Google announced earÂliÂer this week that it has partÂnered with WeekÂly ReadÂer, a proÂducÂer of eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals for chilÂdren since 1928, to help teach “colÂlabÂoÂraÂtive writÂing” to young stuÂdents in the US. The conÂcept here is fairÂly straightÂforÂward. Using Google Docs (a web-based word procesÂsor) and its new reviÂsion feaÂtures, stuÂdents “can work togethÂer from difÂferÂent comÂputÂers to write and revise the same paper,” which helps driÂve home the point that writÂing is a process that “encourÂages mulÂtiÂple reviÂsions and peer editÂing.”
This announceÂment is not exactÂly a headÂline grabÂber, cerÂtainÂly not the kind that we’re used to seeÂing come out of GoogleÂplex. But we find it worth menÂtionÂing for a couÂple of reaÂsons. For starters, Google Docs is handy for adults too. The free prodÂuct lets you write and edit docs from any locaÂtion. So you can draft a docÂuÂment at work and then edit it from home, or you can have a colÂleague in the next office, or thouÂsands of miles away, make changes to the docÂuÂment as well. It’s a good freeÂbie. And we actuÂalÂly use it to plan the writÂing of Open CulÂture.
Next there is this fact to note: The deal with WeekÂly ReadÂer almost feels like pro bono work. But then you rememÂber that Google is a pubÂlic comÂpaÂny hellÂbent on growth, and the wheels start turnÂing, and you start to see the WeekÂly ReadÂer deal a litÂtle difÂferÂentÂly. It’s an opporÂtuÂniÂty for thouÂsands of kids — tomorÂrow’s conÂsumers — to be exposed to Google Docs, a prodÂuct that will inevitably mature and one day rival Microsoft Word. A new genÂerÂaÂtion will get comÂfortÂable using web-based softÂware to do their word proÂcessÂing, which puts MicrosoftÂ’s high-marÂgin softÂware busiÂness at risk … deeply at risk. You can get more inforÂmaÂtion on the colÂlabÂoÂraÂtive writÂing project here.
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Next genÂerÂaÂtion word proÂcessÂing? Yes, this is most cerÂtainÂly an opporÂtuÂniÂty for google to expose kids to their web-based word proÂcessÂing softÂware. What will be interÂestÂing to watch is how instrucÂtion changes over time with the availÂabilÂiÂty of such free resources. I’ver perÂsonÂalÂly used google docs for a numÂber of perÂsonÂal and proÂfesÂsionÂal projects, and can only imagÂine how streamÂlined it could make the evalÂuÂaÂtion process for instrucÂtors who choose to use it in their lanÂguage arts and writÂing classÂes to grade papers, hand out assignÂments, and encourÂage peer review activÂiÂties. Palo Alto High teacher Esther WojÂciÂcÂki (see http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/2006–12-03-google-education_x.htm) is a good examÂple of the posÂsiÂbilÂiÂties.
A litÂtle elabÂoÂraÂtion on Esther WojÂciÂcÂki is perÂhaps deserved. Google was foundÂed in the garage of one of her daughÂters, and the daughÂter went on to be a major playÂer at the comÂpaÂny; her othÂer daughÂter went on to marÂry Sergey Brin. All of this makes her not your averÂage Palo Alto school teacher.