Don't fool yourself into thinking tools like Google Sheets and Slides are just for number-crunching and presentations. The sharing, editing, and collaboration features make them ideal for meaningful learning-experience design. Choose-your-own-adventure simulations; activities involving classification, ranking, prioritization, analysis, and/or evaluation; and even simple things like web pages and sign-up sheets that can be customized on the fly. These are all possible with Drive.

Here are some situations where Google Drive could be a perfect fit:

• pairs, groups or teams rank items in terms of importance, sequence, preference, etc.

• collaborative analyze or evaluate activities where students record notes, thoughts, and impressions

• building a branching scenario with hyperlinks (i.e. a "choose-your-own-adventure" role play)

• collaborative data analysis in a spreadsheet

• Gathering, storing, and organizing data via voice recordings, video, spreadsheets, you name it

• quick sign-up sheets that students can write in to share project ideas, recruit team members, etc.

Note: Some of the older files here were neither created nor stored in Google Drive, but I included them here because Drive is the tool I would recommend moving forward.--Greg

Inquiry-based learning via webquest

(Created by Bernie Dodge at San Diego State University)

This is a beautifully scaffolded learning experience that mixes elements of inquiry-based learning and problem-based learning. Although hosted on a private server, this website could easily be built in Google Drive through either Sites or Docs. This was created around 2012 when MOOCs (Massively Open Online Classes) were exploding in popularity, the professor had some grad students explore whether their university department should create a MOOC of their own.

• To MOOC or Not to MOOC?

Various kinds of activities

(Created by Greg Snow)

• Students collaborate to analyze several videos and record similarities and differences according to pre-set criteria (Google Docs + Sheets)

• Students collaborate to analyze a piece of e-learning according to certain design principles (Google Docs)

• Students post project ideas and recruit classmates to work on it with them (Google Sheets)

• In pairs, students talk through a list of questions, not selecting an answer until they've come to a consensus (Google Forms)

• Students participate in a negotiation role play (Google Presentations) COMING SOON!

Database Exploration Lesson

(From San Diego State University's Educational Technology Dept)

Databases exist for almost anything you can imagine, from obesity to UFO sightings, to characteristics of gods across cultures. This lesson leverages these databases and has students create their own research questions, explore a database to answer it, and then clearly explain what they found out. The website outlining the assignment looks dated but the instructional design is still worthy of study.

• Explanation of the Database Exploration Lesson with links to possible databases

• Checklist for assessment

• A list of possible databases to use for this assignment

A Webquest on the Hero's Journey

(Created by Nick Fiduk & Donna Martin based on a model by Dr. Bernie Dodge)

The webquest is a inquiry-based model that has students leverage the internet to collect and analyze data in order to answer a question. This one has students explore whether a local hero experienced "a hero's journey" that resembled Joseph Campbell's theory. Students are expected to film an interview, analyze it, and write up a reflection.

• A Real Hero's Journey

Google Slides vs. Jamboard vs. Lucidchart vs. Miro

The same ranking activity (on effect sizes) created in four different platforms:

• Google Slides

• LucidChart

• Jamboard

• Miro

Critical Thinking VALUE Rubric

(Created by the Association of American Colleges & Universities)

A well-made rubric for assessing critical thinking skills.

• Preview copy of the rubric

• Website to download your own copy in doc or PDF format (quick registration required)

Detailed rubric for philosophy papers focusing on critical thinking

(Created by Micah T Lewin at Perimeter College, Georgia State University)

• A copy of the rubric (PDF)

• Dr. Lewin's Statement of Teaching Philosophy together with other versions of the rubric

Some nice features of documents created in Google Drive

• Collaborative features are instant and seamless

• You can cancel changes and restore older versions of files. It's hard to lose work in Google Drive.

• Files created in drive can function as websites with embedded video, links, etc.

• Up to 100 people can edit and comment at the same time (according to a post on this forum).

• More than 100 people can view a file, though it’s easier to publish the file to the web and create a link.

• If you replace "/edit" with "/copy" at the end of a URL, students will get prompted to create their own copy of the document

• Add-ons give even more functionality (e.g. , accessibility checkers, etc.)

• You can allow people to edit the document without signing into Google

• Revision history allows faculty to see exactly how much work a student did

Be careful. . .

• As with most Google products, you have to be careful to get the share settings correct or your activity won't work correctly

Privacy, accessibility, etc.

• OIT has vetted this tool for FERPA, accessibility and other concerns

Support

• The Boise State Help Desk provides technical assistance with this tool to faculty and students

• If you would like instructional design and technical support for integrating this technology into your online course, email stephaniechism@boisestate.edu

Google Drive is available as part of Boise State University's Google Suite.

To access it after logging into your Boise State Google account, click on the nine dots in the top-right-hand corner of the Google page, and then locate the Google Drive icon. You can see how from the screenshots in this document.