The document discusses using Google Docs as an interactive learning tool for financial accounting students at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). It proposes that students use Google Docs to work through weekly tutorial packs and ask questions, with other students and the lecturer providing feedback. This allows immediate assistance and collaboration. The lecturer can then assess student understanding and identify areas of difficulty. Implementing Google Docs meets the criteria of integrating more IT set by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and benefits student learning and exam preparation.

1. Using Google Docs
as an Interactive
Learning Tool
By: Mushfiqah Otto
(UWC)

2. Background
 I lecture financial accounting honours students at UWC.
 The course comprises of 50 credits and its for a duration of 9
months, commencing in February.
 My class comprises of 35 students and majority of them live on the
residents of UWC, where they share a room with a classmate.
 As 90% of them live on the universities residences and quite close
to each other, it is thus easy for those that does not have a
personal device, either to share with a roommate or class buddy
that has access to Google docs.

3. Background
 The course is very structured in terms of topics that needs to be
lectured and very lecture based as set out by the South African
Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) .
 As we only have 9 months contact time with the students in order
to prepare them for the examination set by SAICA, it leaves us very
little room to deviate from the designated syllabus .

4. Established Practice
 We are preparing our students to write the examinations set by the
South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) in order
for them to qualify as Chartered Accountants (CA’s).
 We have a detailed outline of topics that will be examined in the
examinations set by SAICA and as Financial Accounting is one of
the core subjects, it is presented in a lecture based-format.
 In addition to the preparation of the examinations, SAICA also
wants us to integrate information technology (IT) as part of the
development of the students as set out in the SAICA Competency
Framework, in order to develop a well-rounded student.
 There is little to no guidance given by SAICA of how to integrate IT
in the Financial Accounting subject area.

5. Established Practice
 Currently when presenting our lectures we make use of
PowerPoint presentations and the use of excel, but there is no IT
integration from the students’ perspective.
 As a result, I would like to integrate IT in a manner that will meet
both the criteria as set out in the SAICA Competency Framework as
well as incorporate an IT tool that will be of benefit to the students
in preparation of their examinations.

6. Challenge
 The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA)
wants us to integrate more IT into our programme as set out in the
SAICA Competency Framework.
 There are no specific criteria of what and how to integrate more IT
in the programme.
 I have exposed them to excel and PowerPoint in the classroom, but
would like to integrate it from their side.
 All of the students can access the internet from the rooms on the
universities residence but they don’t necessarily have personal
laptops/smart phones, but I have recommended they should hook
up with a classmate that has access to the internet.

7. Intended Outcomes
 To encourage students to use google doc as an e tool to encourage
participants to engage with the material (tutorial/information
pack) on line.
 Each week they receive an information pack of the topic we doing
along with tutorials.
 When they working through the tutorial they can then use google
doc as a platform to ask questions on the tutorial/homework they
are struggling with, then their classmates who has already done
the tutorial can comment on the problem identified and provide a
solution.

8. Intended Outcomes
 The document can then also be saved for other students that have
not worked through the specific question for future references.
 This will assist students with their problems immediately, instead
of waiting to consult with me the next day or during my
consultation times. I will regularly review and monitor the
questions/comments made by my student and facilitate the
process.

9. Affordances of Emerging
Technologies
 Affordances and teaching and learning interactions are all about
matching your teaching and learning tasks with the most
appropriate educational technological tools in order to support the
learning tasks and scaffolding the learning process (Bower, 2008).
 It is of utmost importance when considering what technological
tool we going to implement with our students, we need to
consider how this technological tool will support the learning tasks,
how the students will experience the use of this technology and
how it will develop their learning process (Beetham, 2007).

10. Affordances of Emerging
Technologies
 The Educational Edition of Google Apps is free, it was built
especially for schools, universities and non-profit organisations and
does not require downloading new software or buying hardware
(Oishi, 2007).
 This is a major advantage as we know that students are always
cash strapped and they can use their personal technology devices,
whether it is a smartphone, laptop or tablet for their studies as
well, no additional expense required (read-ability, write-ability and
view-ability).

11. Affordances of Emerging
Technologies
 Using the google docs application is very easy and it allows us to
share content, facilitate collaboration, allow peer review of
academic materials and affords collective generation of knowledge
(Educause Learning Initiative, 2008).
 After liaising with the students, it was confirmed that everybody
has a google account and everybody is comfortable of accessing
such documents whilst studying and their fellow students in class
will be able to assist them when they have questions regarding
certain tasks loaded on google docs (accessibility).

12. Affordances of Emerging
Technologies
 Google docs has been recommended as an effective learning tool
for aiding collaborative learning for students to co-construct
knowledge as it allows interaction without any restrictions on time
and space (Chu & Kennedy, 2011).
 Each week I hand out a pack which comprises of the lecture slides,
class examples and a set of 4 -5 past test/exam questions which
they are required to work through on their own.
 I will then also load the question pack on google docs, where
students in their own time, work through the questions and then
raise their concerns of the question at hand.

13. Affordances of Emerging
Technologies
 This will allow other students to comment/answer any of the
concerns raised and at the same time allows them to interact with
one another.
 These google docs will also be saved for future references, so if
students feel the need to revise they can relook at the comments
noted on the google doc (view-ability, write-ability, playback-
ability, browse-ability).

14. Affordances of Emerging
Technologies
 The Google docs application allows access from any computer and
allows students/lecturers to collaborate by sharing a document
with others as viewers or collaborators or by publishing it (Conner,
2008).
 Google Docs supports synchronous editing and comment writing
and saves versions of the document, options that afford real time
collaborative learning.
 90% of my students stay on the universities residence and have
access to a computer/smartphone in their rooms.
 This will assist them greatly when working through questions
whilst studying in their rooms, but at the same time any questions
they have can be answered immediately either by their classmates
or by the lecturer.

15. Affordances of Emerging
Technologies
 This will save the students a lot of time as any concerns they have
can be settled immediately instead of parking the question till the
next day and raising it during the lecturer’s consultation times
(move-ability, accessibility, write-ability, view-ability, read-ability).
 A collaborative partnership, between the lecturer and the student,
would provide the students the necessary guidance to help them
move from their current cognitive level to higher understanding
(Vygotsky, 1978).
 After I have loaded the question packs for the topics I lectured, I
will regularly review and monitor the questions/comments made
by my students.

16. Affordances of Emerging
Technologies
 I can then ascertain whether students understood the principles
lectured in class and whether they can correctly apply it to the
questions they working with.
 I can also comment on students reviews and direct them if needed
or make sure their conclusions are in line
 This will also help me identify the problem areas students are
struggling with where I can then customise my revision sessions to
the needs of the students’ problem areas identified from google
docs (highlight-ability, focus ability).

17. Affordances of Emerging
Technologies
 By coming together and sharing learning experiences that extend
beyond the walls of the classroom, we can therefore create
opportunities to help students develop the tools they need to
participate in any environment (Cormier & Siemens, 2010).
 This will also allow them to become more confident in the work
they do and be able to interact more confidently during lectures
(speak-ability).

18. Description of Intervention
 To integrate information technology (IT) in a manner that will meet
both the criteria as set out in the South African Institute of
Chartered Accountants (SAICA) Competency Framework as well as
incorporate an IT tool that will be of benefit to the students in
preparation of their examinations.
 My IT tool that I would like to implement with my group of
students is Google docs. This would be a good platform to
encourage students to use google docs as an e tool and to
encourage the students to engage with the material on line.
 Each week they receive an information pack of the topic we doing
along with tutorials.
 When they working through the tutorial they can then use google
docs as a platform to ask questions on the tutorial/homework they
are struggling with, then their classmates who has already done
the tutorial can comment on the problem identified and provide a
solution.

19. Description of Intervention
 The google doc is then automatically saved for other students that
have not worked through the specific question for future
references.
 This will assist students with their problems immediately, instead
of waiting to consult with me the next day or during my
consultation times.
 After I have loaded the question packs for the topics I lectured, I
will regularly review and monitor the questions/comments made
by my student and facilitate the process.
 I can then ascertain whether students understood the principles
lectured in class and whether they can correctly apply it to the
questions they working with. I can also comment on students
reviews and direct them if needed or make sure their conclusions
are in line with the principles taught and direct them accordingly.
 This will also help me identify the problem areas students are
struggling with where I can then customise my revision sessions to
the needs of the students’ problem areas identified.

20. Key Points for Effective
Practice
 Digital technology can play an important role in the change in
higher education and as a result improve communication which
could enhance the learning process through meaningful
discussions (Veletsianos, 2011).
 It is however important that students learn with technology to
change from knowledge users (teacher-centered learning) to
knowledge constructors (student-centered learning) (Jonassen,
2000).
 The Educational Edition of Google Apps is free, it was built
especially for schools, universities and non-profit organisations and
does not require downloading new software or buying hardware
(Oishi, 2007).
 This is a major advantage as we know that students are always
cash strapped and they can use their personal technology devices,
whether it is a smartphone, laptop or tablet for their studies as
well, no additional expense required (read-ability, write-ability and
view-ability).

21. Key Points for Effective
Practice
 Google Docs’ is an application that is user friendly and allows us to
share content. This allows to students to ask questions/comments
whilst studying on their own and can be assisted by their fellow
students immediately. (accessibility)
 Google docs allows for participation between students,
engagement and collaborative construction of knowledge between
students themselves as well as with facilitators.
 This allow other students to comment/answer any of the concerns
raised and at the same time allows them to interact with one
another.
 These google docs will also be saved for future references, so if
students feel the need to revise they can relook at the comments
noted on the google doc (view-ability, write-ability, playback-
ability, browse-ability).

22. Key Points for Effective
Practice
 Students could focus on areas they found challenging and they
could highlight the areas they needed support or elaboration of
fellow students and facilitators.
 Google docs can be accessed from any computer/technology
device. This will assist students greatly when working through
questions whilst studying in their rooms, but at the same time any
questions they have can be answered immediately either by their
classmates or by the lecturer.
 This will save the students a lot of time as any concerns they have
can be settled immediately instead of parking the question till the
next day and raising it during the lecturer’s consultation times
(move-ability, accessibility, write-ability, view-ability, read-ability).

23. Conclusions and
Recommendations
 I was quite surprised on how eager my students were to start
implementing my planned intervention and it made me realise that
technology should be welcomed with open arms.
 It can be a great platform to teach and learn and it can definitely
improve the learning process as a whole.
 It also made me realise that the more students will be able to
interact with the learning material loaded onto google docs, the
more confident they will become in their work and as a result they
will interact more confidently during lectures or/and during the
revision lecturers of the learning material.
 I have implemented a pilot google docs programme with a honours
student/article clerk and one of my co-lecturers.

24. Conclusions and
Recommendations
 The test proved very successful as the following was noted:
constructive questions were asked, applicable comments were
made to the questions asked, it was a learning environment as only
issued related to questions were asked and addressed.
 Any concerns were addressed whilst the students were studying
the specific question and as the lecturer I could identify areas that I
could cover in my revision or follow up session with my students.
 I have facilitated the process and asked probing questions so that
the student could learn and implement the principles covered in
class and at the same time identify good exam technique to be
applied.

25. Conclusions and
Recommendations
 Both my colleague and the honours student/article clerk were very
surprised at how well the google docs worked as a learning
platform and excited to implement it with the class at large.
 I have also learnt that digital technology can play an important role
in the change in higher education and as a result improve
communication which could enhance the learning process through
meaningful discussions (Veletsianos, 2011).
 It is however important that students learn with technology to
change from knowledge users (teacher-centered learning) to
knowledge constructors (student-centered learning) (Jonassen,
2000).

26. Additional Information
References:
 Beetham, H. (2007). An approach to learning activity design. In: Beetham
& Sharpe: Rethinking pedagogy for a digital age: designing and delivering
e-learning. Routledge: Taylor & Francis group.
 Bower, M. (2008). Affordance analysis – matching learning tasks with
learning technologies. Educational Media International, 45(1), 3 –15.
 Chu, S.K.W. & Kennedy, D.M. (2011). Using online collaborative tools for
groups to co-construct knowledge. Online Information Review, 35, 4, 581-
597.
 Cormier, D. & Siemens, G. (2010). The open course. Through the open door:
open courses as reasearch, learning and engagement. Educause Review,
July / August, 31-39.
 Conner, N. (2008). Google Apps: The missing manual. O’Riley Media.
 Educause Learning Initiative (2008). 7 things you should know about Google
Apps. Retrieved September 12, 2008 from:
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/EL17035.pdf

27. Additional Information
References continued:
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capability. British Medical Journal, 323, October, 799-803.
 Graffam, B. (2007). Active learning in medical education: strategies for
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 Herrington, J. & Oliver, R. (2000). An instructional design framework for
authentic learning environments. Educational Technology Research and
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 Jonassen, D. H. (2000). Computers as mindtools for schools. Engaging
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Prentice-Hall, Inc. Pearson Education.
 Justice, C., Rice, J., Warry, W., Inglis, S., Miller, S. & Sammon, S. (2007).
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teaching methods. Innovative Higher Education, 31, 4, 201-214.
 Oishi, L. (2007). Working together: Google Apps goes to school. Technology
& Learning 27(9), 46-47.

28. Additional Information
References continued:
 Parker, K.R., & Chao, J.T. (2007). Wiki as a teaching tool. Interdisciplinary
Journal of Knowledge and Learning Objects, 3, 57-72.
http://www.ijklo.org/Volume3/IJKLOv3p057-072Parker284.pdf
 Ravid, G., Kalamn, Y.M., & Rafaeli, S. (2008). Wikibooks in higher education:
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 Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: the development of higher
psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
 Please refer to the CASE STUDY for Extracts of Implementation of the Pilot
Google Docs Programme with an Honours student/Article Clerk