How to Host an Online Collaborative Exploration with Google+
Create a Google+ account., Create a case or scenario., Create a private Google+ Community for asynchronous dialogue., Find the best dates and times for synchronous dialogue., Help participants get to know each other., Clarify thinking and...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Create a Google+ account.
A Google account is the key to accessing all of Google’s products and services, many of which are free.
For the purpose of hosting an online collaborative exploration, you'll need to create a Google+ Community and a series of Hangouts.
You may also wish to use Google Docs for another collaborative option.
Signing up for a Google account is a quick process, but you will need to give out some personal information.
Follow this guide to find out what you’ll need to do to get the most out of Google. , Write a scenario or case in which participants may address problems that are not well defined, allowing people to shape their directions of inquiry and develop their skills as investigators and prospective teachers (in the broadest sense of the word).
An example of a CE coordinated by faculty from UMass Boston Critical and Creative Thinking graduate program included developing activities or lessons that prepare people to be informed participants in political debates about science, technology and social change.Another topic focused on how stories can scaffold creative learning., Google+ communities are great places to share content, have discussion and make connections.Between each live meeting, encourage participants to share how they're spending at least 90 minutes on inquiries related to the case and preparing a work-in-progress presentation., A month-long CE could consist of live weekly sessions using a Google+ Hangout for an hour, supplemented by the asynchronous exchanges on the private Community between sessions.
Using email, Google Forms, or the associated Google Community, identify the day and time for the live sessions so they're arranged to fit the schedules of those who register and maximize accessibility across multiple time zones.
Try these four sessions, for example:
Session 1:
Help participants get to know each other.
Session 2:
Clarify thinking and inquiries.
Session 3:
Work-in-progress presentations.
Session 4:
Taking stock. , Allow roughly five minutes of freewriting to clarify thoughts and hopes.
Next, take turns permitting 5-7 minutes for a check-in (a chance to acknowledge what is going on in and beyond the CE).
The actual time is determined by the number of participants, and must ensure an equal amount of time to tell the story of how they came to be a person who would be interested to participate in a CE on the scenario.
All participants must contribute.
This initial session finishes with a general gathering and sharing of thoughts., Use a five-phase format:
Freewriting thoughts about the case, a check-in opportunity, a turn-based dialogue process, sharing thoughts about possible work-in-progress presentations, and then closing comments., After a couple of minutes of freewriting, allow 5-7 minutes for each participant to share a work-in-progress presentation (time dependent on number of participants).
To facilitate presentations, encourage participants to use the Hangout screen share option in the left menu.
Do not switch to full screen or slideshow mode (not viewable by the others in the Hangout).
Presenters may optionally share their presentation via a link in the chat box of the Hangout or a post in the Community page.
After each presentation, ask each participant to leave plus (encouraging ideas) and delta (areas for further exploration) feedback in the Google+ Hangout chat box.
The facilitator can copy this feedback and make it available in the respective Google+ Community).
Time permitting, participants may also speak some questions or make suggestions. , Start with freewriting to bring thoughts to the surface, followed by a check-in.
Continue with a turn-taking dialogue process that explores thinking about how the CE contributed to the topic and to the experiential goal, as well as how to extend what emerged during the CE.
The session finishes with a gathering and sharing of thoughts, while reviewing the entire CE experience.
After session 4 (optional):
Participants share on the wider community not only the reports they have prepared but also reflections on the CE process. -
Step 2: Create a case or scenario.
-
Step 3: Create a private Google+ Community for asynchronous dialogue.
-
Step 4: Find the best dates and times for synchronous dialogue.
-
Step 5: Help participants get to know each other.
-
Step 6: Clarify thinking and inquiries.
-
Step 7: Do work-in-progress presentations.
-
Step 8: Take stock.
Detailed Guide
A Google account is the key to accessing all of Google’s products and services, many of which are free.
For the purpose of hosting an online collaborative exploration, you'll need to create a Google+ Community and a series of Hangouts.
You may also wish to use Google Docs for another collaborative option.
Signing up for a Google account is a quick process, but you will need to give out some personal information.
Follow this guide to find out what you’ll need to do to get the most out of Google. , Write a scenario or case in which participants may address problems that are not well defined, allowing people to shape their directions of inquiry and develop their skills as investigators and prospective teachers (in the broadest sense of the word).
An example of a CE coordinated by faculty from UMass Boston Critical and Creative Thinking graduate program included developing activities or lessons that prepare people to be informed participants in political debates about science, technology and social change.Another topic focused on how stories can scaffold creative learning., Google+ communities are great places to share content, have discussion and make connections.Between each live meeting, encourage participants to share how they're spending at least 90 minutes on inquiries related to the case and preparing a work-in-progress presentation., A month-long CE could consist of live weekly sessions using a Google+ Hangout for an hour, supplemented by the asynchronous exchanges on the private Community between sessions.
Using email, Google Forms, or the associated Google Community, identify the day and time for the live sessions so they're arranged to fit the schedules of those who register and maximize accessibility across multiple time zones.
Try these four sessions, for example:
Session 1:
Help participants get to know each other.
Session 2:
Clarify thinking and inquiries.
Session 3:
Work-in-progress presentations.
Session 4:
Taking stock. , Allow roughly five minutes of freewriting to clarify thoughts and hopes.
Next, take turns permitting 5-7 minutes for a check-in (a chance to acknowledge what is going on in and beyond the CE).
The actual time is determined by the number of participants, and must ensure an equal amount of time to tell the story of how they came to be a person who would be interested to participate in a CE on the scenario.
All participants must contribute.
This initial session finishes with a general gathering and sharing of thoughts., Use a five-phase format:
Freewriting thoughts about the case, a check-in opportunity, a turn-based dialogue process, sharing thoughts about possible work-in-progress presentations, and then closing comments., After a couple of minutes of freewriting, allow 5-7 minutes for each participant to share a work-in-progress presentation (time dependent on number of participants).
To facilitate presentations, encourage participants to use the Hangout screen share option in the left menu.
Do not switch to full screen or slideshow mode (not viewable by the others in the Hangout).
Presenters may optionally share their presentation via a link in the chat box of the Hangout or a post in the Community page.
After each presentation, ask each participant to leave plus (encouraging ideas) and delta (areas for further exploration) feedback in the Google+ Hangout chat box.
The facilitator can copy this feedback and make it available in the respective Google+ Community).
Time permitting, participants may also speak some questions or make suggestions. , Start with freewriting to bring thoughts to the surface, followed by a check-in.
Continue with a turn-taking dialogue process that explores thinking about how the CE contributed to the topic and to the experiential goal, as well as how to extend what emerged during the CE.
The session finishes with a gathering and sharing of thoughts, while reviewing the entire CE experience.
After session 4 (optional):
Participants share on the wider community not only the reports they have prepared but also reflections on the CE process.
About the Author
Stephanie West
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in organization and beyond.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: