The benefits of Google Docs in
the classroom for the purposes of assignments, homework and extended writing
task.
I have discussed Googles products
before and how it can be used in the classroom as a free resource that can be
utilized by the teacher and as well as the learner. In this post I will have a
more in depth focus on Google Docs which consist of Docs, sheets, slides and
forms. This is Google’s free online equivalents to Microsoft Office products
such as Microsoft word, Excel and PowerPoint.
What one first has to understand
about Google Docs is that it is a completely free online resource, anyone with
a Google account can access these free services from Google. Google Docs works
in conjunction with Google Drive, as anything you do in Docs, Sheets, Slides
and forms are saved in your Google Drive.
Thus all your work in this platform
of Google Docs is completely done online and accessible from virtually any
device with internet capabilities. Whether you have a smart android phone or IPhone,
be it a laptop or Tablet that has internet access, you are able to access your
files and edit it as you please from anywhere in the world.
As I said the aim of this is to
encourage the use of Google Docs for the use of assignments, homework and
extended writing task, it does not have to stop here, there are various things
Google Docs could be used for which is not listed in this blog post.
Google Docs would allow the learners
to use it, to do their homework practically from anywhere, they could work in
the car on their way to somewhere and be busy with their homework. This platform
would give them mobility to do it on the go and not be stuck behind a desk to
do their homework. They would be able to effortlessly swop between a laptop and
smartphone. Given that there is internet access. This is a given for Google
Sheets, Slides and forms.
It being an internet based
resource the learner would be able to search for information as needed and integrate
it into the document when needed. If the learners need to work together on an
assignment the platform enables users to work simultaneously on one document. Thus
the learners have no need to be in the same room or location to work together on
an assignment offering more mobility for the users in corroborating on homework
and assignments etc.
As it is part of the Google
platform the learners can simply submit it to the teacher by emailing it in or
sending it to her Google Drive, also via email. The email will capture
information such as date and time thus the teacher will be able to tell if the
assignment has met its dead line or if it’s overdue.
One huge disadvantage of using a
Google platform in the classroom for assignments, homework and extended writing
purposes is that it is reliant on technology completely, be it a Tablet, laptop
or smartphone that the learner is using to access the internet. The internet as
well , if the schools internet goes down or the learner at home does not have
internet, then it poses huge problems to the productivity of the learners and
teachers as Google docs, and drives exist in the “cloud” they always need an
active internet connection to work with Google docs.