I was excited about googledocs when I watched the video and read through our class materials. I even thought of a list of potential lesson uses for this. Then I did our project. I found the instructions and the googlehelp to be kless than helpful for technoidiot me. I had a hard time conforming to the limited offereings for document format, wishing I was just creating it in word, publisher, excel, powerpoint or something that I understood. I understand why people may the fees to get accounts with surveymonkey-type systems so they don't have to figure this out on their own. I found myself thinking I could write the information on paper, drawing my own charts by hand, and walk it to their houses one per day before I would get this stuff figured out. Thanks to one helpful partner, and some long hours at the computer, I was able to do my part to the best of my miniscule ability. I am not ready to do spreadsheets, charts or presntations again anytime soon.
I like the idea of such documents being accessible wherever I am and that others can collaborate with me on them but I struggled with converting data from one format to another and the limitations I don't have in other programs. I need more (extremely Remedial) work on these before I feel ready to try to teach with these and have students make them. I know their generation was born with mouse in hand but I can't imagine some of my kids who shut down at the hint of frustration working through this beast.
I will be happy to use this to share word documents as collaborative pieces but have too many trepidations with the other formats. I know the use of it as collaborative communication that is accessible form anywhere will be helpful to me in my teaching career and will be helpful to my students. They will find the other formats easy, too, I am sure but this is a battle I am not ready to fight today. I will pick my battles and I choose less frustrating technology for now.
Guess that is why I am taking this program, I need to be pushed to change - but I can't change overnight. I'll have to write a note on my calendar for no more than six months from now, at which time I will revisit googledocs and best this beast. I am strong, I am deternmined and I will prevail...eventually!
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I agree, these new technologies can be difficult and frustrating. I also find them to make life easier when you just pick a couple that are beneficial to you. Keeping them simple and minimal is a good way to eliminate some of the frustrations involved with the use of new technologies. Googledocs is one that I choose to use and so far it has been a great collaboration tool with other teachers and administrators in my school district.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I find that the better you are with one program (Office Suite), the harder it is to switch to something similar but not quite the same as your expectations interfere with what the new program does, especially if it is less powerful. One of the things that is so important for students to learn (and they actually do quite well at) is learning new programs and switching from one to another. How many kids actually need to read the manual to use a video game or figure out how to edit video? They just play around until they get it. I wish I was that comfortable with all these technologies, but I have learned that you can very seldom really break something, so just jump right in.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jake, try out the different options and find ones that will really help you support student learning. Not everything will work for everyone.