"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. " - William Butler Yeats
Friday, July 9, 2010
Web Tools - Week 4
Google Docs is definitely the best web tool I’ve explored this summer. I can’t count the number of times I was at home the night before I was to teach a specific lesson creating and then emailing myself something to use the next day. Or I can’t believe I was taking the time and putting my computer at risk of viruses to load a lab report from a student document. All the while we could have been using Google Docs. Here’s a In Plain English video that I found very informative.
I can see SO MANY BENEFITS from using Google Docs both for myself and my students. And I can’t wait to share this tool with my colleagues. I found this video created by teachers and administrators that describes a few of the possibilities and benefits of Google Docs. One teacher describes the editing and sharing between classmates and says that the quality of student work goes up because they are publishing work that their peers, parents and other will see. Their work has more personal value. And Google Docs isn’t for just word processing documents. Students could collaborate on a presentation or a lab report that involves a spreadsheet. Plus this sharing, editing and collaborating can occur 24/7/365! If anyone is already using Google Docs, please share your favorite applications of the tool.
This week I also explored several science simulation sites. My favorite site was PhET Simulations from the University of Colorado. The site was referenced in an article I read on Virtual Labs on Circuits in the Science Teacher Summer 2010. The simulations are very interactive, colorful and applicable. They are organized by content including chemistry, physics and biology. Although, the majority of simulations are physics related. Simulations can also be searched by content and grade level.
Lastly, I took a look at Google Translate. This web tool is fairly simple. But I can see it having application in my rural West Michigan area. The area where my school is located has a lot of agriculture and immigrate workers to help harvest the various crops. Local schools have a fluctuating Spanish population as immigrant families move in and out of the area. Google Translate could be a very powerful tool for those ESL students. This web tool is able to translate text, web pages (simply copy and paste a URL) and documents from 55+ languages. It could also serve as a great resource for any foreign language class. Here’s a resource to get you a quick intro. And Google Translate has this URL: http://translate.google.com/.
Thanks for sharing all of your discoveries!! My favorite google doc application is the forms part. You can create surveys for students (or colleagues) to fill out and email them or embed them into websites (I know this for sure works with googlesites). The results get fed back to you all in one big spreadsheet. I have used this for a few things, probably the most useful is a quick check on the reading literacy of my students after reading an article (they can give short answers or you can do multiple choice). It rocks!! :-) Also google sites is pretty cool and user friendly if you have time to check it out (you can sync up you forms and calendars easily and attach lots of files!)
I'm so glad you gave feedback on using the survey component of google docs. As I was checking out all of the cool bells and whistles of the program, I was wondering how it would work for quick "check-ins" on students. Sounds like it's a good option. Have you ever used it for in class quiz taking? I like the option for short reading quizzes, but wonder a bit about assessment security with computers......
I like google docs too. I found a scrapbook template and thought it might work to have students use it to add pictures to from field activity, like collecting leaves and flowers, and have them include captions of what they found.
I absolutely love Google Forms (part of google docs). I use it to collect information (including quizes) from my students. The form automatically puts everything into a Google spreadsheet that can also be exported to MS Excel -- perfect!
I haven't tried it yet, but many schools now have sets of iTouch (soon iPads?) with wifi access. Students can use thes (or any other web enabled device) as a "clicker" to complete a Google Form during class.
Thank you for sharing all the good reasons why google docs is great! I have not gotten around to checking it out yet and actually wasn't too sure if it was for me (because I didn't know enough about it). Someone actually sent me pictures on Google docs the other day. I will definitely be checking it out!
Thanks for sharing all of your discoveries!! My favorite google doc application is the forms part. You can create surveys for students (or colleagues) to fill out and email them or embed them into websites (I know this for sure works with googlesites). The results get fed back to you all in one big spreadsheet. I have used this for a few things, probably the most useful is a quick check on the reading literacy of my students after reading an article (they can give short answers or you can do multiple choice). It rocks!! :-) Also google sites is pretty cool and user friendly if you have time to check it out (you can sync up you forms and calendars easily and attach lots of files!)
ReplyDeleteI am convinced that I should take a look at google docs. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you gave feedback on using the survey component of google docs. As I was checking out all of the cool bells and whistles of the program, I was wondering how it would work for quick "check-ins" on students. Sounds like it's a good option. Have you ever used it for in class quiz taking? I like the option for short reading quizzes, but wonder a bit about assessment security with computers......
ReplyDeleteI like google docs too. I found a scrapbook template and thought it might work to have students use it to add pictures to from field activity, like collecting leaves and flowers, and have them include captions of what they found.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love Google Forms (part of google docs). I use it to collect information (including quizes) from my students. The form automatically puts everything into a Google spreadsheet that can also be exported to MS Excel -- perfect!
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried it yet, but many schools now have sets of iTouch (soon iPads?) with wifi access. Students can use thes (or any other web enabled device) as a "clicker" to complete a Google Form during class.
Thank you for sharing all the good reasons why google docs is great! I have not gotten around to checking it out yet and actually wasn't too sure if it was for me (because I didn't know enough about it). Someone actually sent me pictures on Google docs the other day. I will definitely be checking it out!
ReplyDelete