This week, my professor introduced the class to a technology that I did not know existed (I feel that I was probably not alone in this situation among the other members of my class). He presented to us the option of using Google Docs in a business, educational, or even home setting. Google Docs is a service offered by Google that provides access to various applications, such as a word processor, spreadsheet maker, form developer, and presentation application. Not only can you access these documents whenever and whenever, but you can also invite others to share the documents and collaborate on them in real time. It is offered for free--you just need to create a Google account (Gmail, their email server, has unlimited mailbox size!). Google has a video that explains the concept and features of Google Docs in an entertaining and creative format; you can view it by following this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRqUE6IHTEA.
Google Docs is definitely something that I could use in my future classroom: there will be plenty of opportunities to collaborate with my fellow Spanish teachers on handouts and presentations especially. The ability to comment/edit/add to a worksheet that I have or another teacher has created will allow for constructive criticism and networking in curriculum development. Also, the presentation application will provide the opportunity to keep all students in the same level of Spanish to be on the same page--if teachers collaborate on one presentation, they all can use it in order to keep the classes cohesive.
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I agree that Google Docs is a great resource that teachers should utilize to keep themselves organized and focused on important ideas/topics that should be presented in the curriculum. This is just one example of how our world is becoming more of an open forum for information to flow easily and efficiently. However, I think that before relying soley on Google Docs, it's important for teachers to understand the pros and cons of this program, including some of the formatting differences and tools between Microsoft Word and Google.
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