Elementary students that use computers for word processing hardly ever use or need all of the bells and whistles of Microsoft Word or Excel. Yes it is cool to find that special font, but not when it has taken your student ten minutes to find a font when they could have been actually completing the assignment. Google docs has most of the necessary formatting options, which is enough for elementary students to still be creative and get the job done. Students are still able to make all of the cool stuff teachers want like graphs, tables, flyers, brochures, and reports. But google allows them to take it to the next level. For example, google allows for multiple students to collaborate on the same document. Many elementary teachers want students to work in collaborative groups, but they dread the fact that students may fool around and waste time. Instead of working side-by-side, students can write together in their own space. This increases time on task, but does not lessen the collaboration. Also, students and teachers can see who did what in the document. No more freeloaders getting the A they don’t deserve. Elementary students often forget to save or don’t save correctly. Google automatically saves. That’s enough for me.
The biggest reason for schools to use google apps is the sharing and collaborating aspect of their tools. Teachers, students, and parents can access their work from anywhere. Instead of waiting until that big packet comes home weekly or monthly, give parents a link. For bigger projects, check on them on an ongoing basis to make sure no one is waiting until the last minute. For deparmentalized teaching, grade books with google docs can be automatically updated whenever there are changes so that the principal or home room teacher can have access to the most current data. With the opportunity to make forms, teachers can make tests that automatically populate a spreadsheet. Then the answers can be graphed and analyzed to see what needs to be retaught. Now this information can be published or sent to the principal, parents, or other necessary people.
I know that the google suite of apps can do a lot more than this. There are many more creative ways to use the products, but this is just how I think regular non-techy teachers and schools could use it for things they already do. I know these are simple ways, but my hope is that those that may be anti-technology can see the value google apps can have for them. In case you forgot, it is FREE!!!
I am a 5th grade teacher in Southern California. I’m not in charge of a computer lab or technology in my school. I am just a regular teacher that sees the power of technology and uses it as much as possible to help my students succeed. There is no hidden agenda with my wanting to use google. I am not even a google certified teacher. Google apps are simply easy to use, powerful, and best of all-FREE! These are some simple ways schools and teachers that are not techies can use google to do things they already do, better.
Elementary students that use computers for word processing hardly ever use or need all of the bells and whistles of Microsoft Word or Excel. Yes it is cool to find that special font, but not when it has taken your student ten minutes to find a font when they could have been actually completing the assignment. Google docs has most of the necessary formatting options, which is enough for elementary students to still be creative and get the job done. Students are still able to make all of the cool stuff teachers want like graphs, tables, flyers, brochures, and reports. But google allows them to take it to the next level. For example, google allows for multiple students to collaborate on the same document. Many elementary teachers want students to work in collaborative groups, but they dread the fact that students may fool around and waste time. Instead of working side-by-side, students can write together in their own space. This increases time on task, but does not lessen the collaboration. Also, students and teachers can see who did what in the document. No more freeloaders getting the A they don’t deserve. Elementary students often forget to save or don’t save correctly. Google automatically saves. That’s enough for me.
The biggest reason for schools to use google apps is the sharing and collaborating aspect of their tools. Teachers, students, and parents can access their work from anywhere. Instead of waiting until that big packet comes home weekly or monthly, give parents a link. For bigger projects, check on them on an ongoing basis to make sure no one is waiting until the last minute. For deparmentalized teaching, grade books with google docs can be automatically updated whenever there are changes so that the principal or home room teacher can have access to the most current data. With the opportunity to make forms, teachers can make tests that automatically populate a spreadsheet. Then the answers can be graphed and analyzed to see what needs to be retaught. Now this information can be published or sent to the principal, parents, or other necessary people.
I know that the google suite of apps can do a lot more than this. There are many more creative ways to use the products, but this is just how I think regular non-techy teachers and schools could use it for things they already do. I know these are simple ways, but my hope is that those that may be anti-technology can see the value google apps can have for them. In case you forgot, it is FREE!!!
Links to info and resources on using google docs in the classroom:
- http://www.google.com/educators/p_docs.html
- http://docs.google.com/Present?docid=ddnctvgt_170cbskvf68&skipauth=true
- http://sites.google.com/site/ctapvworkshops/Home/wikis/google-docs-in-the-classroom
- http://themediaspot.org/blog/google_docs_k5_word_processing
- http://www.azk12.org/blog/archives/29-Getting-Started-with-Google-Docs.html
