Prompt

Discuss a specific manner that your students can use a collaborative solution, such as Google Docs, to foster teamwork in your classroom.

Response

In my Electrical Installation classrooms, one collaborative solution that would be of great use is that of Google Docs. Throughout all the grade levels in my curriculum, I use a project-based system that consists of job sheets with electrical circuits and questions that have to be completed/answered. This system has always consisted of students receiving the job sheets on printed paper, to then be completed on loose-leaf paper by each student in a group. Here is where I believe that Google Docs can be of great use to my class. If I were to give students digital copies of the job sheets, they could use the Google Docs platform to collaborate productively within their groups. For example, the platform would allow students to “to view what others in the group have written, and maintain a record of what has been done” (Using Google Tools for Collaboration, n.d.) Students can all have a part in answering questions or drawing diagrams on the same documents and at the same time. It will cut the time that they need to complete the jobs and heighten their productivity. It would also ensure that they have a platform to store all the work, eliminating the thought of ever losing their work. On the teaching side, the use of this platform would be great because it would allow grading to be done so much more smoothly. Google Docs will ensure that all the work is legible, feedback is delivered to each student, and not to mention the fact that it eliminates large quantities of paper.

Works Cited

Using Google Tools for Collaboration: Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved March 28, 2020, from https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/UsingGoogleDrive

Reflection

To me, the purpose of this discussion board is to help me gain insight into the various ways that collaborative solutions can enhance the teamwork of students and with some other added benefits. One conclusion that I can draw from this is that collaborative solutions, like Google Docs, are going to improve the workflow of my classroom drastically. For example, I feel that because students have access to the documents they create 24/7, they will be more inclined to do the assigned work. This would increase the potential speed that students engage in instructional tasks. This is not to mention the fact that it could eliminate piles of paperwork for me as the teacher. Due to this, I will be sure to start implementing this in my classrooms, if I have the available technology.