Dipping a Toe into Online Apps

If you think you might like to try online apps for in- or out-of-class exercises, here are some tips for getting started:

1. Be clear on why you want to use an online app. Don't use an online app just because everyone else is. Think about whether the online app will make things that you already do more convenient and engaging for the students.
2. Get familiar with the app first. Google Docs has a great video tutorial that doesn't take too long to go through. Other apps have similar tutorials.
3. Prep your students. They're likely going to need an account to access whatever you're planning to use, so make sure they get that before you start the assignment or in-class exercise. If you use Google Docs or Zoho, a Google account will do. Encourage students to choose a username that uses their first and last name. Work they do will be identified by their username, and you don't want to have to track down the identity of "babycakes923." Encourage your students to view the application's tutorial (but be prepared to spend a little class time explaining how things work).
4. Be flexible. This likely isn't going to go flawlessly the first couple of times you use it. Build some time into class for some technical glitches. Reassure your students that you'll work out the kinks together.

If you're looking for ideas on how you might use online apps in class, take a look at Google Educator and consider signing up for the daily teaching tips e-mail. And don't just blow past the stuff that's being used in elementary and secondary schools. That's where all the educational innovation is taking place. In fact, that's where these applications are being used the most for collaborative writing (which means that your students will expect collaborative writing tools to be used in law school when they get here in the not-so-distant future!).