Google Docs and Chatting
Our school is fully immersed in the Google Education field by using managed devices (Chromebooks) and Google email sign-ins. We find this to be extremely helpful for us when having AMI days or keeping track of assignments. Going the digital route has allowed us to alleviate the need for photocopies for every assignment, keeping track of paperwork, and teacher's grading hours past contract time.
But a downfall of being almost all digital is also that students get around those safe guards we have in place to monitor all of this digital activity. They are smart and they are determined! Students will find every caveat or work around they can in order to feel some independence and "stick it to the man". This is completely normal and healthy for them, especially at the ages we are giving them the technology. We, as adults, need to be aware that they will do these things, not to test us as adults, but to test themselves: Can I do it? Will I get caught? What else could I try?
This process is a great way for them to learn a new skill and also build confidence. But sometimes, this goes against our technology agreement or school rules and needs to be addressed. One such issue is using Google Docs as a shared document and chat room.
In the old days, you used to have to log on (dial-up!) and find a chat room using search or key words. Then when you entered the chat room, you were thrown into a live, constantly updating, website that allowed you to talk with people all over the world instantly. In today's world, you can simply share a Google Document with anyone you please, make all of the users editors, and see in real time everyone typing to have the same chat room experience.
As teachers, this is very difficult to monitor, especially if students use clean, appropriate language, and don't use it during class hours. But this can still be a distraction!
Some ways that students may try to get around being caught:
1) Typing in white font on the white background - This means the font is invisible unless highlighted.
2) Changing the document when closing it - They may have an entire conversation but before they close it, they delete everything and leave something that looks more "safe" or "normal". This can be viewed in the version history because Google saves everything, even deleted edits!
3) They share with someone but use comments instead of the document itself - Having an entire conversation in the comments allows the students to talk without it being recorded into the document.
Ways a teacher can monitor or try to negate this:
1) Be actively monitoring their Chromebook usage. When they are working during class, meander through the desks and look at their open tabs or what they are currently working on. Ask them to show you tabs you don't know and remind them that you can look at their Chromebook anytime.
2) Have a monitoring software in place at the admin level - Using something like Bark for Schools+ allows you to monitor language, content, pictures, and more. Everything goes through their filter and you can make it as sensitive or severe as you prefer. (This is what our school uses)
3) Have consequences in place if a student decides to circumvent the rules and use a document inappropriately. Remind students that this is what happens when you are found to be using your school log in in a way that doesn't line up with your school standards.
4) Remind students that nothing is private online. No matter what type of actions they may take, everything they do is monitored and can be dug up and used against them for consequences.
Help your students be safe online and have good internet manners when they interact with teachers and classmates in the Google workspace!