Technology tools can be incredibly useful for educators to save time, energy, and effort. Google Workspace has so many different tools that can be so impactful for teachers. One such tool is Google Forms. What is Google Form? A powerful online form builder that can be used to track and monitor student progress on academics and behaviors. In this blog post, we will explore how to use Google Forms for this purpose and how it can be helpful for educators.

Need some tips to help you get your digital data collection organized? Look no further!

Learn from me

My first years of teaching were a disaster, I had paper data sheets EVERYWHERE!!  I often put off analyzing data until progress reports were due. Something needed to change. I had to find a better system that I could analyze and use that data to drive my instruction. 

I found my love for forms quickly. It definitely was a lot of trial and error when I started off to figure out how detailed I needed my forms. I’m going to walk you through how to create a form to track IEP goals!

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Step 1: Create a Google Form

The first step in using these forms to track and monitor student progress is to create a form. To do this, log in to your Google account and navigate to the App for Google Form. From here, you can create a new form by selecting the “Blank” option or choosing a template.

To password protect this form, type “PASSWORD” in the untitled question field. Then click the 3 dots. Click both the description and response validation.  

In the description write “enter the password to continue”. In the validation boxes, select from the drop-down menu “regular expression”. Then select “matches” and enter your password of your choosing in the pattern field.  In the section “custom error text”  just type “incorrect password”, this will pop up if someone types in the wrong password.

PRO TIP

Make sure that you toggle the “Required” button so that the password is required at all times!

Then add a page break, this is the most important step.  Click on the 2 bars which will create a new section of the form.  This will allow anyone taking data to have to use the password first and then go to the form.  

Step 2: Add Questions to Google Form

Once you have created a form, you can add questions to it. For tracking student progress on academics, you can add questions that relate to specific skills or subject areas. For example, you might ask students to rate their understanding of a particular concept or skill on a scale of 1 to 5. You can also use Google Forms to track student behaviors, by asking questions related to classroom behavior, social skills, or emotional regulation.

The first questions I like to mark are the date, staff name and goal type. To access forms, staff are required to login so their email will be included in the data tracking. 

I also leave a question for the goal type so that staff can select which goal it is. Make sure to toggle “go to section based on answer”. I create a new section for each goal type so that staff will only see that particular section. Go ahead and rewrite the title in the new section. (This happens when you use the page break).

Write the goal you would like to track but make sure that everyone who is taking data will know what is expected of them and materials that they need to use to track this data. You can add a description to the new section as well. I like to write what goals will be found on this form.

Add a New Question

Then, click the plus button on the right hand side, which will give you a new “question”. This is where you will type in your first IEP goal. Depending on what your goal is asking you to do, is what type of response you will choose. You can play around with the different types of responses that you could use that would better suit your goals.

Add in as many goals and sections as you would like using the plus button.

Step 3: Customize the Google Form

Google Forms allows you to customize the form to suit your needs. You can change the theme, font, and color scheme of the form to make it more visually appealing. You can also add images or videos to the form to make it more engaging and interactive.

Step 4: Share the Form with Students and Parents

Once your form is completed, you can now see what it looks like by pressing the Preview eye button on the top right hand of the screen.  From here, you can practice using the form to make sure it looks and performs the way that you want it to.  Play around with it and determine if this is tracking what you want it to. 

Once you have created the form, you can share it with your students and their parents. You can do this by sharing a link to the form, or by embedding the form on your classroom website or learning management system.

This is also a great time to share the form with other General Education Teachers and service providers that could be tracking the student’s progress. When you are back in the editing mode, click the “send” button on the right hand top of the screen.  This will give you many options to share it with the people that will be taking data with you.

Step 5: Monitor Student Progress

As students complete the form, the data is automatically collected and stored in a Google Sheet. This allows you to easily monitor student progress and identify trends over time. You can also use this data to inform your teaching and adjust your instruction to better meet the needs of your students.

Benefits of Using Forms

Using Google to track and monitor student progress can be incredibly beneficial for educators. Here are some of the ways in which this technology tool can save time, energy, and effort:

1. Automated Data Collection: App for forms automatically collects and stores data in a Google Sheet, eliminating the need for manual data entry.
2. Time-Saving: You can save time that would otherwise be spent collecting and tracking student progress manually.
3. Efficiency: This is an efficient tool that can help you track and monitor student progress quickly and easily.
4. Accuracy: Since forms automatically collects and stores data, it is less likely to be subject to human error.
5. Accessibility: Forms can be easily shared with students and parents, making it a convenient way to keep everyone informed about student progress.

Conclusion

In conclusion, form in google sheets is a powerful tool that can be used to track and monitor student progress on academics and behaviors. It can save educators time, energy, and effort by automating data collection, streamlining communication with students and parents, and providing accurate and timely feedback on student progress. By using Google Forms, educators can work more efficiently and effectively, and ultimately help their students achieve their full potential.

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