On Thursday this week my students have a major science project due. (You can read all about it here on the website I built using Google Sites, with videos in Google's youtube, and docs made and shared using GoogleApps.)
Today I went and checked to see how they were doing.
I opened up my Google Drive and went into the folder to look at their projects. I opened each one and looked at all their work. I left notes inside some of them for the students to read, contacted parents about others (using gmail), and made a list of students that I need to talk to in class. Then based on what I saw in their work I changed the next science lesson to provide more information about how to do the work.
Not once did I have to ask students to hand anything in, or go looking through their desks, backpacks or anywhere else. (Ok, except for one student who hadn't properly shared his doc with me.)
I have complete and total access to all of the student work all the time. Even though it isn't due yet.
On the due date, I don't ask anyone to hand anything in. I already have it all. No chasing students, no hunting for missing work.
GoogleApps give me the ability to give more feedback to students, and reduces my workload.
This is my professional Blog where I share my personal thoughts on education.
Great point! Did you just have the students share a folder with you, or do you have a class shared folder? My one concern with a class shared folder is that students have the opportunity to view their classmates' work (perhaps with negative intent). Is there a way around that?
ReplyDeleteI have them share it directly with me. I don't want them to be viewing each others work.
ReplyDeleteOnce you develop the routine it works quite well.
When you give any assignment the first step is for them to create a blank document and share it with the teacher.
Thanks for the tip!
DeleteGreat post! Do each of your students have their own gmail accounts?
ReplyDeleteYes. We have GoogleApps for Education deployed for all students in our school. They begin using it a little bit in grade 4, but by the time they are in grade 7 and 8 they are using it all the time.
DeleteIt's great for parents too. Our children can never say that they left their work at home!!! (posted by BriW's mom!)
ReplyDeleteI mean "at school!"
ReplyDelete