Google Apps

One of the topics that has popped up on the discussion board this week is Google's many applications and their application potential in education. As a high school teacher at a VoTech school, I get students from sending districts in every corner of Morris County. This creates a huge diversity in my school - something to celebrate. However, my students face a challenge when it comes to collaborating their work and "meeting up" after school to work on group projects or study together. This is where Google Docs comes in - and has been a savior! It is so easy to use, plus most of my high school level students know it already. It is a living document, can be public of private to only "shared" contacts, and has most basic features that Microsoft Word does.

Google Docs also has huge application in peer tutoring or teacher help at home.

In fact, if you happen to be Google app clueless, I created a how-to screencast for an earlier NJCU class. It covers both the basics of Google Docs and Google Sites. I thought I would share it.

Google Docs and Sites

Google Sites is also great because it ,too, is free and easy to use. I use Google Sites for both my homework webpage and for my biology class website (all class materials/supplements).

My school adopted a school-wide gmail account and every teacher and student have an @mcvts.org email account under the Google umbrella. It is wonderful to be able to open my gmail and quickly email one student or a whole class. Everything is saved right there! Also, gmail users can log in to "chat". I make myself available on Google chat for a set time the night before a test. Students know they can log in and have a virtual help session with me and ask questions.

Where do we draw the line?

The video of the Daily Show with guest Steve Johnson really outlines the struggle of today's society with increasing technology in every aspect of our world today. Generations feel torn between the "good old days" and "the future". There is no denying the technology has improved the quality of life for most all human beings from the increasing ease and variety of communication to the advancements in the medical field. Devices that were once considered a luxury in the early 90's, are less-expensive yet better staples in an American household. I recently heard one of my students telling a friend, "My parents found my cigarettes. They took away my cell phone for THREE whole days!" as if the apocalypse were approaching.

Of course there are negative things about technology, especially when it comes to the decreasing ability of students to verbally communicate ideas and present material learned using their own words. Cyber-bullying is at an all-time high in America. But like all major changes in society, we have to accept the good with the bad. After all, the "new" ways of life and education are not really good or bad - they are just different. As an educator, it is my professional responsibility to be different as well, in order to properly stimulate our different type of student we now have.

One discussion topic in particular caught my attention on the video. Steven Johnson discusses the disconnect in reality that impresses upon the user of video games and simulations. Video game use has problems in and of itself, including a proven decrease in academic performance and increasing obesity rates. But this comment caught my attention because I have several friends my age (26) who use the online community called Second Life. They spend hours a night with their 'avatar' and spend hundreds of dollars of real money in a virtual world. I agree that some games and software can stimulate thinking and problem solving... but this is not good use of time or money.