Organizing Files on Google Drive to Maximize Learning Time

Are your students struggling to find items you've placed on Google Drive for them? Are you searching for a way to organize all those files you've created?  Then this post is for you!

Why would you want to make separate folders for each class or subject?  

It will make it much easier for the class to find and access specific items.  It will also make it easier to add students from other classrooms and/or periods, making collaboration so much easier.  Changing the color isn't necessary, but it just gives another visual cue to anyone searching through multiple files.

Why would you want to move files from the shared drive to individual folders?  

When students complete an assignment and share them with you as you've instructed them to do, all those assignments will quickly clutter up your shared drive.  Dragging them onto your main drive and then into the appropriate folder will help you and your students keep track of those files.

Why would you want to create individual student folders inside each of the subject/class period folders?

First of all, when you add your email address as the only other person that can view and edit their work, it keeps things private.  This is essential.  Secondly, this is is an ideal place to have students submit work that needs to be graded.  A good way to keep them in order is by creating them with the student's last name, first name.  This will keep them alphabetized and thus, easier to grade.

I'm still learning about Google Drive and Classroom, so I'd love to hear how you're using it!

See the series of Google GAFE posts here: Classroom, Slides, Forms, Hangouts, Drive, Docs