Thing 16

I was a little nervous about getting into Google Docs because of one little word associated with it...spreadsheets. I'm not as proficient in using spreadsheets as I'd like to be. However, once watching the video tutorials and exploring Google Docs for myself, I feel much more comfortable with the options Google Docs offers.

In my personal life, Google Docs could be useful in sharing work with my sister who is in Pennsylvania. She sends me her college papers through email attachments to proofread and it's back and forth that way. With Google Docs, it'd be a time saver.

In regard to school, I could see Google Docs being beneficial for me when I am creating special education schedules at the beginning of the school year. I could share the individual schedules on Google Docs and teachers could log in to see if the weekly times I have scheduled for their students are suitable and do not interfere with their specials schedules. This would be a wonderful time saver instead of individually emailing each teacher back and forth or walking around to each teacher who is busy in her/his own classroom. Another benefit could be sharing the Wordly Wise or spelling lists on Google Docs. I either hand deliver the lists or send an email attachment. Once again, this could be a time saver. I'm really looking forward to testing this out next fall.

In regard to students, if email addresses/accounts are not an issue, I could see the peer editing process becoming more appealing (Could a school email somehow be incorporated for use with Google Docs?) I was working with a student yesterday afternoon who was reading about the benefits of the freedom of expression in her social studies book. One of the benefits involves individual growth....if others can share opinions, you may have an "ah ha" moment and learn/discover something you hadn't thought about yourself. I could see Google Docs providing that opportunity for students. Someone may offer a suggestion that students had not thought of themselves.