Goggle Calendar is a wonderful tool for publishing items of importance to one's class. Here is an excellent YouTube video showing how to create a class G-Calendar.


Other Uses
Google Calendar could be a powerful tool for helping students stay on track and for helping parents stay informed and engaged. It also has the potential for many other uses in the educational setting. One other use is in scheduling time in science or computer labs, media equipment use, special ed. personnel, and staff meetings. Another invaluable way to employ G-Cal is for lesson planning. In short, the "edit event" section can be used to record detailed lesson plans. This calendar could be set to "private." The possibilities for G-Cal uses are limited only by the imagination.

Advantages & Disadvantages
One of the advantages of G-Cal is that it can be embedded into a school website or in a Wiki. Students can also link the calendar to their cell phone. Email reminders are another great option which I personally use. One of the best features, in my opinion, is that when you update or make changes to the G-Cal, the change will automatically be applied to the calendar wherever it is in the digital world. For those that need refrigerator door reminders, the G-Cal can also be printed.
At this point, I am hard pressed to find a disadvantage to this versatile tool, except that it is dependent on having an internet connection and, of course, electricity. Perhaps with actual classroom use, I'll discover a weak link (no pun intended) in G-Cal.

Personal Musings
I am still somewhat of a newbie G-Cal user, but I am quickly becoming a big fan of the application. After learning more about G-Cal and its potential educational uses, I am eager to set up a class calendar to embed in my Wiki. I think Google Calendar has the potential to dramatically improve student performance and parent involvement. When our students commence post-secondary studies, they will have the experience and skills needed to create their own college calendar if one is not provided by the professor. G-Cal will help our students to be prepared and equiped both now and in their future studies.

Additional Information
You can learn more about Google Calendar and its uses at these sites.
Wikipedia Article
YouTube: Google Apps for Education
Daily Task Gadget