An Introduction to Online Word Processing
(Repost from 12/04/2009)
Michael Grant wrote the following about the current state of word processing.
Word processing seems “old hat.” Applications such as Microsoft Word, Corel WordPerfect and AppleWorks word processor allow students and teachers to perform a variety of functions. In this vein, you should try to think beyond these applications as just ways to type a paper. Instead, word processors have the potential to support summarizing, paraphrasing and peer review. In addition, inserting graphics and tables adds additional complexity to word processors. With these functions, students can organize ideas and data, as well as use images to represent concepts.
While Word, WordPerfect and AppleWorks are desktop-based software, there are a new crop of Web-based word processing applications. You may have heard of Google Docs (as in Google Documents). Zoho.com is another productivity suite with a Web-based word processor. There are a number of advantages to these types of applications. First, because they are on the Web, they are accessible anywhere with an Internet connection. Second, these applications have been made to work with Microsoft Office. So, you can import and export Word (.doc) files with these applications. Lastly, these applications can be shared with others. So, a number of individuals can work on a common document without having to pass the document around. The documents stay in one place. The major disadvantage to these applications is that they are relatively new and can be a little quirky. But they are free and that’s usually helpful to teachers and students.
This video provides a great overview of the concept of online productivity tools (word processor, presentations, spreadsheets) in under 3 minutes.
Click to take a look at Google Docs and Zoho Writer.
See this tutorial on collaborating with others with web applications like Google Docs.
Consider how these kinds of technologies could be integrated with teaching and learning and leave your ideas in the comments section below.
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February 14th, 2009 at 5:07 PM
Zoho and Google docs allow teachers and students to create documents, presentations, spreadsheets, and many other types of interactive documents. Students and teachers can edit and share online documents with other people. Together, people have the ability to synchronously communicate and edit the same project. If the group cannot make a decision on a particular topic/subject, they could incorporate Zoho polls. This great feature allows one to create a poll, vote and determine which choice is the winner.
February 15th, 2009 at 7:13 PM
I had not heard of Google docs until today, but it seems like it would be quite useful. It seems like a great way to keep things organized when you are working with a team. I think I would use it in my classroom for group projects so I could see what each student was contributing. I think its also great because of all the paper we can save by using it too!
February 16th, 2009 at 8:29 AM
I haven’t heard of Google Docs or Zoho Writer before today and I think this concept is a great advancement of technology in the world of word processing. I believe that this is a great way for students to learn basic computer funtions in class that they will be able to use later in the work world. It also saves both the teachers and the students the hassle of dealing with situations where there are problems with saving or retrieving documents.
February 16th, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Online word-processing is an excellent example of mash ups. I started using Google docs when I was a TA for a course. The students and I collaborated on a poster presentation. It proved to be easy and convenient. I came to know about Zoho.com recently and it seems to have some great features too. I can’t wait to start using it.
June 17th, 2009 at 9:59 AM
I LOVE Google Documents! I used these in a previous job where the whole staff needed access to one document. However, not all staff members needed to be able to change or edit the document. It was great!
As a teacher I think that using Google docs will help me and my students. Now, when they are writing a research or persuasive paper, I no longer have to wrestle with the hardly functioning iBook printers. I can have my students save their drafts to Google docs. Then I can log on and edit these drafts. My students can update the draft and the submit the final version for a grade. All without loosing the originals or killing innocent trees.
Also, I use PowerPoint a lot with my students. I require them to make presentations on certain topics. I was frustrated having to deal with the incompatability I ran into from switching from a PC to a Mac. Now I know everything will be compatiable and that my students are saving the presentations in the correct format. Also this removes the issue of requiring my students to have a flash drive. Less money for them and less frustrations for me. I can’t wait to try this out next year!
June 17th, 2009 at 11:39 AM
One of my friends is a teacher at a charter school in Memphis. He started using google docs this past school year. He absolutely loves it. There are a lot more applications you can do with google docs other than editing papers. He used google docs for practice quizes. He would post the quiz and then by using excel he set it up so that the student would get instant grading feedback, and he could also get feedback concerning his students performance.
June 17th, 2009 at 1:19 PM
This is AWESOME!!!! Using this type of integrated technology in the classroom will create a more advanced, engaging, and motivating learning environment for my students. I’m excited about implementing this in my classroom this school year. Here are a variety of ways I can use online processing in my classroom.
Cooperative Learning/Collaboration – Students can work on a single project together and I can keep track of their progress and participation. I can also collaborate with other teachers about lesson plans and the progress of other students. It can be used for peer editing – students could edit and comment on each other’s essays. I can also use it as a teaching tool to help students enhance and improve their writing process skills.
I can keep track of grades and attendance. Communicate with students and their parents. Students can email me their homework and/or other assignments creating a paperless classroom.In addition to all the above, it can be used to open up the line of communication with the real world by interacting with experts and professionals around the world.
June 17th, 2009 at 2:29 PM
Google Docs are great! I use them every so often for myself, like when opening docs in Gmail, but I have never thought about applying technology to my classroom. It would be a really easy way for students completing group projects to access their information, make any changes to the original document, etc. Another cool thing to do would be to have the students submit their assignment via google docs, so that the parents can see their grades as soon as they’re updated. My brother’s school uses their school website for all of this, and the parents can access it as well. However, for schools that do not have an up-to-date website for assignments, this is a great solution.
June 17th, 2009 at 9:34 PM
I see the benefits of Google Docs, but what use is this in my classroom when none of my students have Internet access?
June 17th, 2009 at 11:48 PM
I am very familiar with Google docs. I used this at a previous job and it was a fantastic way to organize documents and allowed me to make changes from home, work, school, etc. I think that this technology would be a great use in my classroom by utilizing it with papers. Students could submit rough drafts and I would have the ability to edit and give feedback in a very efficient manner.
June 18th, 2009 at 6:21 PM
This was a new concept to me, too. I can’t wait to share it with my students, who often have difficulty finding flash drives, or other storage devices for their word processing documents. I can also see using these programs to “check-in” on student progress, while they are working on a project. I would also like to use this in group work, so multiple people have access to the same document, without having to find storage devices, or email access. Very few of my students have internet access, but with this I could send a few to the library or computer labs, and then send partners to review or edit later. This might allow us to keep moving in class, and on projects.
July 19th, 2009 at 1:41 PM
This is the first time I have heard of Google docs or anything like it. It sounds like it would be really beneficial in getting rid of excessive attachments. I will try it!
July 20th, 2009 at 2:23 PM
I think this advancement of Google Docs is great! It saves time and energy. I have not used this before but I look forward to trying it and showing it to my students.
July 24th, 2009 at 9:26 AM
My first experience using Google Docs was earlier this summer in another graduate class. Although there was no collaboration with the documents I created, I loved how easy the publishing element was. There are useful and creative templates that make Word seem old school. I can not wait to try this with my students!
July 25th, 2009 at 5:51 PM
I absolutely love google docs. When I was drafting my first professional resume I used it to set up correspondence between myself and a mentor. It was so much more convenient than email since he could make adjustments and recommendations on the document itself without having to download and save and all that.
September 23rd, 2009 at 9:44 PM
I love Google Docs. I used it often in undergrad because of problems with document compatability. I have even used Google docs as a center in my classroom. The students were required to edit a paragraph as a method of applying what we learned about the writing process. I was able to see all of their versions, and everything was all in one place.
September 24th, 2009 at 10:54 AM
I think GoogleDocs would be an awesome concept in the classroom. I have never used it before, but it seems like a more advanced version of wikispaces. I used wikispaces in my last grad class over the summer. We all collaborated on one piece of work, but the downside of it was that we could not see past versions of our paper and could not see who collaborated on what in particular pages. Google Docs sounds like it has solved that problem.
September 24th, 2009 at 7:48 PM
Google Documents is a fantastic way to involve students in education. The collaborative and distance-based qualities to Google Docs can certainly enhance and augment a lesson — and cut down on certain types of administrative overhead for the teacher. However, if most students in the class do not have easy access to a computer (namely, at home), the gain achieved from using these technologies is minimized.
September 24th, 2009 at 8:15 PM
The video on googledocs was interesting. I was not aware this program was out there. It would be a great technique to use for business proposals or meetings. The usage of this may save people a lot of time and money. Althought it provides and easy way to collaborate, I am not sure I would feel comfortable using it due because we still have to deal with hackers. Passwords do not always protect information an individual may not want to share with the general public.Therefore, my main concern would be how confidential and safe is googledocs.
September 24th, 2009 at 8:43 PM
Google Docs would be a great asset for classroom small group projects. The students would be able to contribute more easily outside of the classroom and colabotation would be easier. The teacher would be able to see who was contributing and how much for grading. I like it a lot and can absolutly see useing it in the classroom.
February 8th, 2010 at 7:24 PM
This is the first time that I have ever heard of Google Docs. I think it is great and very creative. Integrating this into the classroom would be easy and very interesting because it will give students an opportunity to work freely in groups on projects and more. I think it’s a great tool, but not just for teachers. The new age technology is going to make our jobs a lot more fun and easier. Just by clicking a button or two you can have everything you need in an orderly and timely fashion. How great is that?
February 10th, 2010 at 7:11 PM
I, too, have felt the pain of sending multiple versions of the same document over and over. As tech-savvy as I usually consider myself to be, I have not really had any experience with these programs yet. I can definitely see applications for the classroom, however.
The immediately obvious application is for papers written in class, be they research or creative. Students write their first drafts, upload them to google docs, and allow the teacher access. The students could also allow collaborators and peers access for group projects or peer tutoring. The teacher or collaborators can leave real-time feedback, thus allowing the writers to revise. And all without the need for constant re-saving. I like it.
February 11th, 2010 at 1:29 PM
I think google docs and zoho are GREAT advances in technology. I can’t say that my students have the need at the age of 3 for this type of technology yet. However, as a teacher I do use spreadsheets. My home computer does not have microsoft word on it. I was in the airport and needed to submit a document to my boss covering things that I did while on a professional development trip. I almost had a breakdown, but then realized that I could use google docs….it saved me
February 11th, 2010 at 9:15 PM
I wish I would have this ten, well 15 years ago. All the files I lost and had to due over or all the files I accidentally used old versions of. This would be great for document management and collaboration!
February 12th, 2010 at 10:11 AM
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February 12th, 2010 at 11:01 AM
I had no idea these appliations were available. It is good to know becasue I was thinkging about upgrading my Microsoft Office which would have cost but these are free. I think this is a good way for school districts to cut spending by introducing this to more students and the ability to share and get input is awesome. A teacher could assign the students to proofread the assignment and submit correction to students. Paper is becoming more and more obselete. This is also a good tool for procrastinators that need immediate help from a friend that has no way to meet but can communicate over the web.
I plan to share this with my colleagues.