Using Google Docs as a successful tool for the high school science classroom, gets the full thumbs up from me!
Let's take a look at my recent exploration of this free and easily accessible software application. Imagine a student using a word processing tool at home to begin a lab report. Then imagine the lab partner accessing the document and adding, revising, or editing it from the comfort of web access at home. In fact both students could both work on the document at the same time without needing to be in the same room. Sound intriguing? I think so.
Now imagine a different scenario... four different chemistry teachers must plan the pacing of the curriculum for the next month and link it with the district standards. They have a week to do this task. Their schedules are such that they have no common planning time or lunch time. So one teacher begins a spreadsheet to chart the pacing with the school calendar. All four teachers can then access and add to the spreadsheet when it is convenient with their schedules.
Did I mention that one tool included in these applications is a recorded revision history so the teacher or the department head can keep tabs on who contributed what? Brilliant!
At the outset, access to this application requires a Google email account. The person who then starts the document (the owner) must designate access (share) with the others allowed to work on the document. It does not appear that there is a limit on the number of shared contributors and all contributors are listed. The word processor itself has similar features to Microsoft Word. There were a few bugs as I worked on the document ---mostly delays in the screen refresh when making edits. But there is definitely the ability to insert data tables. Besides the word processor there are also spreadsheet and slide presentation tools. All the necessary tools for group projects galore.
In this year's publication, Powerful Learning: What we know about teaching for understanding, Linda Darling-Hammond and seven other academic researchers have coalesced the pedagogical research into a handy-dandy reference book. According to Darling-Hammond, et al., not only is collaborative learning one of the "most studied pedagogical interventions in the history of educational research", they report "overall these analyses come to the same conclusion: there are significant learning benefits for students when they are asked to work together on learning activities as compared to approaches where students work on their own (Johnson & Johnson, 1981, 1989)". As a tool to support collaboration, Google Docs has the potential to be a useful tool in the classroom.
The immediate drawbacks are related to student access to the Internet outside of school. While the students in my children's private Catholic school would all have unlimited access to the Internet at home, many students in my former inner-city chemistry class would not. Though I think even for students with limited access at home - time could be built in to the class for group work with some creative planning. There might also be issues for parents with monitoring the google email accounts.
As another plus, Google is reaching out to the education world in a variety of ways. They have specific links for educators and are beginning to build a library of lessons using Google applications submitted by teachers. They also support a professional training opportunity called the Google Teacher Academy. Interested teachers who already use technology creatively in the classroom can submit an application for this one day workshop.
Best of all - as an emerging technology, Google Docs is free. There is no hardware to buy and it is a very small learning curve because the applications are so similar to the familiar MS Office. Anyone with internet access can create an account. So in terms of the technology penalty (Van Horn, 2007) I discussed in my last post, Google Docs gets a gold star from me.
For another blog post that details experience with online collaboration check out the following link:
http://frequanq.blogspot.com/2006/11/collaboration-using-google-docs.html
The fourth application included in Google Docs is Google Forms. I am so excited for the educational applications for this emerging technology that I have decided it needs it's own blog post. So check back for my next emerging technology post!
Darling-Hammond, L., Barron, B., Pearson, P., Schoenfeld, A., Stage, E., Zimmerman, T., Cervetti, G., & Tilson, J. (2008). Powerful Learning - What We Know About Teaching for Understanding. San Fransisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (1981). Effects of cooperative and individualistic learning experiences on interethnic interaction. Journal of Educational Psychology, 73, 444-449.
Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (1989). Cooperation and Competition: Theory and research.
Interaction Book company; Edina, MN.
Van Horn, R (May 2007). Technology-The Technology Penalty. Phi Delta Kappan. Vol. 87, No. 9.
