Activity 4: Google Suite

Luckily, we are quite familiar with Google Suite as a team, so I took this as an opportunity to organize some of our common documents for our PLC since I've been meaning to do so anyway.  I've linked the entire folder here.  I've never linked a folder before so I hope that works.  This has a variety of both google suite documents and word documents that have been uploaded.

We use google drive a ton with our students and it is an invaluable tool for us.  We hand out assignment through google classroom that are usually some sort of google doc, but occasionally it is a google presentation.  Specifically, in writing, students turn in papers through google classroom and then I make comments and suggestions on them.  Prior to this, students go through the peer review process by commenting and suggesting on each other's papers digitally.

Students can also collaborate on documents and I can check the assignment progress of any student at any time and provide feedback.  We use google forms for exit slips and use sheets and calendars for inter-department communication and collaboration.

So far, the pros greatly outweigh the cons.  I feel it has increased our productivity, our interaction, and our feedback.  We are able to go deeper and manage more with the inclusion of the technology.  Of course, the cons are that we can't always see what is on every student's screen and students can share documents with each other without us knowing.   They can also potentially tamper with each other's files.  However, this is covered in intentional digital citizenship lessons and is frankly a part of a digital world and reality.