Overview and Common Tools
Padlet, Miro & Canvas
Beginner's Guide to Google Suite/Google Drive

Overview

Collaborative documents can be powerful tools to help groups work together, whether it's in a brief classroom breakout group or a long-term, multi-part project. In this first tab we'll go over the most common collaborative documents: Google tools like Docs, Slides or Sheets, and how they might be used in the classroom. In the other tabs we'll go over other tools, like Padlet and Miro, and share a Google Suite/Google Drive tutorial for folks just getting started with that program. Click on the tabs across the top to access more content!

Using Google Suite Tools in the Classroom

The power in collaboration docs lies in their ability to allow multiple people to view, access and edit them - simultaneously! In this area, Google shines for functionality and ease of use. Here, we'll present examples of ways to use these free tools in the classroom. If you are new to the Google Suite, we recommend starting with the Beginner's Guide to Google Suite/Google Drive in the third tab.

Jump to: Google Docs *Slides * Sheets * Jamboard

Google Docs

Google Docs are built for word processing. Like all Google Suite products, multiple people can access and edit at the same time, and documents can be shared multiple ways. Learn more about sharing options in the Beginner's Guide to Google Suite/Drive tab.

Google docs can be used asynchronously (for example, a group could collaboratively contribute to/edit a document over time).
They can also be a game-changer in a live class. For example, you could use a Google doc as a class agenda, to share group work instructions (this is important in Zoom, where students can't see instructions in a breakout room), or have students post discussion responses in a table.
- See a Google Doc that models these live class strategies. Note: This document, like all our example documents, is set to View Only. If you'd like a copy, click File -> Download, or File-> Make a Copy.

Slides

Google Slides are built for presentations. They can be downloaded in a PowerPoint format. They can be embedded in Canvas for easy viewing, and you can add interactive elements with the program Peardeck.

Slides could be used asynchronously (for example, each group member contributes one slide to a presentation), but they can be a game-changer in terms of supporting a live class. Use them to share agendas and instructions, or assign each student group their own Slide to record and share their work. Some teachers use the Grid View to get a bird's-eye view of each group.
- We've embedded an example of Slides for a live class below; click here to see them in a separate web page.

Visit this Canvas Community page if you'd like to learn how to embed Slides in Canvas.

Google Sheets

Google Sheets are spreadsheets and can be downloaded as Excel documents.

Sheets can be used if you want groups to solve problems together in a live class. Share a Sheet with problems or questions listed in one column. Groups "claim" a problem, solve it, and put their answer in a second column. While this might be a little wild, with many groups editing at the same time, the teacher will be able to see each group's progress. Here’s an example of what this might look like.

Google Jamboard

Jamboard is new to the Google Suite. It's an interactive bulletin board where students can post “sticky notes,” drawing, shapes and pictures.
Synchronously, this is a great place for students to post (short!) group or individual responses during a live class. Check out this model class Jamboard.
Asynchronously, this could be used as a place to gather thoughts or ideas during a week - perhaps this is where students post questions, thoughts or even gifs/images in reaction to course content.

Padlet

Padlet is not part of the Google Suite, but has similar sharing and collaboration capabilities. Like Jameboard, it is an Interactive bulletin board that is saved in the cloud, but it has far more capabilities. For example, in a Padlet you can:

Add text, images, video, links, attached documents (like a PPT, PDF, etc.), plus record video or audio.
add comments to posts
Set your Padlet to view only or invite others to collaborate.

The free version offers three Padlets, so you might need to ask students to create their own accounts.

Teaching with Padlet

Asynchronously Similarly to Jamboard, you could use it to collect questions or resources over a period of time.
Synchronously Groups could report out to the larger group by posting responses in a Padlet
Presentation of research: Individuals could create a Padlet on a given topic and share with classmates for comments.
Long-term groups could work together asynchronously, using a Padlet to share resources or build a presentation.

Learn more:

Read An article about using Padlet in higher education.
Below I've embedded a Padlet sharing ideas for using Padlet in higher ed (a meta-Padlet?) It’s interactive - try adding your own post, or commenting on someone else's! Want to learn how to embed Padlets in Canvas? watch this video:
- Instructions to embed a Padlet into a Canvas page

Miro

A free, multi-functional collaborative whiteboard. Requires login. Learn more at their website.

Canvas

You can give students the ability to edit a page in your Canvas course. However, if multiple people are editing at the same time their edits can overwrite each other. Depending on the task, a discussion board or Google Doc may be a better fit.

Beginner's Guide to Google Suite/Google Drive

Here are some things to know about Google Suite:

Every Google account comes with a multitude of free programs: Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, Draw, Jamboard, Calendar, Mail and more.
You already have a free Google Account; you can sign in with your SSU login).
These programs and the documents you create live in the "cloud" - which means they are saved in a Google server, not your computer. They are organized in Google Drive.
They save automatically - you never have to press "save."
You can download these files as a PDF. Some documents can be downloaded in a comparable Microsoft format (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.).
You can control who sees or edits these documents.
In accordance with your settings, these programs can allow multiple people to access, comment on or edit a single document at the same time.
Through the comments feature, it allows annotation. Because people can respond to each other in the comments, a whole conversation can happen this way.

Learn more by watching the Google Drive video tutorials on Google's webpage.

Because it's easier to demonstrate with a particular program, we'll show you how to share documents in the Google Docs section below. Once you've learned that, the process is fairly similar for the rest of the Google Suite programs.

Google docs

Built for word processing, Google Docs replicates many Microsoft Word functions . Can be downloaded as a Word document.
Like all Google Suite programs, multiple people can access and edit at the same time - can be a bit wild with a big group, but everyone will always see the most updated copy.
You can share with individuals, or a larger group via link. Watch the video below to learn more (other Google Suite programs use a similar process).

Video Tutorial: How to share a Google Doc with your Students

Teaching with Google Docs

Asynchronous example: A group works together on a lab report over the course of two weeks. In the first week, everyone contributes a section. In the second week, each person uses comments to give feedback to peers and revise.

Synchronous (live) example: You could use a Google doc as a class agenda, or to share group work instructions, or have students post discussion responses. Click here to see a Google Doc that models of some of these strategies. This document, like all our example documents, is set to View Only. If you'd like a copy, click File -> Download, or File-> Make a Copy.

Google Slides

Slides are built for presentations and can be downloaded in a PowerPoint format.

Teaching with Google Slides

Asynchronous: Each member of a group contributes one Slide to a presentation. Alternatively, groups could assign different aspects of a presentation (graphics, editing reach, writing) to different members.
Synchronous (live): Share agendas and instructions, or then assign groups their own Slide to record work. Example class instructions might look in Slides (embedded below).

Google Sheets

Google Sheets are spreadsheets and can be downloaded as Excel documents.

Using Google Sheets in teaching

Synchronous (live): Share a Sheets document with problems or questions listed in a column. Groups "claim" a problem, solve it, and put their answer in another column. While this might be a little wild, with many groups editing at the same time, the teacher can see each group's progress. Here’s an example. this could potentially also work asynchronously.
STEM or other instructors of problem-based classes might use this document to share or collaboratively record data.

Jamboard

Jamboard is new to the Google Suite. It's an interactive bulletin board where students can post “sticky notes,” drawing, shapes and pictures.

Synchronously, this is a great place for students to post (short!) group or individual responses during a live class. Check out this model class Jamboard.
Asynchronously, this could be used as a place to gather thoughts or ideas during a week - perhaps this is where students post questions, thoughts or even gifs/images in reaction to course content.