Google Docs

We had to sign up for Google Docs for my class "Technologies for Learning." Upon signing up for it, I did not realize how useful it would be. I was told it is a great way to have multiple collaborators on a document. The example I was given was that someone writing for a newspaper could submit their article to their editor and the editor could edit it and all the drafts could be saved. While this seemed like a nifty idea, I did not plan on writing any articles for a newspaper or conversing with an editor about my work. I then realized how useful this could be as a teacher. Instead of having students submit their paper in a hard copy and make corrections for them to later submit a final copy, it could all be done on Google Docs. In my "Forms of Literature" class the teacher was tech savvy and attempted to save paper by having us submit our paper through email and then she put her comments in using an online program and emailed them back to us. This was a great use of technology until she had us hand in our final copy in class on paper and attach our rough copy with her comments. Many students forgot the copy with her comments or had lost it. If the teacher had used Google Docs the paper could have been submitted on line initially, and then the teacher could have commented and the student then edit it. All the different revisions would have been saved and stored in the same place with no opportunity to be lost.

Often in my college experience, I have found that teachers love to assign group power point presentations. This poses a dilemma for students with conflicting schedules. It is often difficult to find times to meet that do not interfere with student's work schedules, classes, sports, and activities. I found that through Google Docs I can create a power point presentation and send it to all my group members to edit. We can each work on our own individual slides or collaborate on each slide together. We can easily catch each other's mistakes and offer suggestions. Anyone can edit it at any time and we can all edit it at the same time. I was working with a commuter on a power point presentation and she could not stay on campus when I was available. Google Docs allowed us each to work on the presentation, me from my dorm and her from her house. When it came time for the presentation we did not have to worry about saving it on a flash drive or emailing it to ourselves to open. We simply logged on to Google Docs where it was saved and went to "start my presentation."

This can be a key aspect of teaching in and outside of the class room. Teachers can use it for individual collaboration between them and one student or for the entire class to collaborate collectively. This sparks cooperation among students and guarantees constructive feedback from all individuals. Teachers should surely recommend this tool for power point presentations and group work out side of class.