The LAB-rynth of Science

Google Docs and those related on-line applications are the future of word processing and related information management.  Even Bill Gates has said as much.  Why do you think that Microsoft wants Yahoo! so badly? 

But let’s critique the current state of Google Docs.  As with any new word processor program, you  have to learn its quirks.  Speaking of quirks, remember WordStar?  With the word processor I did two activities – created a new document and uploaded an existing program.  I wasn’t that impress with existing features of Google Docs word processor.  The font selection was limited; I couldn’t figure out how to set the page width for viewing; and how do you set the margins? 

Uploading an existing document was not all that seamless.  Again the limited selection of fonts wreak havoc on equations and formula.  I use symbol font for my scientific scribing.  I got some interesting Wing Ding equivalents.  Also the re-alignment of characters was a problem.

Through I currently do no use spreadsheet in my class, the practice spreadsheet I made seem to function fine.  I must admit that the form function in the spreadsheet has some interesting possibilities.  Say, I have an idea! (Twice in less than a month; no wonder my head hurts.)  See idea below!

I do little with PowerPoint presentations so I leave the evaluation of that aspect to someone much more experienced.

Actually, it would seem in a classroom setting that the use Google Docs would be inherently collaborative.  I could post an Objectives sheet as a Google Doc.  Students could access it, give responses to it, and have it peer reviewed for accuracy and clarity.  If I gave a group project, a collaborative presentation would be the ideal forum for pulling ideas together.  But the form feature show the most promise for some of those administrative tasks we teachers constantly do.

At the beginning of every year, a number of teachers have students fill in some sort of survey.  If a survey for all students were to be created using the form feature of the spreadsheet, it could be sent to all students using the their Woodward email accounts.  The students would fill them out and the information would be available for all teachers to use.  Recycled electrons and no leveled forests! 

Yes, the Google Doc approach will become more common place.  But outside of it obvious Internet tie-ins, it needs a lot more bells and whistles to be as attractive as Word.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 28th, 2008 at 10:16 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.