Google Classroom can acquire more user by building these 5 features

Read Time: 5 min

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So, today I was using Chrome and found the need to open a new tab. I think I wanted to use Google Docs. So, I scroll in the Google Apps tray looking for Google Docs. Immediately, I notice the Google Classroom app, sitting there, unopened for ages.

The last time I used Google Classroom was when I was pursuing my third year in Marketing Management, during Covid time. We were studying online and one of our teachers decided to use GC for a couple of assignments.

I remember I hated it so much because it felt so basic and empty. I wondered if there would be a day when Google announced it was sunsetting Classroom. So, I am planning to improve it.

Google Classroom saw its user base double up when Covid hit. However, the dip slowly started soon after things started getting alright.

So, the real question is, how to make teachers and students use Google Classroom even during classroom teaching.

A bit about Google Classroom

Just so we are all on the same page, let me give you a quick brief about Google Classroom.

Google Classroom was founded in 2014 by Google as a free web-based platform for schools and educators to facilitate communication and collaboration between teachers and students. The platform was launched as part of Google's G Suite for Education, a productivity tool suite designed for schools and universities.

The idea behind Google Classroom was to provide a digital platform that could streamline the process of creating, distributing, and grading assignments, as well as providing a centralized location for communication between teachers and students. The platform was designed to be easy to use, with a simple interface that allows teachers to create and manage classes, post assignments and announcements, and communicate with students.

Improving Google Classroom

In today's post, I want to go ahead and share my attempt at improving Google Classroom. This is a case study that has not been picked up by many people.

Let me know your opinion on my attempt. I would also like to know your input.

Why Improve Google Classroom?

Before I go on to discuss how will improve GC, it is wise to first know why we should improve it in the first place.

According to recent reports, Google Classroom competes with 252 other learning-management platforms. Moreover, it has only been able to capture 11% of the market share, as of 2023. That's about 9 years after launch.

Moving on, let's look at the pain points Google Classroom targets.

Pain Points Targeted by Google Classroom

Google Classroom targets several pain points that teachers and students face when it comes to managing coursework and assignments:

1. Paperwork Overload

Teachers can easily get overwhelmed with the amount of paperwork and record-keeping required to manage assignments, grades, and student information.

2. Difficulty in Organizing and Sharing Materials

Teachers often struggle with organizing and sharing course materials, such as handouts, readings, and multimedia resources.

3. Inefficient Feedback and Grading

Providing timely and practical feedback to students can be a time-consuming and challenging process.

4. Limited Collaboration Opportunities

Traditional classroom settings can limit collaboration opportunities between students and teachers.

5. Communication Difficulties

Communication between teachers and students can be challenging, especially outside of class time.

Now that we know what pain points Google Chrome targets, let's look at the solutions we can offer to improve the product.

How to Improve Google Classroom

If you look closely at my answer to the Why that I asked earlier, there's an inference we can draw. Even after 9 years of launch, Google Classroom still has only been able to capture 11% of the market share.

Moreover, the feature sets offered aren't competitive enough and can be easily imitated by the competition.

So the priority improvement here is to expand market share i.e., user acquisition. Let's look at some product strategies that will improve acquisition.

Improvement Strategies for Google Classroom

Below are some potential new features that Google Classroom could launch.

1. Improved Assignment Grading

Google Classroom could introduce more advanced grading features, such as the ability to leave comments for specific parts of an assignment or to track student progress over time.

2. Integration with Other Tools

Google Classroom could expand its integration with other Google tools, such as Google Meet or Google Drive, or third-party tools like Flipgrid or Kahoot.

3. Customizable Student Profiles

Currently, student profiles in Google Classroom are limited to their name and email address. Google Classroom could add more customizable fields, such as a student's interests or academic goals, to help teachers better understand their students and align teaching styles accordingly.

4. Interactive Classroom Activities

Google Classroom could introduce interactive classroom activities, such as polls, quizzes, or games, which would engage students and provide immediate feedback to teachers.

5. Parental Access (for younger students)

Google Classroom could implement parental access, allowing parents to view their child's assignments, grades, and other classroom activities.

These are just a few potential new features that Google Classroom could introduce. Ultimately, Google would need to consider user feedback and industry trends to determine which features would be most valuable to its users.

If you want to know what metrics Google Classroom can use to track the success of the above features, you can drop a comment on this post from the website.

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