Using Google Forms in the Classroom

Another fantastic addition to the bevy of Google applications available is Google Docs, the more familiar name for Google Documents. Docs allows multiple users to simultaneously collaborate on a single project, assignment, or document, which, if incorporated into the classroom, would allow students to work on a project with other members of a group without needing to be physically near their classmates. Students can work from the luxury of their homes, the comfort of a coffee shop, or their school library and also be working with their peers at the same time, even though those peers are currently elsewhere. Google Docs allows learning to happen outside of the classroom, but will still allow collaborative learning and group participation.


One feature within Google Docs is Forms. This allows users to create a document that other users could complete and submit their answer. So, how might this be used in the classroom? One way is to create assessments at the end of a unit. Students would access the form, which can be distributed via email or by embedding it into a website, answer the questions and submit their answers. Google Docs will then collect all submitted answers into an easy-to-read spreadsheet that has also graded the students answers! This means teachers do not have to spend time copying tests nor grading if they take advantage of Google Docs!


How else might Google Docs be utilized in the classroom?


Here is an example of a Form that has been embedded into my blog.