PART A - Description of Need or Opportunity

Description of a need or opportunity in the classroom

In most of my classes today, we are trying to incorporate literacy as well as science.  There is a huge drive right now for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).  As a science teacher, I'm hoping to focus on science AND technology by using Google Docs.  Google Docs is an excellent collaborative source that allows students to work in groups on the same document or spreadsheet or presentation at the same time!  It's genius.  There will be no more, "I forgot it at home" or "I lost my flash drive" as Google is web-based and students can access it from anywhere.  As an educator, I like that I can see the revision history and see what students have contributed in the project.  I know that many times in group work, one or two people end up doing the entire project while some others just ride their coattails.  I think that Google Docs will help create accountability for all students. 
Many schools are going to 1/1 Laptop or iPad programs and I think that Google Docs and all the possibilities that Google encompasses will allow teachers and students to move toward a more paperless classroom.  I am excited to use Google Docs in place of paper assignments.  I think it's wonderful to be able to create a lesson, then put a worksheet into Google Docs, and set up links to videos or demonstrations or animations of hard concepts, so students can just click on the example and extra help will be right there.  Using the presentation of Google Docs will be helpful in that same way; students can review lecture notes and teachers can upload videos or links right into the presentation, so students will have access on their laptops. Hopefully, it will help reach all learning types by using more technology.  I like the forms part of Google Docs as well; it helps create online quizzes or tests, which can be used formatively or summatively.  Creating an exit ticket in forms will help me realize if students understood the topic of the day or if it needs to be retaught in a different way.  I'm looking forward to creating a project which will allow me to share all these ideas with others.