Weekly Reflection Post # 7

Weekly Report and Reflection #7

Hello everybody,

For the first time since starting this course in January, I was familiar with the online tool that was introduced during the lesson, which was Google Docs. Google Docs has been a online tool that I have used since the beginning of high school. Furthermore, since starting university last year, I have found that Google doc’s has become a tool that I use on a frequent basis. The reasons that I use Google docs so frequently throughout my educational career is the convenience and collaborative ability that the online tool provides.

Picture found at: http://www.edgalaxy.com/journal/2013/4/12/20-google-docs-secrets-for-busy-teachers-and-students

In an educational setting each semester you are almost guaranteed to have one group project. This always entails a presentation, a written document, a survey, or some other form of documentation that all members of the group need to be able to access. To complicate things more, as students we have to work around each other’s busy schedules which more times than not, do not allow us to work on it together. With the collaborative system Google docs provides, it allows us as a group to work on a project on our own time and see what other people have done. Also my being able to all work on the exact same document, Google docs allows us to save time by not having to send all the information to someone for one person to be stuck putting it together. 

An example from this current semester where Google docs helped me achieve success in the classroom was during my Tourism Management seminar presentation. As per class requirement I need to work with a partner and provide a 40-minute presentation to the class. My partner and I utilized Google docs by using the tool to create a slideshow for the presentation. The tool allowed us to both work on an equal amount of the slideshow when it worked well for our schedule and it allowed us to finish the project on time and receive a successful mark. 

In addition to creating power points and collaborative word documents, my exploration during this week’s session allowed me to realize the other functions Google docs offers such as surveys, budgets, and spreadsheets. When thinking in terms of my future and how Google doc’s could help me outside of the educational realm, I believe that these new functions that I discovered are key to my life long use of Google docs. The reason I believe this is because, as it is my goal to work in or lead a sport organization on some level during my career it will be important to create budgets and surveys that more then just myself can access. Even if it is myself running a local referee organization or coaching a minor hockey team, these tools where collaborative access will be necessary and Google docs will be my choice of program. 

Adding Google Docs to PLE and Updates with Feedly

In terms of adding Google Docs to my PLE, I would argue that it would fit under all three categories of social, educational and professional. As discussed in my detailed analysis above, collaboration is necessary in all parts of our life. An example of personal use for Google docs is being able to create a grocery list and everyone in the house be able to update it so that the person that goes shopping knows what is needed. I believe that Google docs, is a tool that is necessary in all aspects of my life and is why it will be placed under all three categories on my PLE. 

While going through my Feedly this week I was looking for news that could be related to the subjects benefiting from using a collaborative information system such as Google Docs. The news story I found that I believe could benefit from a system like this is the star tennis player Sharapova failing her drug test because she “did not know that the drug had been added to the list”. My thoughts in contrast with my learning on Google Docs this week is that, if WADA used a collaborative system like Google Docs where all access had athletes to view it, would this prevent athletes from running into this “mistake” in the future. 

Tennis Star Maria Sharapova talking about the "accidental" failed performance enhancing drug test she failed last week.
Should professional sports consider using collaborative word programs in order to inform athletes on prohibited drugs?
Picture Found at: http://www.aol.com/article/2016/03/08/maria-sharapova-starts-to-count-cost-of-failed-drug-test-likely/21324519/

Thanks for reading this week, make sure to follow along as we continue on this second half of the ADED 1P32 journey!