Google Docs and Wikis
March 6, 2012
Effective Use of Technology
Sub-Committee (LTO – DMP – Library)
#RUweb20
Objectives
Google Docs:
• Understand Google tools (Google Education, Privacy)
• Use Google Docs in the Classroom (Janice Fung,
Professional Communication)
• Practice using a shared document
Wikis:
• Understand what is a wiki
• Use Wikis in the classroom (Examples)
• Practice using the wiki page
Google
• A simple search engine in 1996.
• Google began developing new areas of the site, expanding Google’s
capabilities way beyond just searching the Internet, 2001
Google Tools:
http://www.google.ca/options/
Google Docs:
With Google Docs, users can create, edit, and share documents, spreadsheets,
and presentations. You can import Microsoft Office files and edit them within
Google Docs, or you can create a file within Google Docs and export it as a
Microsoft Office compatible file.
Google Privacy Policy:
“The main change in the updated privacy policy is
for users signed into Google Accounts,”
“Individuals don’t need to sign in to use many of
our services including Search, Maps, and
YouTube. If a user is signed in, she can still edit
or turn off her search history, switch Gmail chat to
off the record, control the way Google tailors ads
to her interests using our Ads Preferences
Manager, use Incognito mode on Chrome, or use
any of the other privacy tools we offer.”
Pablo Chavez, director of public policy for Google
Read More: http://www.google.com/policies/
Google at Ryerson: Google Apps for Education
http://email.blog.ryerson.ca/
Google Docs:
• Synchronous collaboration on a
single document - The system
handles conflicting changes well.
• A history of revisions is kept for
all documents
• Each spreadsheet and
presentation has a built in chat
room for collaborators
• Upload and export most word
processing and spreadsheet file
types.
Google Docs: Examples
• Design Surveys
• Accessibility features
• Peer Editing
Using Google Docs in the Classroom
Google Docs: Let’s start
Go to lto.blog.ryerson.ca
Google Docs: Create Online Document
Click on “Create New” and select “Document”
Google Docs: Create Online Document
A small screen “Rename Document” will pop-up write a name and press “OK”
Google Docs: Sharing the Document
Click on the “Share” link
Google Docs: Sharing the Document
In the small screen “Sharing Settings” click on “Change” link
Copy the highlighted link by pressing “Ctrl V”, then press “Done”. Use this link to send to
other so they could edit the same document
Google Docs: Sharing the Document
You can edit a shared document, add comments, and setup notifications
Google Docs: Sharing the Document
You can also view revisions (who did what)
What Is Wiki?
Hawaiian
word
“fast”
Open
editing
Collaborative
Website
(Ficek, 2009)
Why Wiki ?
Ease of use access
Organize & share
group work
Encourage sense of
common purpose
Encourage
participation
Facilitate group
interaction
Post course
information
Individual
accountability
Manage groups
Publish student
work (permission)
(Ficek, 2009; Orlando, 2011)
Wiki at Ryerson: Confluence
Wiki at Ryerson: Confluence
Wikispaces
Wikispaces
Other Wiki Platforms
Types and Examples of Wiki Projects
Knowledge
Construction
Critical
Thinking
• Resource bank, Wikipedia, Educational Wikis
• Timeline, The Development of Medicine Through Time
• Case Studies, Dr. Don’s Intelligent Kinetics
• Online Debates, Conservapedia Debate Topics
• Virtual Science Lab, A virtual engineering/science lab. course
• Digital Field Trips
Contextual
Application • Event Planning, A conference wiki, Call for papers
(Ficek, 2009, Hanna, 2012)
Wikis: Create a shared website
We will use wikispaces as an example.
Benefits
Drawbacks
Wikis maintain a history of all revisions
to each page, including who made what
changes.
Users can overwrite each others' changes
if they are editing the same page at the
same time. Wikis are best for
asynchronous collaboration, not
synchronous collaboration.
Most wikis also provide a discussion
forum for each page, though this is not
always a threaded discussion.
Most wikis allow different permissions for
different users.
Adding images and files is as easy as
adding attachments to an email.
Though a history of revisions is available,
archives of old content are not easily
accessible by category or searching.
Wikis: Design effective Wiki Projects
Don’t Assume
They Know!!!
Wikis: Structuring Your Wiki Project
Home Page
Group 2
Home Page
Page - Group 1
Roles &
Responsibilities
Page- Group 2
Schedule and
Timeline
Evaluation
Rubric
Go to webto.wikispaces.com/
Wikis: Start editing a shared wiki
You can edit the home page by clicking “Edit”
Go to webto.wikispaces.com/
Wikis: Create a shared website
and add more pages by clicking “+ Pages and Files” on the left
navigation bar.
References
References:
Ficek, R. (2009). Designing an effective collaborative wiki project. Magna
Publications Inc.
Orlando, J. (2011). Three ways to increase student collaboration. [Blog message].
Retrieved from Faculty Focus.
Tharp, TL 2010, '"Wiki, Wiki, Wiki--WHAT?" Assessing Online Collaborative Writing',
English Journal, vol. 99, no. 5, p. 40.
Do you have any Questions?