Google Docs Collaboration

Getting Started with Google Docs

          Trying a collaborative assignment is a fun way to introduce Google Docs to your students.  Here's how:

• Go to Google Drive through your internet browser (I prefer Chrome) and click on "create" a new "document."
• At the top, click on "untitled document" and give it a name.
• Type in any directions, questions, etc. that you want the document to contain.
• Click on the blue "share" button in the top, right-hand corner.  You will be given the screen below.

•  From this screen you can copy the "link to share" and give your students that link through My Big Campus or email it to them.  You can also invite individual students by typing their email address in the "invite people" box at the bottom.  
• Before you click "done," be sure to click the blue "change" link beside the people you are sharing with.  For students to be able to type in the document, the setting must be changed from "can view" to "can edit."  Then click "done."

Things we learned in Mr. Hurm's room:  

• Don't use a URL shortener to give kids the link to the document.  When they click on the shortened URL, they will be blocked.
• If you want the names to show up while kids are working on the document (which is the cool part), then after they click on the URL and the document opens in Safari, have them hit the home button, open the Google Drive App, click on "Recent," and open the document there.  For some reason, that activates the name pop-ups.
• If you want to do this with small groups, have one of the group members create the document, share it with the other members (and YOU), and go from there.  That will save you some time at the beginning.  

If you want some help, let me know.  I can help you get it started or even come in and do the assignment with you.