In class, we worked on a collaborative project using Google Docs. Google Docs is a tool that I'm quite familiar with because I used it in my college days extensively. For this project we were placed in groups of three as we researched a top wonder of nature. This has probably been my favorite project of the year, mostly because I felt competent in my role. I was a tourist researcher and my role was responsible for looking at accommodations, tourist spots, and things to do.
I think the philosophy of using Google Docs shows people that many hands can accomplish great things in a small amount of time. In a period of an hour, my team had researched not only tourist spots, but videos, geographic coordinates, images, and internet references -- and it was all placed conveniently into one document. From a teaching viewpoint, I know that great collaboration can be done using this tool -- I just don't know too many teachers who are on board, or to what potential it has for 5th graders. My 5th graders don't have email addresses, so I'm curious if there is a similar program that would allow for them to collaborate in a research project on a state or habitat.
Google Hangouts is something I'm not as familiar with. I tend to use Skype or FaceTime. My friend and I were not able to establish a connection using the Hangout. I'm not sure if it was her connection or mine, so it seems that I'll have to give it another try again.
I think the philosophy of using Google Docs shows people that many hands can accomplish great things in a small amount of time. In a period of an hour, my team had researched not only tourist spots, but videos, geographic coordinates, images, and internet references -- and it was all placed conveniently into one document. From a teaching viewpoint, I know that great collaboration can be done using this tool -- I just don't know too many teachers who are on board, or to what potential it has for 5th graders. My 5th graders don't have email addresses, so I'm curious if there is a similar program that would allow for them to collaborate in a research project on a state or habitat.
Google Hangouts is something I'm not as familiar with. I tend to use Skype or FaceTime. My friend and I were not able to establish a connection using the Hangout. I'm not sure if it was her connection or mine, so it seems that I'll have to give it another try again.