Collaborative Technology Tools

    In education today, we often consider the use of technology to foster student engagement in content. Students are quick to adapt to new technologies and instructional methods. Educators on the other hand are more difficult to convince to adapt. In class, we have continued investigating a variety of education applications for teacher and classroom use, including Google's applications of Sheets, Forms, and Slides. These tools are excellent applications for teachers to use in class and with students, but they are also time saving organizational tools that teachers can use to collaborate and share content. 

    Google introduced their collaborative apps when I was in college the first time (!!!!!), and it revolutionized how we completed group projects and assignments. Students now are accustomed to using technology to collaborate. I have, however, found pushback from more seasoned educators when it comes to using a tool such as Sheets or Forms to work on projects, plan lessons, or plan activities together. When I want to share information with a colleague or receive data from them, I default to using Sheets, Forms, or Docs. My coworkers do not. 

    I have many questions about how other districts train and encourage the use of collaborative tools. As a new teacher I do not want to push my coworkers to adopt to using technology that they are not comfortable with, but I feel it's such a time saver. 

A few instances of using collaborative apps in my classroom:

• Lecture Slides I regularly create a blank slide show and break my students into groups with specific prompts to research before a lecture. After class they complete the assignment they present to the class. I post the slides and remove editing privileges.
• Review Slides Before a certification exam, I broke students into small groups and assigned each group a unit. They were responsible for creating 1-2 review slides for that unit and sharing with the class.
  
• Group Project Document When I assign group projects, I regularly instruct students to create a shared Google Doc to collaborate. They break the assignment up and turn in their document.
  

A few instances of using collaborative apps with colleagues.

• Field Trip Planning:

When my colleagues and I are preparing for field trips, I create a Google Sheet to track requirements from each student.

• Inventory 
  

We track shared inventory on a shared Google Sheet where we can also note who has spent money on which supplies.

• Shared Application Forms We have a variety of applications for classes, club officers etc that students must complete and multiple teachers need access to. We used shared forms to all have access to the applications.
  

While collaborative tools are helpful in education, I wish that more teachers used them to improve their own workflow and collaboration with colleagues. With so many different technology applications, it is difficult to get all teachers on board with using the same technology to work well together.