By: Nicole Giambra

All the Ed Tech mags and newspapers are talking about Web 2.0 in the classroom. One of the elements of that is the shift from proprietary client based software to on-line web applications. An example of this (there are many now) is Google Docs, primarily its Word Processor.

There are various ways to incorporate Google Docs into class projects. One example is using it to have students collaborate writing a script for a podcast. Creating a podcast with your students is worthy of its own blog post. Watch out for that soon.:) But for now let’s focus on how Google Docs is helpful for collaborating.

Ok, so the assignment goal is to write a script for a radio talk show on your curricular topic. The students are given instructions and/or a rubric. Instead of students huddling around one computer or working on seperate computers and copying and pasting try this:

Collaborating a script using Google Docs.

Using Google Word Processor, students (best with groups of four or less) can work on-line and have access to the same document. The script can be paperless! Before, only students that were allowed to use laptops or had access to school e-mail could work paperless. Now with a little bit of planning, students can log-in to their script from anywhere that has Internet access and work remotely without having to carry papers to and from school.

Students who have used Google Docs have commented on how accommodating it was for them to be able to work on-line from home.

Students can work at their own computers editing the document at the same time. The application does work best if students are not typing at exactly the same time. Typing at the same time will cause a slight delay in processing. (hey, this a new technology:)

Below is the easy technical stuff that you and your class will do first to get Google Docs set up for your class project.

1. Days before (steps 5 and 7 tells you why) the assignment begins have students create Google Accounts by going to Google.com
2. At the top right corner have click Sign-In
3. Underneath the log-in fields have the students click the link to Create an Account now.
4. Students then follow the on screen instructions to create their account. If students have a school district e-mail account have them use that to fill in the current e-mail address field. That will make all the Google Account names nice and uniform. Students can use their own personal e-mail address to start a Google Account. Note: The students’ current e-mail mail is also going to be their Google Account User Name for log-in. So if a students’ personal e-mail is sweetiepiexo@yahoo.com their Google Account user will be that also.
5. After filling out the account info an e-mail will be sent to the student’s e-mail address to activate thier account. If students do not have school a-mail they may need a couple days to remember to activate from their e-mail at home for homework;) If all students have access to e-mail at school, these steps can all be done the day of the project.
6. One inside their Google account have students become familar with the interface of the Docs and Spreadsheets Word Processor.
7. Next assign one student as the Owner of the script or project document. This will be the student who creates the New Document and saves with a file name.
8. The Owner of the document will then with the document open, click Collaborate in the top right corner of the document, type in the user names of students who he or she will be working with. Then finish the process by clicking Invite these people.
9. The invited students will then have access to the document the next time they log- in to their Google Account!