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damon_tokyo posted an update in the group Language teachers 10 years, 6 months ago
@vbaxter @barbarapg Our programme uses Moodle heavily, but mainly to deliver content. We have found some of the functions, as you say, heavy and time consuming to create: we don’t have an ed-tech support group to do this for us, so it us up to the teachers.
I’m noticing that Goole Docs and Google Drive seem to be more useful for students and teachers alike, more integrated and ‘outward’ looking – not a ‘closed garden’ (@mhawksey describing Facebook) like Moodle. We are starting to consider using Google Drive for language portfolios, perhaps by using Google Sites, but are still thinking things through.
Interesting! Our institution has objections to using Google for student data/materials (can dig out exact reasons if you like). Really interested about the portfolio idea – would love to keep in touch about that.
I should have been clearer – the uni has a Google Apps account, so they control who can access what – we also don’t have the full suite of apps (no Google Sites, which stymies that angle for a portfolio). Recently attended ASB Unplugged 2014 http://www.asbunplugged.org/unplugged2014.htm and many K12 schools were using G Sites.
Google Docs gives students reasonable control over who can see what. If you’re working in K-12 you have special constraints. Have you looked at Edmodo. That is designed specially with these restrictions in mind.
Hi Damon,
I’ve found the same thing using Moodle and GoogleDrive. Other teachers at my institution had been using GoogleDrive for several years before I started. I stayed in Moodle for a long time and only discovered GoogleDrive once I started a collaborative writing program. My institution does not use GoogleDocs so students need to create their own accounts for the class. If your institution as a Google boycott policy, there are alternatives including Zotero and MS Office360. Zotero is free. MS, of course, is not.
Now, I’m using GoogleDocs almost exculsively. My Moodle assignments point to a document on GoogleDocs, students work there and download a PDF of their work to submit to Moodle. This allows me to give them detailed written and even audio feedback on their documents and to collaboratively edit these with them.
One way to use google drive for language portfolios would be to show students how to use GoogleSites to create a website from their GoogleDocs content. I have not done this but I have used Mahara, which is a pain to teach people to use.
I’ve been using Google Drive more and more lately. My uni moved from BlackBoard to a really horrible locally produced LMS. So, I was kind of pushed towards Google or setting up Moodle again for myself. Had good luck with it so far.
For examples of learner portfolios (not especially language learning) you might want to visit Yokohama International School’s site. http://blogs.yis.ac.jp/
They use Google Apps For Education extensively.
All of these thoughts are encouraging. I have been a Google Apps for Ed advocate since I first started using it a few years ago. It’s excellent for collaborative writing activities, which of course can include a variety of individual and group writing activities.
I’ve used Google Forms with great success to do simple questionnaires or more complex surveys that SurveyMonkey just doesn’t permit. Of course I don’t collect personal information with these, and the results provided (whether numbers or visuals) are invaluable for managers who want to see data presented in variety of ways that’s quick and efficient to read.
Google Classroom is also a new product that will likely bring together many aspects of Google Apps for Education into one central space – it’s coming out this summer as a trial and will be fully extended to everyone whose school/university has GAfE.