Google Docs

Just been into Google Docs and created a very quick simple PowerPoint presentation which I have invited 4 people from our course to edit. I hope to answer Cheryl's questions at some point over the next few days. Cheryl's Questions are: 1. Blog about Google docs. Can they facilitate interaction and of what types? Could they, for example, promote the kind of metacognition outlined by Feuerstein, or set up interactive feedback loops a la Yacci? 2. Can you relate theories of online community to Google docs? 3. Can you outline a potential or actual use of Google docs in your own practice, explaining its challenges and/or benefits?

3. The National Curriculum for England and Wales provides a framework for describing the qualities and skills needed for success in learning and life. The framework known as the personal, learning and thinking skills (PLTS) has been developed and refined over a number of years in consultation with employers, parents, schools, students and the wider public. The framework comprises six groups of skills:

• independent enquirers
• creative thinkers
• reflective learners
• team workers
• self-managers
• effective participants.

The National Curriculum for ICT at Key Stage 3 requires students to gain knowledge and understanding in the following 3 areas: 

§         planning, developing and evaluating

§         handling data, sequencing instructions and modeling

§         finding, using and communicating information

As long as teachers incorporates the above bullet points into their scheme of work (SOW) they have carte blanche to choose their own topics. It is because of this freedom why a teacher should incorporate Google Docs into their topics as Google Docs is an ideal platform to generate most, if not all of the PLT skills.

I have just created a thought shower in PowerPoint to help describe how this could be achieved for one of the PLT skills; team workers.  Click the image to enlarge it.

The challenge of writing Google Docs into your SOW is to remember that not all students (particularly in my school) have access to a computer at home, therefore the only time that students could use Google Docs would be during their lesson time with you.  Another challenge may be that teaching staff using your SOW may not know how to use Google Docs and therefore trainingwould have to be provided. However, once staff realise the potential of Google Docs they, like me, will be applying Feuerstein’s killer questions!

1. Speaking of Feuerstein, in my mind Google docs are there for peer to peer collaborative projects.  I don’t believe Google Docs can promote all of the steps of metacognition outlined by Feuerstein. For example, the first of those steps is to set real tasks and it’s the teacher that sets that first initial step not Google Docs.  However, the other 3 steps would more than likely come in when students are in the interactive process of collaborating on a project during which, the teacher is getting the students to think about Feuerstein's other steps which are reflecting on the completion of the tasks, establishing learning points and bridging.