Challenge #14 - Document Collaboration Tools

Collaboration made easy.

You've heard me mention it before, and here I am to say it again: Google Docs and tools like it are Godsends. Regular gifts, I tell ya! There are plenty of reasons you should be using document collaboration tools with your students or for yourself; if you aren't already doing so, what's stopping you?

Let's see what the good folks at Commoncraft have to say about Google Docs:

I shared this before in a Media Moment, but I think it warrants repeating:
Ten Reason to Use Google Docs with Your Students:

1. Alleviates compatibility issues. If students have different versions of software or entirely different applications on their home computers, it doesn't matter. Use Google Docs instead. The bottom line: when a word processing document or presentation from Google Docs is downloaded here at school, it works!
2. Eliminates the need for a flash drive. Do you know how many flash drives we find in the library each week?! Those little things are easy to misplace, and for that reason, solely depending on them is risky. Uploading to Google Docs is safer. "The cloud" doesn't get misplaced.
3. Close the digitial divide (almost). As long as students can access an Internet-connected computler, they can work on their Google Docs items. They don't need Powerpoint, Excel, or Word to work on documents they may have started but not had time to finish here at school.
4. No need to email papers to themselves. Almost every week I try to help a kids open a papers (that are inevitably due that day) that they've tried to email to themselves and won't open. Often it's the aforementioned compatibility issue, or sometimes the files have attached themselves with some crazy extension that doesn't even match the file type. Creating papers in Google Docs and downloading them at school would eliminate these issues.
5. Group word is really GROUP work. Group members can all collaborate on the same presentation AT THE SAME TIME (and even from different locations, for that matter). No more need for one student to do all of the work while the others sit and watch. And all of the students have access to it, instead of the project residing on one person's school account.
6. Ready-made templates. Google Docs offers literally thousands of templates ready for your students to use. Resumes, invoices, budget planners, business letters, scrapbooks, calendars, outlines -- you name it, you'll probably find it there.
7. Online storage space. Google has just announced a huge addition to Google Docs: more free storage for all your files. Google Docs now allows you to upload almost all file types, including, video, image, and document, to your account. Each file can be up to 250 MB and your total amount of free storage is 1 GB. If you need more space, you can buy it for $0.25 per GB per year. Compared to even the cheapest of 1 GB flash drives, $0.25/GB is very, very cheap.
8. Weet will provide tutorials. Survey your class to see how many are already registered and familiar with Google Docs. If there's a need, schedule a little time with me to show your class how to get started. If a lot of kids are already on board, send individuals to see me as needed.
9. Reinforce good habits. When students see the benefits of using Google Docs, they'll start doing it whether prompted or not. Recently I've seen a lot of kids using Google Docs either on their own or in groups -- even when it's not assigned. It's because more and more teachers are getting on board, and students are realizing it just makes sense!
10. It's free! What have you got to lose?! (Other than all those excuses kids dole out when they haven't finished an assignment. Rest assured -- I'm sure they'll come up with new ones.)

Google Docs is not the only game in town.

Zoho Writer (which is compatible with Google Docs) and Writeboard also offer online productivity suites that include collaborative word processing. Both look very promising, but I admit I'm a Google girl, as I already use so many of their products which work together so nicely. There are tours of each available in the "Want to Know More?" section at the bottom of this page.

Our Challenge to You:

• Set up an account with Google Docs, Zoho Writer, or Writeboard.
• Upload an already created document or create a new one from within the web application

Take It a Step Further: (optional)

• Invite someone else to collaborate on the document with you so you can see how it works.
  
• Explore the templates available.

Want to Know More?
Google Docs Tour - by Google
Zoho Tour - by Zoho
Writeboard Tour - by Writeboard

Tips and Tricks: Making the Most of Google Docs - by WebWorkerDaily