Document management and media sharing
Oftentimes instructors require students to upload presentations or class documents at the beginning of class either for grading purposes or in-class presentations. What are some benefits of utilizing a document management system for courses in which collecting digital files is an integral part of the class?
I am still getting used to using Google Drive. We implemented it in October for the graphic design program because we had malware invade our dedicated server and then crashed the drives so information could not be retrieved. This included our instructor and student servers which resulted in loosing archived work that could not be replaced.
Getting my students to use the drive has been the biggest challenge. Plus I can not review anything they have done until they give me access. Hopefully as each new cohort begins using the drive it will become second nature to them.
I am totally for saving papers. This system helped me organize students assignments better and keep class progress i taught much better. We still waste papers by printing course syllabus but I do encourage my students to download them before class and they can choose to print their own copy if they want.
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.
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 saves valuable class time. Digital files would be easier to manage that paper assignments. It would also be easier to organize.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Use in dropbox to keep all file information homework tied to grade book webliography Skype
to create an enclosed group
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.
Having centralized file sharing can cut down on paper usage and free up time in the class room!
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
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.
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.
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.
