This practice has several benefits. In-class presentations go much faster when all presentations are in the same file and it is easier to check for plagiarism from a digital copy of an assignment rather than a hard copy.
Having a place for students to upload files is wonderful for computer applications classes. For example with Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Access courses I've taught, there are around 50 activities where students work with files. It is so much better having a central place for students to upload all their work. It is time stamped, so it eliminates any argument about when work was submitted. Each student has a separate folder, so it is easy to see who has submitted what files. The system we use also allows me to add comments to students files for them to review. It is much easier to grade work as well. For example, it is easier to look at formulas, fonts, colors, and other formatting in Excel on a monitor than it is on paper. Plus we save a LOT of paper by submitting electronically instead of on paper.
For student presentations, it is much quicker for me to open documents from a website than it is to open up files from each student's thumb drive.
I have never had to teach an online class, or utilized doc sharing in my classes. I have however, found it very useful to use document management system and doc sharing technology in my day-to-day life. I often have to share files with people I do business with all over the country and doc sharing technology such as dropbox have been an essential part of being able to share files with other people.
I can imagine that utilizing something like that would greatly reduce the amount of time I spend in class collecting assignments and would cut down on the amount of copies I have to make for presentations and assignments.
I really like this idea! As seen on many posts, the amount of paper saved is worht it! Using this type of media would save our students backs from the heavy backpacks and help the instructors with oraganization.
Our school now sends a digital copy of the syllabus for each new Term to the students enrolled in that class. We used to copy the 30-60 pages for each student and handout at the beginning of theory class. Now the students have their copy in an e-mail or flash drive. If they want a paper copy, they can print it. It has saved lots of school paper and time for the instructors. It also, has increased the students responsibility to be ready for class.
Our campus maintains a portal, which we use to provide rubrics and criteria for all assignments based upon deadlines and assignment category. We include reviews of quizzes and exams for study purposes.
In one course, students receive a mail “send to all†which lists the designer to be researched by each student during class. From the portal, students download the rubric for the “classworkâ€, use split screen to research the web (after all, there are no printers on planes) and create a Word and PowerPoint doc. The completed docs are submitted “reply to all†within the deadline. Students receive the work of others, are able to view the documents and save them to their flash drives for future use. They make oral presentations without notes. This simple assignment provides the opportunity to develop professional skills and computer literacy.
The classes we teach are preparation for a creative career, so we ask for hard copies of projects (not homework) as well as electronic copies to be sent by deadline. The layout, spacing, font style and size are important to the visual of the researched project. Word docs are easily placed into Grammarly for evaluation and copy write checks.
When students submit work following the prescribed “save as†format, it makes life easy, as all their work is filed by student family name, deadline class, assignment title. After grade evaluation, the number is added to the document title. Of course, the grade must be placed in the portal, but we have their work even when not able to connect to the net.
There are so many choices for this (many free), I am rather proud that practically no printing occurs in my classes - UNLESS a student requests it, then I gladly provide things on paper. (I let them all know, in my class they have the same choice as they do at their local grocery store - PAPER or PLASTIC?) It's 2014, I know, but not everyone has internet access at home nor can they carve out the time they need to be on campus waiting to use a computer that is already in limited supply. So we try to get them as much experience as possible while in the class and PC lab.
Also, many of my courses have web sites and digital resources built-in so there is no need to complicate the course with too many additional websites - HOWEVER, I have also been known to ask students to turn documents in at a variety of websites (periodically over the quarter) so that they gain exposure and experience in using different technologies (or at least different in appearance whereas website operations are mostly common). College, as in the business world, does not have only one site to use or one repository to submit documents.
I feel I am also contributing to the EVOLUTION of the human species (myself included!) by requiring assignments like peer reviews and re-writes to be done on a screen instead of on paper. It took me a year or more, but I finally grew accustomed to digital editing over the red-pen-in-hand method.
These are just some of the benefits I can think of.
Dan
Having centralized file sharing can cut down on paper usage and free up time in the class room!
One of the major benefits to go with the points made of saving paper is the ability to not take up valuable class time to load up presentations or class documents before the class. Also the instructor can see ahead of time who is ready for class.
One important point is the naming of the files and consistency among students for any files loaded for the course.
Microsoft PPT versions also will tend to vary among students.
Use in dropbox to keep all file information homework tied to grade book webliography Skype
to create an enclosed group
I find this to be essential in our school. The files are always available and can be easily accessed and shared with the class. Grading is simple and all the information needed to grade each student is centrally located.
The biggest benefit is that it doesn/t take away from class time to gather the documents, etc. There is then more time for learning and discussion in the class.
Ruth Ann,
Exactly! My Google Drive is such a time saver. I have used it with students, instructional design teams,and clients when producing video files. I find it extremely useful!
Theresa Schmitt
Utilizing a document management system can be very beneficial to a course that requires digital files. Not only does it save paper, it also is more efficient with organization. When there are several assignments due throughout the course of a class, the sheer number can be confusing and mistakes can easily happen. It is more likely for a assignment to get lost in paper format. If you require students to submit their assignments using a digital portal, it can make it much easier and more organized.
There are certain advantages of document management and media sharing such as uploading files rather than printing out and disseminating paper, eliminates paper clutter, which is a problem for both the instructor and students, and it allows the students to have quicker access to grades, presentation etc.
Hello Theresa,
I teach Contemporary Literature and have traditional students as well as independent students that take the course online. Since these students do not have the benefit of participating directly in class discussions, an online forum has been set up where independent students can submit their answers on key questions and discuss basic aspects of the works we are studying. The university provides a platform, Blackboard, which makes this possible. However, through this course I have seen that there is a wealth of online resources and websites that can further enhance online student participation by incorporating to the forum images, graphics, video files and other aids which can further develop students' comprehension of the topics under discussion and stimulate their imagination, and thus encourage them to participate more actively in exchanging views and opinions.
Philip Cunill
The benefits of utilizing a document management system for courses that I can think of are as follow:
Not worrying about paper version getting lost or ruin like spilling coffee on it.
I hate to say but readability comes up. Some students have bad handwriting.
Confirmation of when exactly was the work turned in. Time Stamped by computer.
It provides a central location that can be reached mostly from anywhere if allowed by the system.
It is also easy for checking for plagiarism. Besides checking online, I also do file comparison. I have multiple screens on my home PC so I can bring their work side by side to compare. Because sometime all they do is change the header or a few things. But a typo can be like a finger print. Also some do not realize that some software products record their names in the file properties.
Lastly, there is the savings in paper and toner.
This saves valuable class time. Digital files would be easier to manage that paper assignments. It would also be easier to organize.
This is a great idea. I have students email me their assignments and then I email comments back to them. No waste of paper and date stamp proves timely submission. Also when I finish grading their assignment I create a folder in outlook express labeled graded items and the class name - this serves as documentation. However my email inbox is flooded and chaotic at times. I am going to make an honest attempt to set up and play around the Google Docs over break and begin to utilize this next quarter. Any suggestions as I navigate from my old system to this new one of using Google Docs?
This offers a great method for the students to post homework and or presentation assignments. This venue can also be expanded for student team s to work together when developing a team assignment or presentation.
