Url: https://docs.google.com/

Cost: Free

Age recommendation: Year 2 onwards

Accessibility: Accessible through a web browser on most devices and a free application on mobile tablet devices.

Australian Curriculum Links: ICT general capabilities: Communicating with ICT Level 5

"Students select and use appropriate ICT tools safely to share and exchange information and to safely collaborate with others” (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2014)

 

Description: Google Docs is a free online word processing platform that allows students and teachers to collaborate on, share and exchange documents.

 

Rationale: Working collaboratively is an essential skill for students to develop to enhance their understandings, comprehend other’s perspectives and complete tasks more efficiently (Zhou, Simpson and Domizi, 2012, pp 359). Google Docs supports students to develop their collaborative skills in the classroom as it works in a very similar way to Microsoft Word but contains enhanced features such as collaborative editing. Google Docs allows teachers and peers to view and provide real-time feedback to students as they are working collaboratively with others. Zhao, Simpson and Domizi (2012) noted that students have reported positive experiences with collaborative writing using Google Docs but also experienced difficulties with formatting and tracking group members contributions (Zhou, Simpson and Domizi, 2012, pp. 360). To combat difficulties using Google Docs, it is important that teachers model how to use its features before assigning tasks (Zhou, Simpson and Domizi, 2012).

 

References

   Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority. (2014). Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Continuum. Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/humanities-and-social-sciences/hass/curriculum/f-10?layout=1#page=2

 

   Zhou, W., Simpson, E., & Domizi, D. P. (2012). Google Docs in an Out-of-Class Collaborative Writing Activity. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 24(3), pp. 359-375. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1000688.pdf