If Google apps were used as the foundational structure of a school for students aged 13 and up, how might the school be structured and organized around:

1. Culture

2. Curriculum

3. Teaching and learning

5. Assessment of student growth and learning

4. Governance/administration

5. Community communication (parents, wider community)

6. Financial support

7. Relationship to a school board or a state

To get things started, here is a post made to the GTA discussion group by Sallie Hill Outten, right after the Googleschool idea was surfaced by Mr. Mayo:

Honestly that's a GREAT idea!  And it could be cheaper then you think.  The

school I work for doesn't have a building, football team, buses, etc b/c we

are virtual (actually hybrid, we are a "school within multiple schools").

Our school already pretty much EXISTS in Google Apps.  The school was

originally formed around the idea of video conferencing but when the

districts finally realized that there just wasn't enough bandwidth to

support it in such a rural area we made the switch :)  The program has been

BOOMING ever since!  The Google Tools (Docs, Mail, Calendar, Sites,

Notebook, Scholar, Groups, Earth, Maps, etc) allow our students to

collaborate and work in teams (whom they may only see in person a few times

a year for workdays or fieldtrips).  We focus on a common curriculum,

leadership skills, teamwork, community service, problem solving and research

(it was very cool going to Google b/c I realized that we are preparing our

students to excel in that kind of company!).  Who says a "Google School" has

to have walls where it is limited by time/location???  Google certianly

isn't!  Just my thoughts ;)

Sallie

Sallie Hill Outten

Watch Hill

Locust Dale, VA

Mr. Mayo,

Can you get you students involved in this? Anyone else too!