Google+Group

= Communication Tool: Google Group = Group Members:



Brief introduction of the tool
Google Groups is a tool in which students can create a group for a project or maybe their class or anything they want in just about any language so that they can collaborate effectively with anyone who belongs to the group. As long as you have a Google account, students can create, setup or join a group, and also invite others to join the group.

The advantages of this tool are that it is very effective as a communication tool for students and teachers. Students and teachers can post on a discussion board, upload files, and also post pages. If students were working on a project together, it would be very easy for them to discuss the project via the discussion board. Also, it would be very easy for the students to share their research in the pages and files sections. As far as effiency goes, I think this tool would definitely save students time and frustration because if they have a question for the teacher or another student, they do not have to wait neccessarily for the teacher to answer an email or next time they meet in class because they can just go to the disucssion board and ask any question they might have. This tool definitely enhances a students learning process because it allows them to access each other’s ideas and information at a time that is not only convienent for them, but over and over. Whereas in class they only have the hour or so the students are in class together to discuss without this tool.
 * ===//Advantages of the tool//===

Some disadvantages of the tool are that it is not neccessarily sychronized in real time. Things uploaded or in the discussion board will show up in a timely manner, but the user might have to use the refresh button. The discussion part is not like a instant messenger, but more like a board for posting.
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Application of the tool in your subject area
Think of one example of integrating the tool in teaching your subject area. What will the teacher be doing? What will students be doing? A history teacher could integrate Google Groups into their classroom by assigning for example a research topic for small groups of 3-4. Students can then create a group for their project and collaborate on who is doing what work, the research each student found for their part of the project, etc.

Find a tutorial on YouTube
media type="youtube" key="fD-4FRTzxkI" width="425" height="350"

//List of key features showed in the YouTube video://
Key features showed in the youtube video are step by step instructions on exactly how to create a google page. Everything from the very basics, to more advanced options all in a concise 2 minutes and 54 seconds video. 1.creating the group 2.inviting people to join the group 3.uploading links and pictures

Useful Resources
Wikipedia gives a great discription and history of Google Groups: [] Besides a youtube tutorial, google provides a tutorial right in their website: [] This site gives differences between Google Groups and other sites of similar interest: []