Technology Tips and Tools:
Google Drive Can Do All of That?

Michelle Sisler and Linda Christenson, NCTM

MTNA Business Digest, Volume 1, Issue 4

July 2022

When you think of innovative technology tools, Google Drive may not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, Google Sheets, Slides, Docs and Forms are powerful tools that can be used to create interactive PDFs, drag-and-drop worksheets, clickable choice boards, escape rooms, auto-corrected worksheets, registration forms and so much more.

Our recent presentation at the 2022 MTNA Conference featured a number of these uses of Google Drive. The virtual session, linked here, highlighted the Google uses summarized below. We have made some assumptions that you, the teacher, already know how to do certain basic things in Google, including accessing files and programs, and some basic knowledge of the apps.

In the video, we cover:

1. Self-checking worksheets. Google Forms allows you to make your worksheets into a quiz that will auto-correct the responses for you and put the responses into a spreadsheet automatically. It also allows you to give automatic feedback for incorrect answers, including videos that would review the concept.
1. Video starts at 2:15
2. Uses Google Forms


2. Administrative Tasks. Create an RSVP form, feedback about upcoming or past events, registration, etc. This takes that data and automatically puts it into a spreadsheet for me. I no longer have to transfer data from many emails into a spreadsheet—Google does that for me.
1. Video starts at 4:57
2. Uses Google Forms


3. Drag-and-drop worksheets. These are a great way to use games as assessments.
1. Video begins at 6:37
2. Uses Google Slides


4. Digital Stickers/Badges. These work great for both online and in-person lessons.
1. Video at 9:17
2. Uses Google Slides


5. Clickable Choice Boards, which can also be used for Escape Rooms. This is a way to do internal linking within slides. This can be very simple, or you can get very complex. It can include correct and incorrect answer slides. You can even create a scene with clickable artwork, among other creative options.
1. Video at 14:12
2. Uses Google Slides

You can get even more detailed help with the free, longer tutorial videos available at www.keystoimagination.com/register. You can go to any of these videos, follow along, and start and stop as needed. Again, the videos are free, you just need to have an account. We hope that you find these resources helpful, and that your students love them as much as ours do!

Linda Christensen, NCTM, is on the piano team for Roland. She is a frequent presenter for state, national and international conferences, focusing on integrating technology into music lessons.

Michelle Sisler frequently presents workshops across the globe and is an active author of articles, music theory games, motivation programs and technology curriculum. She is the founder of Keys to Imagination and MusicEdConnect.com.