Easy to copy-paste in text or images (example: formatted citations from databases.)
Auto-saves.
Easy for students to come back to, if they add it to their Google Drive.
Students can contribute to a single document.
Can be shared after session.
Up to 100 people can simultaneously edit a shared doc
Google Slides
Easy to see what students or teams are doing.
Provides space for a lot of text, if needed.
Many free templates available, such as slidesgo.com
Easy to duplicate slides so each student or team has one.
Grid view lets you see 6 slides at once.
Insert table option.
Not a good platform if you need to fit a lot of text on one slide.
Make sure permissions are set to give editor permissions to anyone with the link.
No free-style drawing.
Not so easy to share one page among different students or groups, unless you have a structure set up ahead of time – for example, an inserted chart with assigned sections.
Under Tools – Manage Add Ons there are a bunch of tools that can be added to your Google Docs. Be aware of what access you are giving to your Google Docs!
Google Sheets
Note: Make sure doc permissions are set to give editor permissions to anyone with the link.
Easy to assign a specific row, column, or section to a student or team.
Easy to see what students or teams are doing.
If set up right, it could be easy to sort the results and see themes or patterns across groups.
Does not maintain italics when you copy-paste a citation from a database.
Google Jamboard
This is Google’s whiteboard platform. It has built in tools: pen (weight and color options), eraser, selector, sticky note, add image, and laser.
Laser tool can be used to draw attention to something. It draws on the board, but the marks disappear in 2 or 3 seconds.
Can create multiple “frames” in one Jamboard file.
Could be great on a tablet or touch screen.
Easy to duplicate slides so each student or team has one.
Easy to add images from your computer or Google Images.
Can’t just type in text. Must add a sticky note to type.
Frustrating if you don’t like writing with a mouse.
Google Forms
This is Google’s whiteboard platform. It has built in tools: pen (weight and color options), eraser, selector, sticky note, add image, and laser.
Create polls ahead of time.
Results displayed in colorful charts.
Results can be downloaded: useful for end-of-session assessments!
Number of Seats: unlimited
If poll has more than one question, all the results will be displayed on one page.
In addition to quizzes, instructors can also deply "quick questions". Quick Question allows students to answer a multiple choice, true/false, or open-ended question in real-time.
Students do not need accounts.
Easy to download results for assessments.
Exit ticket is a quiz that is launched at the end of a lesson. It provides students an opportunity to demonstrate their mastery of content for the day, while ensuring teachers that objectives were met.
Space Race allows teachers to design a quiz so that either individual students or student teams can compete with another. As each student or team answers each quiz question, their chosen avatar moves ahead in the race.
