CETL%Weekly%Teaching%Tips%presents
Group Work with Google Docs
Written'by'Amy'Rutledge,'
Special'Instructor'of'Management'Information'Systems.'
Created'by'Christina'Moore.'Published'February'2017.
During%class,%the%students%are%asked%
to%create%a%basic%plan%for%their%
presentation%on%the%storyboard.%As%
a%group,%they%decide%the%subtopics%
and%then%each%group%member%is%
assigned%a%subtopic%within%the%
presentation.%The%storyboard%
becomes%a%contract%between%the%
group%members.%They%will%then%give%
me%the%storyboard%so%I%know%who%is%
responsible%for%which%subtopic.%
Again,%they%will%use%Goo gle%Docs%to%
create%the%presentation%and%it%tracks%
the%work.
Benefits%f or%Faculty
As%I%show%in%the%first%two%images,%Google%Docs%allows%me%to%easily%organize%and%monitor%group%
work,%which%also%makes%students%feel%more%assured%of%mutual%accountability.%).%When%I%assign%
a%group%research%project,%each%student%is%asked%to%research%their%group%topic%and%then%place%
the%research%in%a%Google%Doc.%The%program%highlights%and%tracks%edits%made%to%the%document.%
If%a%group%member%hasn't%done%any%work%or%poor%quality%work,%then%I%can%tell.%
Additional%Ideas
Use%more%tools%available%in%Google%
Drive,%such%as%Slides%(like%
PowerPoint)%and%Forms%(a%survey%
tool).%All%of%these%tools%are%available%
in%the%same%place.%More%on%Google%
Drive%can%be%found%at%
drive.google.com
• Use$Google$Docs for%group%planning,%brainstorming,%and%drafting%formal%writing.
• Use$Google$Slides$for$group$presentations.$The%students%will%start%to%add%their%slides%here,%
with%each%person%working%on%his/her%part.%I%ask%that%the%students%put%what%they%are%going%to%
say%in%the%Notes%section%below%each%of%their%slides.
• Use$Google$Forms$for$group$evaluations.$Forms%allows%you%to%use%a%variety%of%question%
types,%from%rating%scales%to%open-answer%comments.