I explored Google Docs and Dropbox. I find Dropbox quite useful for work, as I can work on lectures and documents from home or at work. I have been using it a lot for preparing for my classes. I haven't used the sharing or collaboration features, however.
I have used the collaborative features (to an extent) with Google Drive and Google Sites. I had students develop exhibits in a local history course using Google Sites, but they (and I) found it clunky to use. I haven't tried it recently. Last semester I learned about Google Docs in a workshop on campus, and then used it for two of my course projects. For one course, I created a shared document to which students could post the biographies they had researched and written. In this way we created a class "Biographical Dictionary" of Industrial America, which the students then had to read and discuss in class. I also created an instruction document. I was generally pleased with how this worked, and include a link: HIST 330 Industrial America Biographies. For my research seminar I used Google Drive for a peer editing assignment. Students had to post their rough drafts and provide access (for comments) to their peer editors, who had to read and comment on the drafts. Again, this worked well, with only minor glitches.
In sum, I would use Google Drive again for course assignments, although I am not doing so this semester, as I do not have an appropriate assignment. I also will continue to use Dropbox, and may explore the collaborative features as I grow more comfortable with it. I could see this more as a tool for collaborating with colleagues at other universities, for instance.
Very nice layout. I like your blogger's background. I am still having some difficulty navigating the Google tools, but I am sure it will get easier with practice. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteTim
Ellen:
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I am a real cheerleader of your work with Docs and Drive...am so impressed by your biography work of last semester, and the embedded work with peer editing.
I am glad that you are continuing to gear up with these GoogleApps. I think that - with the limitations of our ANGEL platform - they give us needed flexibility for our own courses, and serve as vehicles to push the engagement and accountability angles with our students.
I have used Dropbox for lots of things, too. Recently, I have found it very functional in a small video project I did with some of my undergrads. I used iPads for them to make short videos in class, and needed them to publish the videos so they would be available for their own blog postings. I use Vimeo for some video publishing, and Vimeo directly interfaces with Dropbox, making "getting the files out of the iPad" a relatively simple process. Oops, needless to say, uploading videos directly to Drive is also a possibility, and an easy solution for many things.
OK...enough of my meanderings...can't wait to hear more :)
~kg