Learntocracy

COURSE PROJECT: The Innovation of Google Docs

The innovation selected by the author as the focus of the course project is Google Docs (GDocs). Google Docs offer educators and learners numerous tools for collaboration. The free tool allows users to: (a) create and share documents online, (b) upload and save work to and from their own computer, (c) edit documents at anytime from any location, (d), share changes in real time, (e) control access to documents, and (f) securely store files online. The user friendliness of this tool is almost an innovation all by itself. Google Docs is so easy to use that the PC novice should be comfortable, and its ease of use provides a kind of comfort to experienced collaborators who might have concerns about any PC novice that might be a part of the group. The alternatives to GDocs are such that, they: (a) require a certain level of technical skill to use which make them difficult, and (b) present frequent version conflicts which impede collaboration.

The author selected GDocs above the other two innovations, WriteOnline and electronic visual aids, because of its evident potential. GDocs is poised to diffuse successfully. The tool is in the cloud and thus already available. The two other options are not free and/or require a certain familiarity for effective use. These barriers gave support to the selection of GDocs, which makes collaboration on research publications easier, presently one of the core tasks of academics (Dekeyser & Watson, 2006).

Dekeyser, S., & Watson, R. (2006). Extending Google Docs to collaborate on research papers. Retrieved March 16, 2010, from, http://www.sci.usq.edu.au/staff/dekeyser/googledocs.pdf.

PROJECT STORYBOARD (Tentative)

INTRODUCTION

REVIEW OF LITERATURE Rationale for Critique

(I) Cultural Aspect Academic Aspect Access, Equity, and Quality Cultural Cooperation for Global Competition The Prospect of CMD What Is Underclass?

(II) An Abbreviated View of CMD The Roots of CMD Two Types of CMD The Relevance of CMD Definition of Discourse Two Types of Discourse

(III) Contours of iClass and Underclass Theoretical Assumptions Constructivist Perspective Bias Effects and the Learning Gap Language and Cognition Metacognition Meta/Cognitive Enhancement Adult Neuroplasticity

(IV) Implications Evaluation and Measurement of CMD

REFERENCES