Google Classroom’s 10th Birthday: Jennifer Holland on Its Evolution and Future

Sep 25, 2024

Jennifer Holland, the Director of Program Management at Google for Education with over 17 years at Google, shares insights on the evolution of Google Classroom. She discusses its early inspirations, developed from real classroom needs, and highlights how it has streamlined educators' workflows. Jennifer reflects on significant changes during the COVID-19 pandemic and the implications of AI in personalizing learning experiences. She emphasizes the global impact of Classroom, illustrating how feedback from teachers continuously shapes its innovative future.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

The Evolution of Google Classroom

01:45 • 8min

The Educational Mission of Google: Empowering Educators and Streamlining Learning

09:28 • 2min

Evolving Educational Technology

11:33 • 9min

The Evolution and Future of Google Classroom

20:28 • 4min

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Jennifer Holland is the Director of Program Management at Google for Education. With over 17 years at Google, she has been a pivotal figure in the development of Google for Education and Google Classroom. Jennifer has played a key role in shaping the tools that have transformed teaching and learning in K-12 and higher education.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode:

The history and inspiration behind Google Classroom and its early adoption in schools.
How Google Classroom helped streamline teachers' workflows and reduce time spent on administrative tasks.
The evolution of Google for Education, including the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and shifts in the education landscape.
How AI is driving new innovations in Google Classroom, helping to elevate teachers' roles while personalizing learning.
The global impact of Google Classroom and how the team integrates feedback from teachers around the world to continually improve the platform.

✨ Episode Highlights:

[00:00:00] Jennifer Holland on Google’s mission: "more teaching, less teching."
[00:02:28] The inspiration behind Google Classroom’s development.
[00:03:50] A second-grade class inspired Classroom’s early design.
[00:08:45] Google's strong support for education fueled Classroom’s creation.
[00:11:35] AI’s role in enhancing personalized learning in Classroom.
[00:17:14] Classroom’s global reach and adaptation for low-connectivity areas.
[00:21:04] Jennifer reflects on 10 years of Classroom and its evolution through COVID-19.

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This season of Edtech Insiders is brought to you by Starbridge. Every year, K-12 districts and higher ed institutions spend over half a trillion dollars—but most sales teams miss the signals. Starbridge tracks early signs like board minutes, budget drafts, and strategic plans, then helps you turn them into personalized outreach—fast. Win the deal before it hits the RFP stage. That’s how top edtech teams stay ahead.

This season of Edtech Insiders is once again brought to you by Tuck Advisors, the M&A firm for EdTech companies. Run by serial entrepreneurs with over 25 years of experience founding, investing in, and selling companies, Tuck believes you deserve M&A advisors who work as hard as you do.