Friday Matinee: Creating a Backchannel With Google Docs

Having a discussion is an important part of a class but it can be difficult when you are teaching either totally online or using the hybrid model.  Fortunately there are digital tools that can be used for backchannel discussions, including a shared Google Doc that everyone in class has the right to edit.

Use this Google Doc that you can copy (FILE>MAKE A COPY) for classroom discussions.  I like this document rather than just using a Doc without any added guidelines because you can see not only who asked the question, but also who responded and what their response was.  It also keeps the questions and answers together for easy viewing.  Multiple people can also answer the same question.  

A suggestion is to have one student per week or class period who would be in charge of the backchannel document.  They would monitor the questions and answers, and bring up questions in class that might need clarification.

I would keep the original document as a master and then make a copy of it and rename it every time you use it.  All you need to do is change the title and date at the top.

Friday Matinee: Google Jamboard for Online Collaboration

Google Jamboard is a physical digital whiteboard (our college has one!) but it is also an online digital whiteboard that is collaborative.  Online you can share, view, and create Jams with your students to engage them during class time.  All "jams" are saved in Google Drive and are accessible via Google Chrome.  You can add images, sticky notes, text, and drawings.  

Let's try it out!  Open this file and scroll through the frames at the top.  You can have a total of 20 frames in one Jam.  Go ahead and add to each frame.

To create a file, just go to Drive>New and find Jamboard, find Jamboard in the waffle, or type jamboard.google.com.  Like a template, but need to make a copy?  Open the template and go to the 3 dots in the upper right and choose "make a copy".  You can download PDFs and images from there as well.  Use the Share button to get a link or share via email.  There's an app for your phone or tablet that will let you add files from Google Drive.

 Want ideas for using it in your classroom?  Matt Miller's article includes 20 ideas for using it in the classroom.  

Here are a few idea templates that you can copy and use.

Blackout Poetry

Brainstorming

Thinking Routines

The Ultimate Collection of Jamboard Templates

Jamboard Templates and Information

Let's Jam: Google Jamboard Resources in a Wakelet collection.  We'll keep adding to this wake.

You'll be jamming in no time!  Here's a video if you want to learn more.