Week+Two+-+GOOGLE+DAY!!

Our special presenter today had us doing a lot of stuff on Google, which was a lot of fun to use and very practical information to learn. I think I might be hooked onto the world of Google!! Check out some of the stuff I worked on!!

[|Use of Technology!] [|About Me!] [|Our Limerick!!!]


 * This world of Google intrigues me. On one hand, there's so many good uses for all these different applications. Google Docs allows students (and teachers for that matter) to collaborate on word processing documents/projects, without the hassle of sending emails with embedded files. At the same time, there can be huge hassles trying to convert something that is a .doc file to a .docx file due to Microsoft's new Word program, however this program doesn't have that problem, since you're using the website to create the document. Along the same lines, the use of Google Presentations can alleviate some of the issues with schools not using Powerpoint, and the issues with converting a Powerpoint document to some other program. Instead, you can create a presentation in your Presentation account, and then bring it up anywhere on the planet with an internet connection.
 * However, I do have some issues with creating and storing certain materials on a website that could, realistically, be viewed by anyone with a Gmail account and knowledge of how to work a computer. Now I know in the new age of increased internet paranoia, files that we create in Microsoft's programs are just as susceptible to being viewed by an outside audience. And USB Thumb Drives can easily be corrupted or lost, and unless you have backups you're in trouble. Still, I think we have to be careful what we put into an online database, especially when it comes to the security of students. Working on a group project for math or english? Hey, that's great. Keeping a database of all your different passwords? Maybe you want to be a little more careful. I think its a great tool, I simply stress caution.
 * The other thing that the guest speaker talked about were "Clickers". Clickers are a student response system, that uses radio waves and a pre-determined question and answer option for students to participate in discussions in class. This was not my first exposure to them, as I was required to purchase one for my Astronomy class in university. The professor used them not only as a means of formative assessment to see if the class understood, but also to take attendance and ensure students were coming to lecture (it was a large, probably 600 person class, so going through every week and taking attendance would eat up the entire three hour period).




 * At the time, I never put much thought into it, in fact I thought the blasted thing was an inconvenience because it was so expensive. But, with a class set, these tools could be very useful in not only diagnosing students understanding of concepts and ideas, but also encouraging all students to participate in class discussions. Because their responses would be totally anonymous, there would be no pressure in getting the wrong answer to a question. I feel like that would be the biggest benefit of these tools.