Module 6: Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, etc. (Shared document tools)

Shared documents allow collaborative editing. This tool allows working online with other collaborators on the same document, allowing everyone in the group to see what is being done on the document in real time and with the ability to make decisions on the document at the same time as other colleagues.

Let's take an example of how to use shared documents:

First, with our account, we must access the documents section and create a new document or pre-designed template. Depending on the company we use (Google, Microsoft...), we can share the documents without students needing to log in. A positive aspect of logging in to access the document is to know who has edited it and what they have edited. Some useful functionalities are:

• Create documents.

• Templates.

• Adding text.

• Changing fonts, size, color...

• Inserting hyperlinks.

• Adding images.

• Footers.

• Chat in shared documents.

• Assign tasks or quote people in the comments.

• Share document (with editing, commenting, or viewing role).

Pedagogical recommendations on Google Docs:

As we have already mentioned, one of the great virtues offered by this tool is the possibility of working online on the same document with other people. This is very useful when we want to carry out group work as the students have to work online on the same document, and the teacher can check the status of the work at any time.

One of the main problems that teachers face when a group of students hand in work is to know who has done what. In this sense, monitoring is critical, not only to establish a grade but also to try to ensure learning. Google Docs, through its Latest Modifications system, allows us to know which parts have been written by which students, thus trying to keep track and monitor the work to identify gaps and strengths in learning. In addition, this monitoring work can be most useful when the teacher owns the document and observes what the students are doing, and can even modify it to provide instant feedback.

As teachers we can scaffold the task according to what each person needs to do and record it in the document, thus setting clear and achievable goals for the whole group to achieve. This is essential, as a key point of collaborative learning is positive interdependence. Positive interdependence occurs when one member of the group perceives that they are linked to the others so that they cannot achieve success until all members achieve success as well. They must therefore coordinate their efforts to achieve the task.

Google Docs, in short, is a very powerful tool that can be used beyond a text editor. It can help in the achievement and monitoring of collaborative learning, as well as visualizing what each student does, encouraging the feeling of belonging to a group so that group successes are achieved, and scaffolding tasks better by allowing the teacher to be in the student's work document, encouraging feedback and feedforward.