Chrome for Education: Classroom Setup Guide

Setting up Chrome for a classroom means three things: a Google Workspace for Education account for your school, Chrome settings applied from the Google Admin console, and Google Classroom for classwork. This guide covers each one and the safety settings schools use most.

Setting Up Google Workspace for Education

Google Workspace for Education is a suite of Google tools for schools and universities that meet Google’s qualification criteria (see the Google Workspace for Education FAQ). Once your school has an account:

1. Sign in to the Google Admin console with an administrator account.
2. Go to Menu > Apps > Google Workspace to turn services such as Classroom on or off.
3. Use organizational units (Menu > Directory > Organizational units) to group students and teachers so they can get different settings.
4. Go to Menu > Devices > Chrome to manage Chrome and Chromebooks.

Chrome Settings in the Admin Console

The Chrome section of the Admin console is your central hub for managing Chrome in a school. Following Google’s Set Chrome policies for users or browsers:

1. Go to Menu > Devices > Chrome > Settings. The User & browser settings page opens.
2. Select an organizational unit, such as students, on the left.
3. Click the setting you want, change it, and click Save. Settings usually apply within minutes and can take up to 24 hours.
4. Deploy extensions from Menu > Devices > Chrome > Apps & extensions.

Ensuring Student Safety with Chrome

Student safety is paramount in any educational environment. These settings are under Devices > Chrome > Settings > Users & browsers:

1. SafeSearch and Restricted Mode (in the Content section): forces SafeSearch on Google Search and can set Restricted Mode for YouTube. For K-12 education domains, Google’s default is to always use SafeSearch.
2. Incognito mode: for K-12 education domains, the default is to disallow it.
3. URL blocking: blocks up to 1,000 URLs you list.
4. Safe Browsing, which warns about dangerous sites and downloads, can also be set for students with the Safe Browsing Protection setting in the Chrome Safe Browsing section.

Regularly review these settings as your needs change.

Using Google Classroom with Chrome

Google Classroom is a powerful tool for managing classwork. To use it with Chrome:

1. Keep Chrome up to date. On a computer, check at chrome://settings/help, or see how to update Chrome.
2. Open Google Classroom at classroom.google.com and sign in with the school account.
3. Configure assignment and notification settings within Google Classroom.

Classroom Extensions for Enhanced Learning

Extensions can enhance the learning experience. To install them for students automatically, following Google’s force-install help:

1. In the Admin console, go to Menu > Devices > Chrome > Apps & extensions and click Users & browsers.
2. Select the students’ organizational unit.
3. Click the extension and, under Installation policy, choose Force install. Students cannot remove force-installed extensions.
4. Regularly review extensions for updates and security compliance. A force-installed extension gets access to information on the device it is installed on.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I update Chrome on school devices?

Chrome updates itself automatically. On a single computer, go to chrome://settings/help to check for updates. On managed Chromebooks, admins control updates in the Admin console’s device settings.

Can I monitor student activity on Chrome?

Admins can turn on Chrome reporting in the Admin console to see browser versions, installed extensions and policies on managed devices and browsers.

What extensions are popular for classrooms?

Kami (PDF and document annotation) and Dualless (splits one screen into two windows) are both in the Chrome Web Store.

How do I ensure all students have access to Google Classroom?

Verify that each student has a valid Google Workspace for Education account and that Classroom is turned on for their organizational unit.

What are the system requirements for Google Classroom on Chrome?

Use a current version of Chrome on a supported device. If you need Chrome on a computer, get it for Windows or Mac.