Google Forms is one of the first platforms that comes to mind when you think about creating forms. 

Evaluation, requests, applications, payments, exam preparation, business, or research, Google Forms has got you covered. 

In short, there are many smart and innovative Google Forms uses for classroom management and engagement.

The best part? It’s free, integrates with Google Classroom, and automatically organizes your data in Google Drive.

In this article, let’s explore some of the best ways of using Google Forms for teachers in and outside the classroom. 

Useful Google Forms for teachers

Google Forms is a great tool for teachers because it is simple to use and offers many possibilities for creating forms. It makes it easy to gather information, assess students, and engage with students and parents. 

Here are some practical use cases of Google Forms for teachers:

• Quizzes and Tests: Create multiple-choice, short answer, open-ended, or fill-in-the-blank questions to check how much students know.

• Surveys and Feedback: Ask students and parents for their opinions on anything from homework to the study environment with Google Forms in the classroom.

• Homework and Assignment Submission: Students can submit their homework or assignments directly through Google Forms, which allows for file uploads.

• Behavior/Incident Reports: Teachers can document and track student behavior or incidents using Google Forms, creating a structured record for future reference.

• Attendance Tracking: Teachers can track daily attendance or participation in class activities using a simple Google Form.

• Registration Forms: Collect information for field trips, clubs, or parent-teacher conferences.

• Polling: Conduct polling with Google Forms for students to vote on group members or project topics, choose their field trip destinations, or make classroom decisions.

• Student Information Forms: Gather details about your students at the start of the year, like their interests, learning styles, or contact information.

7 Google Forms tips and uses for teachers to make classroom mangement easier

Forms make your life as a teacher much easier only if you know how to use Google Forms smartly.

Let’s look at some handy Google Form tips to streamline your teaching process.

Integrate Google Forms with Google Sheets

When you use Google Forms to collect responses, it can sometimes be tricky to keep track of all the information in a neat and organized way. This is where Google Sheets comes in handy. 

By linking your form to a spreadsheet, you can see all your responses in one place and analyze them with ease.

Connecting Google Forms for teachers with Google Sheets is as simple as a few clicks. 

Go to your Google Form and click on the Responses tab at the top. You’ll see all your responses here, but it’s much easier to manage them in Sheets. 

Click on the small Sheets icon on the right side of the responses tab to automatically create a new Google Sheet, or you can choose an existing one if you prefer.

Once you’ve set it up, all the responses you collect in your Google Form will appear in the linked Google Sheet in real time. Each question from the form becomes a column in the sheet, and each response becomes a row. 

With Sheets, you can use formulas to calculate averages or totals and apply conditional formatting to highlight specific data points.

Auto-grade quizzes

One of the coolest features of Google Forms for teachers is the ability to autograde quizzes. This is a real time-saver, especially when you have a lot of students and need to assess their knowledge quickly.

Auto grading takes the hassle out of manually grading quizzes and assignments. 

Instead of spending hours going through each student’s responses, Google Forms can do the work for you. It’s perfect for multiple-choice, checkbox, or dropdown questions where there's only one correct answer.

To auto-grade quizzes, go to the settings menu of your form, switch to the Quizzes tab. There, you’ll see an option to Make this a quiz. Turn it on to activate the autograding feature. 

Now, while creating the form, for each question, you’ll see an Answer Key option at the bottom. Click on it, select the correct answer(s), and assign points. You can also add feedback for each answer, which will be shared with students after they submit the quiz.

Install helpful addons

Add-ons can extend the functionality of Google Forms for teachers in ways that the default settings don’t cover. Here are some of the most helpful add-ons for teachers:

• Certify'em: If you want to provide certificates to students after they complete a quiz or survey, Certify'em makes it easy. You can customize certificates and automatically send them to students upon successful completion of the form.

• FormLimiter: This add-on is great for controlling how long your form remains open or how many responses it accepts. You can set a specific deadline or limit the number of submissions. 

• Choice Eliminator 2: This add-on is perfect for creating forms where options need to be limited after a certain number of selections. For example, if you're organizing student project slots or appointment schedules, this tool ensures that once a slot is filled, it becomes unavailable to others.

To install add-ons, look for the puzzle piece icon at the top of the screen. Click on it, and you’ll see a list of add-ons available in the Google Workspace Marketplace.

Browse through the available add-ons or use the search bar to find a specific one. Once you find an add-on you’re interested in, click on it and select Install. Follow the prompts to grant any necessary permissions, and the add-on will be ready to use.

Use branching logic for differentiated instruction

Using logic features like branching logic in your forms or quizzes can save you a lot of time and hassle as a teacher. Branching logic, also known as "skip logic" or "conditional logic," allows you to create forms that change dynamically based on user responses. 

With branching logic, you can create a single form that serves multiple purposes. It saves you time compared to creating separate forms for different groups of students.

Instead of every student getting the same set of questions, you can direct them to different questions based on how they answer previous ones. 

Students who need more help can get additional practice questions, while those who are ready can move on to more advanced material.

Before you start creating your form, plan out the different paths students might take. Sketching a flowchart can help you visualize how the form will branch.

Add audio in your form

Audio files can bring a new dimension to your forms. They can make instructions clearer, provide additional context, or help students who prefer listening over reading. They are also useful for digitizing the listening comprehension exercises. 

Google Forms doesn’t have a built-in feature to add audio directly, but there are simple workarounds that you can use.  First, you need to record the audio you want to use and upload it to your Google Drive. 

After uploading, find your audio file in Google Drive. Right-click on it and select Get link. Make sure the sharing settings are set to “Anyone with the link can view” so that your students can access it without any issues.

Now, go to your Google Form where you want to add the audio. For each question or section where you want to include audio, add a Description or Short answer type of question. Then, paste the audio link in the description or question area.

Add your own video in your form

Videos can bring a form to life by adding a multimedia element that goes beyond plain text. They capture students' attention and help explain complex topics more clearly. For visual learners, videos can be especially beneficial and provide a different way to absorb information.

Research shows that hands-on video instructions significantly improve both engagement and the effectiveness of the lateral reading technique.

To add a video, click on the Add Video icon in the right-hand menu of your Google Form (it looks like a small rectangle with a play button inside it).

• From YouTube: If your video is uploaded on YouTube, you can easily search for it directly within the Google Forms interface. Just type the video name or paste the URL, and select the video you want to add. Click Select to insert it into your form.

• Upload from Google Drive: If you have your own video file and want to upload it directly, you’ll first need to upload it to Google Drive. You can then link the video from Google Drive by selecting the video file, getting the shareable link, and adding it to your form as a description with a link like I showed above in “Add Audio in Your Form” section.

Collaborate with co-teachers

Collaboration brings many benefits. It allows teachers to combine their expertise, bring fresh perspectives, and ensure consistent teaching methods. 

When teachers collaborate, they can create more comprehensive and effective assessments, surveys, or feedback forms. Plus, it’s a great way to bond with your co-teacher! 

To add a co-teacher as a collaborator, go to your Google Form and click on the Send button at the top right corner. 

Instead of sending it as a regular form, click on the Add Collaborators link. Enter the email addresses of your co-teachers. 

Make sure the permissions are set to Editor so they can make changes to the form.

Once your co-teachers have access, you can all edit the form in real-time. 

A Better alternative to Google Forms for teachers!

Google Forms for teachers has been a go-to tool for years. It's simple, easy to use, and gets the job done. But, like any tool, it has its limitations.

While it's great for simple forms and data collection, you might find yourself needing more advanced features for some classroom activities.

Formaloo offers everything Google Forms does, plus a lot more. 

This alternative to Google Forms provides enhanced form-building capabilities so you create more interactive and dynamic forms with features like custom branding, conditional logic, and advanced reporting. 

Sign up for Formaloo and start creating hyper-functional, aesthetic forms for your classroom.