This document discusses using Google Docs in the classroom. It outlines how to set up shared documents, spreadsheets, forms and presentations for student collaboration. Key benefits include accessibility from any device, continuous saving, and revision history. The document provides step-by-step instructions and examples of classroom projects using each tool, such as collaborative writing, surveys, and vocabulary presentations. While Google Docs lacks some features of other programs, it enables active learning through shared work in the cloud.

1. Google Docs: An ACE* in the
Classroom
ITBE Conference 2012
Marcia Luptak
*Active learning, Collaboration, and Engagement

2. Benefits of Using Google Docs
• not program specific (Word)
• not computer specific (PC or Mac); can even be accessed on a
smart phone!
• continuously saved to the cloud
• revision history – can see who did what and when
• two or more students can work on a document at the same time
• allows students to be active, collaborative, and engaged

3. Setting Up a Shared Document
1. Set a personal account at docs.google.com.
You can use any email.

4. Setting Up a Shared Document
2. Click on “Create:” This will cause a menu to drop
down. Click on “Document.”

5. Setting Up a Shared Document
3. Click on “Untitled Document.” This will allow you
to rename the document. You will want to name the
document before sharing.

6. Setting Up a Shared Document
4. Click on “Share.”

7. 5. You now have the option to share the document with your
students. Enter their emails and let them edit, comment, or
view. Click “Share and save” and students will receive an email
invitation to the shared doc.

8. Setting Up a Shared Document
6. Have students go to their email. They simply have
to click on the invitation to have access.

9. Setting Up a Shared Document
7. Students can work on the same document at the
same time. I usually set up separate work areas when
writing collaboratively.

10. Shared Document – Revision History
One of the most valuable tools for me is the revision
history. This is located under “File.”

11. Shared Document – Revision History
I can go back and see when and how my students
revised their essays. The revision history is color-
coded.

12. Individual Document – Revision History
This is also beneficial when a single student is working
on a document.

13. Printing and Saving
You don’t have to save with Google Docs. It saves continuously
while you work. You can either download the file and print it or
just click “print.”

14. Disadvantages of Google Docs
• It is not as “rich” as Microsoft word. It has the same basic
tools but does not have items such as spell check and
thesaurus.

15. Disadvantages of Google Docs
• It has the occasional glitch where it doesn’t let students erase
certain text. This seems to be computer-related.
• It does take some time for teachers and students to adjust to
using a new program.
• It doesn’t interact well with course management systems such
as Blackboard and D2L.

16. Ideas for Documents
• collaborative writing
• group review and comment
• individual writing assignments
• Others?

17. Setting Up a Spreadsheet
Setting up a spreadsheet, you go through the same steps as with
setting up a document. Spreadsheets work like Excel.

18. Setting Up a Spreadsheet
Again, this is an abbreviated version of excel, but many of the
features are the same.

19. Setting Up a Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets do have a type of spell check, but they do not
provide spelling suggestions.

20. Setting Up a Spreadsheet
One interesting tool not available in Excel is adding a gadget.

21. Uses for Spreadsheets
Reader response spreadsheet.

22. Uses for Spreadsheets
Word forms spreadsheet.

23. Uses for Spreadsheets
And of course, math.

24. Uses for Spreadsheets
Other ideas?

25. Setting Up a Form
Again, go under “create” and “form.” This
screen will pop up.

26. Setting Up a Form
Write the question and decide which type of
response you want.

27. Setting Up a Form
You can add as many items as you choose.

28. Setting Up a Form
And you can choose different themes.

29. Setting Up a Form
Then set up your sharing options.

30. Using the Form
Students will be sent an invitation and it will open
up looking like this…

31. Using the Form
Have them click on “Go to live form.”

32. Using the Form
And now it will look like this…

33. Using the Form
Have them give their responses and “submit.”

34. Using the Form
Now the chart looks like this…

35. Using the Form
Click on “Summary of responses” and you will get
this…

36. Forms Can Be Used for
• Get to know you surveys
• Class response to a reading (or predictions)
• Class response to a video (or predictions)
• Quizzes
• Others?

37. Setting Up Presentations
Again, go under “create” and choose
“presentation.” Rename the document, but do
not share it yet.

38. Setting Up Presentations
At this point, I create multiple slides so that the
students have something to work with.

39. Setting Up Presentations
Depending on the project, I might label the slides
so that it is easier to assign them.

40. Setting Up Presentations
I then share the document with my students.

41. Adding Images to Presentations
There are two ways to add images to Google Docs’
presentations. Sometimes one works better than
the other.

42. Adding Images to Presentations
First. Go to Google images and select an image

43. Adding Images to Presentations
Double click on the image; then click on full-size
image.

44. Adding Images to Presentations
At this point, you can do one of two things. First,
you can save the image by right-clicking on it.

45. Adding Images to Presentations
Make sure students know where they are saving
it! (This is trickier than it sounds.)

46. Adding Images to Presentations
Then go back to Google Docs and go under
“Insert” and “Image.”

47. Adding Images to Presentations
Then select “Browse” and find the picture and
double click on it. Then click “OK.”

48. Adding Images to Presentations
Now the picture is in the document and ready to
be manipulated.

49. Adding Images to Presentations
A second way to insert an image is by taking the
full-size image and copying the URL address

50. Adding Images to Presentations
Then go back to Google Docs and go under
“Insert” and “Image.”

51. Adding Images to Presentations
Choose “specify an image in URL,” and paste the
address in the space. Click “OK.” Now the image is
ready to manipulate.

52. Adding Images to Presentations
You can now manipulate the picture by clicking
it or you can resize it by grabbing the corner.

53. Adding Images to Presentations
Be sure to practice both ways of copying images as sometimes
one way works with an image and the other doesn’t.

54. Using Presentations
One of the projects I do with students is a
vocabulary presentation.

55. Using Presentations
I assign each student a word or two, and then
students do the rest!

56. Using Presentations
Another project was demonstrating participial
adjectives.

57. Using Presentations
More participial adjectives….

58. Using Presentations
Prefixes project

59. Using Presentations
In my reading classes, the students put together
presentations for different reading skills.

60. Using Presentations
For these projects, I give the minimum requirements
and a rubric, and the students do the rest.

61. Using Presentations
The best thing is that students decide who is going
to do what. I tell them I can see who did or didn’t
do the work by looking at the revision history.

62. Using Presentations
I have even used Google Docs to co-develop
presentations with colleagues.

63. Using Presentations
Other ideas?

64. Q&A
Any questions or comments:
Marcia Luptak
Elgin Community College
mluptak@elgin.edu
*I will do onsite training if requested.

65. Using Google Docs
An ACE* in the classroom
Active learning,
Collaboration, and
Engagement