Google Drive

What the resource is, how it works and what you need to make it work: 

Google Drive is a free tool for collaborative writing offered by Google. In this ICT-tool you can create for example documents and presentations and work together with others on the same document at the same time. You can see the changes other writers are doing in the present, letter by letter, in the word processor. The word processing program is rather similar, but not as advanced, as Microsoft Word for example. Google Drive is using cloud storage for all the files so the writers can open and work on their project wherever. You can access your files from any computer, home or in school, given internet access. As a creator of a document, you can decide which ones who can access your work and choose whether they will be able to edit, comment or only view and read your work. Google Drive also has ha chat function, where they will practice their interactions skills and discuss their writing. You can go back and look earlier versions of the text and see who wrote what. To be able to access Google Drive you need to have a Google account (g-mail account). 

How the resource can be used by teachers:

 

Teachers can use Google Drive for planning projects, writing weekly information, writing homework, etc. They can also use it for giving the pupils comments on their work and other types of feedback. As all the documents are saved they become like an ePortfolio online and you can use them for assessment and together with the pupil see progress.

The teacher can use Google Drive to plan theme work together with teachers they work with. Then it is not necessary for all the teachers to be at the same place at the same time.

How the resource can be used by pupils:

I see Google Drive as a good tool for collaborative writing where the pupils can create texts or presentations together in groups. Another way to use the resource is to write a text alone and just to get feedback on how to improve it, a form of peer correction. Google Drive has a chat function that can be used for discussion.

The group of students might get a task or problem they will have to solve together. They can then sit at separate computers, searching the internet for information and write together in the word processor.

As in wikis you can see who made changes and additions and you can go back and look at earlier versions of the text. After the author or authors gets comments and feedback on the work and improves it you can go back in earlier version and see the progress that has been made.  

It is probably for the best if the pupils are a bit older, maybe in fourth grade and up. Previous experience from collaborative work is probably for the best along with time to get familiar with Google drive alone first. But I think this tool is a great way to practice to collaborate and to give and take feedback. The comment function and its feedback will probably develop their language and improve the overall work. If the pupils have some experience of word processing programs Google Drive will not be a bigger problem.

Other considerations when using this resource:

If you like the whole wiki idea with collaborative writing this is a good tool and the comment and chat function makes it very useful. I have used Google Drive myself with classmates writing longer and shorter assignments or just planning a speech.

Both receptive- and productive/interactive skills will be practised. I believe this tool is a good way to work with language if you are a follower of the socio-culture perspective. They will help each other to make better posts and get better in the English language.

It is for the best if all pupils can access on computer each but if not the different groups will have to work at separate times.

Lina Hallin