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I am a recent convert to google.docs. It is a great way to share lessons, activities, and class homework assignments. There are so many different options for teachers, with new ones presenting themselves each day. I am by no means an expert on google.docs, but I have found it to be a very useful tool in the few short months I have been using it.
My students know “Google.docs ROCKS!”
1. Class Email Lists – During the first week of school, I introduce my students to google.docs in one of our computer rooms. Before we have our introductory lesson with google.docs, I create a document for the students to enter their email addresses. If you have multiple sections of students, I would recommend combining all the addresses in one document.
My documents are titled “Psychology emails” and “US History emails.” (At my school, students are assigned school email addresses, so this makes using google.docs easy.)
Whenever I need to share an assignment, I just copy and paste the emails from my class list into google.docs document.
2. Assignments – Assignments for the entire year can be regularly posted on google docs. If you have a smart board, at the start or end of class, pull us the “assignments” documents. Posting assignments on google.docs is also a great resource for students who miss class.
As an added benefit, you can encourage parental involvement. If a parent asks about homework assignments, mention that they should have their child pull up the google.docs to monitor a child’s progress. Some parents may ask for direct access, however I think it is important for the high school parent and child to have a dialogue about school. Google.docs is a great way to open this dialogue. (At the younger levels, you may find it appropriate to share with the guardians.)
3. Class Activities – In an effort to be more “green” and to save paper, I have started to post class activities on google.docs. This is especially useful when it is a computer assignment. For example if you would like students to visit a particular website, you can include the link in the google.docs.
In the past, students had to type in the web addresses from a printed handout. Without fail, I would always need to provide feedback to students who incorrectly typed the information.
Sharing the direct link has eliminated this problem and allowed me to focus on assisting students with the activity as opposed to assisting them finding the activity. This is a much better use of a teacher’s time.
4. Accountability – Using google.docs strongly encourages accountability for several groups. Teachers first and foremost must be diligent and timely in posting assignments.
This may be a challenge for some initially, however, it can reap many benefits in the long run, especially if you teach the same course from year to year. At the start of next school year all the assignments will be ready for a new crop of students.
Students also will have no excuse for missing any assignments, even if they are on some tropical island, they can stay up to date.
5. Senioritis – I have been teaching seniors for the my entire career. I understand the tendency for students to want to mentally and physically “pack up” early. It is very difficult for many to fight this temptation. Google.docs can make the final months, weeks, and days more enjoyable. Remind the students “Let us not count the days, let us make the days count!”
If nothing else it is a great CYA in the event a student is in danger of failing. (This benefit applies to all grade levels, not just seniors!)
Google.docs has improved my teaching and organization. I look forward to expanding my use of it in the future. I would love any feedback from teachers about their experiences and tips using google.docs.
If any teacher would be interested in writing a guest blog about how they use google.docs, we would love to hear from them.
