Tool #21: Google Docs

Google Docs Home
Google Docs Home

After you sign up for an account at Google (free), you can do all kinds of things. You have a free word processor and spreadsheet and presentation software, all online, without downloading anything. It is saved automatically so you can’t lose anything and you can access it anywhere you can access the Internet.

My favorite trick is to work with 3 or 4 students on one paragraph together in a classroom, and project the document on the screen. I invite the students to join me, and start a paragraph. They add sentences and correct each other at the same time, and Google updates it every 5 seconds or so. My students are usually right there in the class, but they could be anywhere in the world.  Many online schools use this to tutor students in writing, with teachers half way around the world from the students.

Comments

2 responses to “Tool #21: Google Docs”

  1. Saki Doi Avatar
    Saki Doi

    It was really convenient . When I did that in a class, I wrote about England. So I could share some pictures with my partner. I want to use it more often.

  2. Mie Watanabe Avatar
    Mie Watanabe

    I used the "share" item. I enjoyed editing a document with a classmate.