Using+Google+Docs+for+Qualitative+and+Quantitative+Data+Collection

Presenter: Chris Manning - Manheim Township Time: 10:30 - 11:15 Room: Media Center 2 Contact:

__Description of Presentation__ : Google Docs is a powerful set of online tools for creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. The power behind these tools are their real-time editing capabilities in conjunction with collaboration between students. Qualitative and quantitative data can be collected by both students and teachers in the science classroom.

Alternative to Google Docs Spreadsheets is www.editgrid.com media type="custom" key="3266568"
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Chris began the presentation by explaining that Google Forms are a good way to gather data from students without the need for the students to use email. He asked everyone to enter information into the "About You" survey form on this page. After getting several responses from the audience members, he showed what happens with the data. Google collects the information in a spreadsheet that can be manipulated very similarly to Excel. In particular he showed how you could group the responses.

Chris also mentioned that Google allows you to embed the results into a website such as a Moodle course or a Wikispace so that you can share with students and analyze together. Students can submit responses to qualitative questions from a lab where everyone can then see and compare answers and data.

The issue of student email accounts was brought up due to the fact that a lot of school districts do not give them to students. Colette Cairns mentioned that Google provides emails for students through an educational service that it provides that is secure and then allows students to access the tools of Google Docs.

Google forms can be used as a free student response system when using laptops in a classroom. Chris showed us some more of the features of the spreadsheets and revealed that he'd programmed it using formulas, again very similar to Microsoft Excel. When you are using the forms and wish to identify which student submitted which answer, you can require them to enter their name on the form in order to submit an answer. You can also omit that part of the form if you wish to have them remain anonymous.

Google Docs can facilitate more expedient experimentation in the classroom. Rather than having multiple students doing multiple trials, you can have the students do a few trials each and then collect all of the trials into one set of results. You can input graphs with the spreadsheets as well which will update as students enter information. You can even export the data then to different types of file formats to use it in other ways.

Chris then talked a bit about editgrid.com. You must register for this website, but then you can post a spreadsheet online that anyone can edit it. When other people are working on it, the cell will change color. Editgrid allows you to embed the entire spreadsheet into a website whereas we don't think Google allows you to do. However, editgrid does not have a form feature.

After some discussion and questioning, Chris went into Google Docs to give a demonstration on creating a form. Google Docs allows you to create folders within it so that you can organize your documents as you create them. He showed us how to create a form and then find the code to embed.

Great job, Chris! This is really useful stuff. Thank you!