Fostering Collaborative learning with GoogleDocs

Collaborative Learning using technology is essential to Common Core.  Google Docs on GoogleDrive gives teachers an easy, familiar, and free resource to integrate this into their existing curriculum and lessons. (Common Core Standards ELA.W.9-10.6, ELA.W.11-12.6) In the video, Sarah talks about leaving teacher comments for student feedback. I have found that this is one of the most powerful aspects of this tool from a teacher perspective. You get to have a looking glass into the process of the student’s document creation, and can give real time feedback. JITT just in time teaching.

All students can create a google account, and may school district have already created district Google logins, giving them access to a wide array of Google Apps including Drive, Docs, Sites, Plus, Mail, and Calendar. The key to using GoogleDocs/Drive with our kids, is spending one class period, leading the kids through logging in, document creation, sharing settings, and navigation….Once this groundwork has been layed, students will use this tool as a regular part of their education.

If the video motivates you to start using GoogleDocs in your classroom, check out this resource to help you get started. Google Drive: A better method for giving student feedback.