Google Docs Starter Sheet

Greg Swanson at Edtechtoolbox
We have finally been able to get staff to start experimenting with Google Docs. A couple of the younger staff members in the HSIE department convinced the Head of Department that they could do a Unit Evaluation without anybody having to collate the information. This was a stroke of genius. They got a 92% survey completion rate and the tool gave them a breakdown of the ratings from the students about the different aspects of the course.

We have always completed student evaluations but I think in the past they have only paid lip service to the concerns or for that matter affirmation of the students - it just took too long to actually collate them. You then had to present the information in a legible form. Now we have a tool that will do it for us. The HSIE department were actually excited about the affirmations that the student offered and even the suggestions for changes have been taken seriously - to the extent that certain e-learning aspects of the course have been developed further.

We now have staff using Google Docs for Sign-up sheets, registering group projects and of course Pop quizzes. We have also introduced Google Docs to the students as a way of completing group projects. Now no students has the excuse that they could not contribute to the group task. In fact collaborative learning has been the biggest benefit of using Google Docs. For certain tasks it is better than using a Ning or Wiki (although these have worked exceptional well for resource and research sharing) - the real-time collaborative editing function is probably the most commonly used function, especially in English and Drama.

This is the Starter Sheet that we issued the students. Please feel free to use if it is of any use.


A printable and downloadable PDF document: Google Docs Starter Sheet, from embedit.in (Flash)

We have also started to publish lists of the Template Gallery to illustrate to staff the vast number of existing documents that we are able to access, modify and use from the Gallery. These are templates designed and built by generous teachers who have given all teachers access to them. Staff are always saying how little time they have. This is one very real and useful way we can help save them time.

Some of the Templates that our staff are using include;

Science Test	Course Evaluation	Book Review	Quiz Builder
Presentation Rubric	Technology Survey	Staff Survey	Learning Styles
Observation Sheet	Parent Contact	Pre-Testing	Discipline Log
Academic Vocab	Character Analysis	Website Evaluation	Self Assessment