How Google Docs Can Make Learning Fun

Paresh Dhake*

Google is known for its search engine services and other solutions that help businesses and individuals benefit. However, its apps for education have been becoming hugely popular in recent years and one of the most successful apps that have come up in recent times is Google Docs. There's a lot of ways you can use the app for educational purposes. It's one of the apps that has made its mark in the e-learning industry thanks to the intuitive interface and ease of use combined with the integration with Google Drive. You can easily create new files, edit them on the go and also share with others no matter where you are without having to worry about data loss. Implementing the app into your e-learning strategy can help you benefit greatly and boost the effectiveness of your learning. Let’s take a look at some of the best ways to leverage the free tool.

Store your notes remotely: The integration of Google Apps with Google Docs allows you save your files no matter where you are. As long as you logged in to your Google account you can simply sign in to Google Docs and edit your files. You can use Docs to take notes in the classroom on your tablet or laptop and go home and read them over. Considering Google Apps are available for all platforms you can access them on a range of devices without any difficulties. You never have to worry about losing your files as they will be stored on the cloud and you can also make changes on the go. So even if you lose your physical copies of your learning resources you can simply log in to the Google Docs app and access whatever you have lost.

Collaborate with others: One of the things that Google Docs product team targeted when they started out building the app was the collaboration feature. They already have stiff competition from Microsoft Office suite of products. But it lacked collaboration capability.

You can prepare collaborative projects with your classmates using Google Docs. Collaborative projects allow you to work on the same plan with others without needing to be physically present with your collaborators to complete your research. Completing assignments become a breeze and you can also gain real-time feedback if you connect to your teachers by allowing them to monitor your progress. While collaborating you can also use Google chat to talk to your partners which serves as an invaluable tool when it comes to working as a group. Being able to share your knowledge base with others and gaining from others' knowledge about subjects can be greatly beneficial to your learning.

Mobile learning: Apple iOS and Android device users can easily access their files by downloading the Google Docs app and they can easily learn on the go when they do not have access to tablets and laptops. You can also edit and upload files using a mobile data connection or Wi-Fi whenever you want. One of the best features of the app is that you do not have to be online to use the app. You can simply create or edit files and they will automatically be synced when your phone has internet access.

Create Google Drive Courses: You can also upload your notes and prepare them in a systematic format that resembles a course to help others with their studies and assignments. Publishing your notes can be greatly beneficial to others and you can easily get feedback on your work from others and develop your own content. Listening to the opinions of others is the most important objective of doing this; it will lead to conversations and interactions between you and your peers and help you become adept in your subjects. You should consider preparing webinars that include content with graphics and other visuals to make your documents more interesting and engaging. However, you need to be very active and make edits and changes as soon as you receive constructive feedback.

Self-grading quizzes: You can use Google Docs to make self-grading quizzes and exams. Collectively creating quizzes among your peers and using them to self-grade your comfort levels with certain topics can be of great benefit. These simple quizzes can prove to be valuable learning tools for students and should be used as frequently as possible.

Brainstorming sessions: You can use Google Docs simply to share ideas and concepts among your students. Being able to work collaboratively on a single file is one of the biggest advantages of using Google Docs.

Google Docs is one of the best tools for collaborative learning and boosting your productivity in e-learning. Being able to save your files on the go irrespective of which device you use and not having to worry about your notes and other learning resources, can prove to very useful for students.

(*) Paresh Dhake is a long time career advisor and a technology enthusiast. He is busy figuring newer ways to leverage technology in education. He also writes extensively on use of technology in education.