Assignment #3.2 - Online Collaborating Exercise Using Google Docs
This excersise is designed to be completed synchronously therefore, all members of your group must be logged on to their email at the same time. http://docs.google.com/
For this week’s Group Leader:
Your task for this assignment may prove to be particularly challenging because you will have to try to arrange a day and time when your entire group can meet online. So you may have to begin contacting your group members early in the week.
On the day you choose and at the time you have agreed to meet, open your email application.
You will find an email from your instructor entitled Weird Story.
Click on the link provided in the email and the document will open the Google Docs signin page.
Sign in to Google Docs and it will display a document on the page.
If the document does not appear you may have to click on the Docs button.
Share the document with the members in your group by clicking on the Share button and choosing Share with others.
Invite people as collaborators and enter their email addresses.
Click on the Invite Collaborators button and enter a short message.
After everyone has finished their editing, Save the document that you now have on your screen and send it to the Digital Dropbox. Be sure to include all of the names of your team.
For the Remaining Team Group Members:
On the day and at the time you have agreed to meet, open your email application.
When you receive the email entitled Weird Story from your team leader, click on the link provided in the email and the document will open Google Docs and display the Google Docs signin page.
Sign in to Google Docs and it will display the beginning paragraph of document on the page.
If the document does not appear you may have to click on the Docs button.
Taking turns, each of you should write a paragraph beginning where the last person left off and adding what ever you like to make the story more interesting. Thre more twists and turns you add will make the story interesting.
Please be patient and observe how the document that is being shared changes right before your eyes as members of your group edit the document.
When all of the members have written their part of the story, close the document, but DO NOT SAVE it as your leader will do that for you.
Go on to the next assignment.
Note: You may want to experiment sharing with Excel and PowerPoint documents. This is NOT a course requirement, but it is interesting.
TGZ: Teach Generation Z
Group Members:
Kelly Rexine - Leader for Module #3
Jenna Brendemuhl
Andy Cox
Kathleen Scheeler
Denise Turnquist
Nikki Wixo
Weird Story
Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, lived a curious creature by the name of Ed U. Cate. Ed loved to read and would spend nearly all of his time perusing books and magazines searching for information that would help him communicate and collaborate with his friends. You see, Ed, though very learned and knowledgeable, was very shy and rarely talked to anyone about anything. Every time he tried to speak with someone his mind simply became blank and he would invariably become embarrassed and turn an amazing shade of red. Just when he had thought that he might never be able to convey his thoughts to others, he read about a new sort of machine that had the potential to allow him to speak his mind without being embarrassed—the computer!
(Kelly Rexine)
This new machine intrigued Ed so he got into his car and drove down to the local Target store. As he walked into the store he headed right for the computer section. A woman asked Ed if she could help him find anything and he replied, "Just point me to the computer section!" Little did Ed know that a computer would cost so much. Ed left the store and drove back to his house very disappointed. In the next three months, Ed put in extra hours at his job and saved some extra money to buy this cure for his shyness.
(Jenna Brendemuhl)
Finally Ed had enough money to go back to Target and buy the computer. He decided to buy a laptop because the woman who helped him explained the portability of a laptop and Ed decided it would work best for him. After buying the laptop, Ed left the store with a huge smile on his face but was scared inside as to what this computer was going to do for his life. As Ed was walking back home he took a wrong turn because he was too busy reading the box and entered a dark ally. All of a sudden a man jumped out and tried to grab the computer from Ed.
(Andy Cox)
He did the first thing that came to his mind, set up his laptop. See, on his way home, he just imagined everything his computer was going to do for him. He couldn't believe all of the things he was going to be able to do. He felt like a superhero when he imagined himself on his computer. So, there he was with his laptop set up. At first, the man didn't know what to do, but then Ed just started typing. He was typing so fast that he man couldn't keep up reading the screen. Ed must have type for 30 minutes without making a mistake. Needless to say, the man got bored and decided to leave. When Ed looked up and saw the man gone, he thought to himself, "I did it!" He knew he needed to use his new power, and from that day on, Ed was a super hero. He would be Ed by day, but by night he was known as The Word Processor.
(Kathleen Scheeler)
Now that Ed was a superhero, he did not have to worry about getting red. He found a chat room where he met a nice woman named Com P. Uter. They chatted and Ed no longer got red when he was the superhero online, named The Word Processor. He could read and chat and be the Word Processor with Com P. Uter and never feel embarrassed. Life was good. Soon he wanted to try meeting Com P. Uter face to face to test his new found ability to chat and see if he could do it without the laptop.
(Denise Turnquist)
Ed and Com P. Uter decided to meet at a local coffee shop a few blocks from Ed's house. Ed was still EXTREMELY nervous and worried about talking to Com P. Uter face to face. He decided to use his computer to record his voice prior to meeting up with her. Ed wanted to sound easy going without stumbling across his words. Using a system he found would work on his computer he began to record himself sounding charming and irresistable! While Ed was sitting at the coffee shop, in walks Com. P. Uter. The minute she sits down with Ed, she starts talking. A little worried, Ed couldn't find the time to turn his voice activating conversation on from his computer. "Now, what do I do? She won't stop talking!!"
(Nikki Wixo)
All of a sudden Com P. Uter's voice began to sounds a little distorted. Her words began to repeat themselves. Her face was becoming very red, very quickly. It was at that moment that Ed realized that she too had recorded her own voice. They looked at each other, smiled, and both began talking at once...FOR REAL! The next time they glanced at the clock an hour had passed. As it turns out there really is that special person out there for everyone.
The End.
Assignment #3.3 - Group Collaboration
TGZ: Teach Generation Z
Group Members:
Kelly Rexine - Leader for Module #3
Jenna Brendemuhl
Andy Cox
Kathleen Scheeler
Denise Turnquist
Nikki Wixo
Conduct an informal discussion within your group using Google Docs to record your conversation, ask yourselves questions like
What were your first impressions as you began to explore?
In what ways could you use Google Docs in your personal/professional life?
In what ways might students use Google Docs in the classroom?
Which areas might you get the most use? Documents, Spreadsheets, Presentations?
(Kelly Rexine)
My first impression of Google docs was awesome. I've never really used this piece from Google before as I use gmail and Google calendar a lot. I will continue to use this feature more in the future. In my professional life, being an educator, I could use this for papers that I assign in my class or use it for myself to present a lesson. I don't think I would use this too much in my personal life but I probably will create a spreadsheet for bills and see if it is more convenient than what I'm using now. I can see myself using the document and presentation more in the classroom, but I would probably use the document piece more.
(Jenna Brendemuhl)
My first impression was that is was really interesting. I was a little worried at first because I did not know how you know who is editing and when. Although I think we did a nice job. I was wondering what would happen if someone edited at the same time. I think I could use Google Docs in my personal life as a way to share things with my husband. We are always emailing lists back and forth and emailing bills to enter into our budget. Google Docs could allow us to edit a document and not have to sit and send it back and forth and resave it. Same thing goes professionally. I collaborate a lot with other members on my team and we could use this to create documents together instead of just one person making it. Students could use this in the classroom and share the documents with the teacher. It would be a great way to help students edit. A teacher could also use this as a way to post assignments. I think the most use I would get out of Google Docs would be the documents mainly because I would use it at school.
(Andy Cox)
I really liked this assignment. It was a 21st century spin off to the game telephone. A site like google docs can be a powerful tool in the classroom. It can be an easy way to students to communicate with eachother from different areas of the school. As educators, we do a lot of projects in groups with little computer use. I know personally, I have kids in the room, library, and computer lab. This would be a great tool for them to use to stay in some sort of communication with eachother. They could also use this at home to talk with friends on their projects. Like Kelly, I don't know if I could use this in my personal life, but I wouldn't mind using the presentation aspect of it a little more. I was really impressed with this site, I don't use google that much, but I might have to start now.
(Kathleen Scheeler)
I have used Google Docs for a couple years now. At Minot High School we encourage kids to use it for homework since it is web based. That way they can work on it at school and at home and not worry about programs being compatible. Personally, we are using the spreadsheet function for my daughter's wedding this summer. She created a spreadsheet to share with both families for all the addresses. She also has a spreadsheet for things to do and for the budget. She has shared these with both families, too.
(Denise Turnquist)
I feel Google docs would benefit students in a way that would allow everyone within the classroom to communicate together on specific terms and ideas. It's a great innovative tool to use in a classroom when constructing or putting together research projects within groups. Personally, I, too, would not use Google docs on a regular basis as time is such a factor for me. I would really need to explore this a little more extensively to see what would be the most beneficial. However, using this in the classroom would allow my students to see another advantage to technology. As a class we do many powerpoint presentations and google docs would be just another stepping stone to help collaborate with one another.
(Nikki Wixo)
I think that google docs is a great tool, that is a lot more comprehensive than I first realized. I am loving the sharing in real time and see myself using this feature a lot in class. What a great way for kids to complete group work where everyone has to do their part. I also like the way it teaches patience. You don't know how many times I just wanted to start typing when it wasn't my turn. This is also a great place to set up a bookmark list so kids can link out to the Internet without having to type in complicated addresses. I am excited to try out the Powerpoint feature this year in the classroom.
Kelly - Great point about teaching patience, I agree!
Jenna- I, too just wanted to start typing.
Kathleen-We encourage students to use the presentation feature in Docs since at my school we have Keynote, which most students do not have at home. By using Google presentation, they can work on homework anywhere. Also, when groups have to create a project together, Google Docs is the best way to do it. I have helped classes get set up with Google Docs so they can collaborate with each other.
I also looked at a lot of the templates and impressed with their variety of choices, I'm always looking for new and easy templates for my personal and professional life. Great Site, Great Activity!
References:
Google. (n.d.). Google. Retrieved July 11, 2010, from http://www.google.com
