David
Nilson
Blog
post #3
2
pm 10/29/12
Many collaboration technologies are
very useful in university studies. These programs often include file sharing,
screen sharing, instant messaging, and voice over internet features. Google
Docs is the example I will highlight in today’s blog. First, I will introduce
you to Google Docs. Second, I will share some studies and publications that
highlighted the collegiate usefulness of Google Docs. Third, I will list the
old methods versus the new methods available through Google Docs and similar
programs.
Google Docs is a very popular
program. It is quite simple to use, especially for college students, most of
whom are technology savvy. It has many uses for a university setting, not least
of which is a group project for a class. Google Docs features include: online
storage, and real-time creating and editing of documents, spreadsheets,
presentations, and etc. by multiple users simultaneously. Files can be saved in
multiple formats and Google Docs is supported by major internet browsers.
Much has been said about Google
Docs. One writer’s commentary points out a very useful feature of Google Docs -
multiple users taking notes simultaneously during class. This college student
writing for the Hack College section of the Huffington Post wrote, “As college
students, we survive by collaborating. We work together on group projects, form
study groups, and share advice about the toughest professors. Despite all this,
it occurred to me that nobody really works together to take notes. I'm talking
about actually working simultaneously on the same set of notes during a
lecture. Google Docs makes it possible to work simultaneously with partners in
class to produce a single set of master notes, with more information that any
individual could possibly transcribe. This is made possible through Google
Docs' excellent live-updating collaboration feature, which lets you watch a
letter-for-letter update of your friends' contributions to the document… [it’s]
straight out of Harry Potter.” (McAllister)
A study was done in Israel on
Google Docs. The researchers wanted to test whether collaboration resulted in
different feelings about and quality of assignments. “One hundred and eighteen
Open University of Israel undergraduate students participated in an experiment
that was designed to test the differences between sharing and collaborating on
a written assignment…[S]tudents believe that a document that was written
collaboratively might have higher quality than a document written alone. Participants
in all groups believed that collaboration improves the document quality.
However, evaluation of the contribution of collaboration was asymmetrical -
students felt that while they did not exacerbate the document they read or
edited, others worsen their document when reading, suggesting or editing it. We
therefore suggest that collaborative learning may be improved by encouraging
collaboration mainly through suggesting and receiving improvements and less by
editing each others' writing.” (Blau, Caspi 48-55)
Collaboration through Google Docs
has proven to be useful and beneficiary, in both practical experience and
official research. Let me finish this blog by simply pointing out some of the
old methods compared to what Google Docs has to offer.
Old: Start files from scratch.
Google Docs: Choose from many
pre-made templates.
Old: Email attachments back and
forth.
Google Docs: All users have access
to the same file, and you may check revision history for any previous versions
of a document.
Old: Take notes as fast as you can
write or type.
Google Docs: Collaborate note
taking, study guides, and brainstorming ideas, any time including during class.
Old: Use different programs for
documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
Google Docs: Contains document,
spreadsheet, and presentation abilities.
Old: Communicate over email, phone,
or in person about a shared file.
Google Docs: Instantly chat during
file access or editing to discuss the shared file.
Google Docs, and its many not quite identical twins, is very useful for
university students. It is simple to use. It has proven to be effective in
collaboration for group projects. It simplifies and replaces many previous
methods of collaboration.
References
Blau, Caspi, Ina, Avner.
"Chais Research Center for the Integration of Technology in
Education." Chais Research Center for the Integration of Technology in
Education. (2009): 48-55. Web. 29 Oct. 2012.
<http://telem-pub.openu.ac.il/users/chais/2009/noon/1_1.pdf>.
"Google Docs for
Students." . N.p.. Web. 29 Oct 2012.
<http://www.google.com/google-d-s/college/>.
McAllister, Shep. "Use
Google Docs to Collaborate on Class Note Taking ." Huffington Post
College: Hack College 03 04 2011, n. pag. Web. 29 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hack-college/use-google-docs-to-collab_b_844192.html>.
