Kira+Swinton+Google+Docs

Our Class Wiki Home Page

Google Docs is a free collaboration program offered by Google through its Drive. It is available to anyone who has a Google email account, and it is a great way for people to communicate and collaborate on a project without having to make multiple copies of the same document. First, someone needs to create a document. For example, the high school softball team might be putting on a car wash as one of their fundraisers. The sponsor can create a sign-up sheet on Google Doc that looks something like this:
 * __What is Google Docs?__**
 * __How does it work?__**
 * Time: ||  Washing Cars  ||  Taking Money  ||  Holding up advertisement signs  ||
 * 9:00-10:00 ||  ||   ||   ||
 * 9:00-10:00 ||  ||   ||   ||
 * 10:00-11:00 ||  ||   ||   ||
 * 10:00-11:00 ||  ||   ||   ||
 * 11:00-12:00 ||  ||   ||   ||
 * 11:00-12:00 ||  ||   ||   ||
 * 12:00-1:00 ||  ||   ||   ||
 * 12:00-1:00 ||  ||   ||   ||

After creating the document, then the sponsor (or creator of the document) can share the sign-up sheet with the rest of the softball team. The team members can then sign up for a time and a job. When they type their name in the form everyone else will be able to see it…this way no one signs up for the same thing at the same time.

__**Visual Learners:**__ Check out this YouTube video. It does a great job of not just telling you, but showing you how Google Docs works: []

__**Link to my Google Docs:**__ [|https://drive.google.com/a/campus.peru.edu/?tab=wo#my-drive] To access your own Google Docs, click on the "Drive" button on top of the Google Home Page (Everyone in class has their own Google Drive because you all have a Google email account).

__**How can this be used in the classroom?**__ We all know that hand written essays and papers are a thing of the past. Even the 4th grade state writing test is going web-based. So, next time you assign a research paper try using Google Docs to help make it easier for you and your students.

First, have your students complete their draft in Google Docs...if it is easier they can type it in Word, and then it can be easily transferred to Google Docs. When they have completed their draft, they can share it with you. Then, you can revise and edit their paper right from your own computer. You won't have to open up any attachments or resend anything back to them. Students can also share with their peers, if peer reviewing is something that you want to utilize. Finally, don't even think about taking all those final drafts home to grade...not necessary, again just grade right from your computer, and only print if necessary.

(Google Docs is a lot like Wiki, at the end of week 3 we have to add to or edit each other's pages, which is essentially what Google Docs allows you to do).

Kira - I really like your ideas for using Google Docs in the classroom. You did a nice job of explaining the process of using the Google tool. One suggestion for taking the lesson idea further would be to have the students sign up for their research paper topics on a Google Doc as well. That way other students can see which topics have been chosen by another student already, and duplicate topics can be avoided. Nice work! Nicole Johnson

I liked that you linked the you tube video. I am definitely a seer not a reader. Do you ever run into issues of students that collaborate and parts get lost or deleted? Are you able to see who does what? Which do you prefer a wiki or google docs? Becki Brown

Becki, I have never had anything get lost in GoogleDocs...also, you can tell who typed what, and when it was done, which is a really nice feature. I hate to say it since we are using Wiki, but I prefer GoogleDocs.