Google Docs
Name, Abbreviation, and Number of Course
Teachonline@UW: Plan & Design (Fall 2015)
Name of Activity or Assignment
Absorb, Do, Connect – this is a simple model of categorizing learning activities according to the activities functional purpose.
Description and Purpose of Engagement Tool
Google Docs is a web-based tool that allows users to share, view, and edit documents in real-time. Google Docs also has advanced editing and sharing permissions to allow for secure collaboration.
The “Preparation for Activity or Assignment” section below contains information for setting up a UW-Madison Google Apps account as well as getting started with Google Docs.
Description and Purpose of Activity or Assignment
The purpose of the “Absorb, Do, Connect” Google Doc activity is for the participants to make associations of potential course activities as a group using this framework. The goal is to not only think about the Absorb, Do, Connect framework as it relates to each participant’s specific course, but also to populate a list of ideas that help the broader learning community see new possibilities for activity design.
Learning Objectives Associated with Engagement Tool
- Examine the differences between "Absorb," "Do," and "Connect" activities.
- Categorize types of activities in the Absorb-Do-Connect framework.
- Brainstorm which activities are useful in your course.
- Share possibilities for activity design.
Preparation Details of Activity or Assignment
Using a Google Doc instead of Word doc or PDF makes it easy to make changes and update documents used in a course and to have students easily collaborate without having to re-upload the document into your learning management system. Once you have completed your document, you can easily share the link or embed your Google Doc. Follow these tips to embed and resize the Google Doc in the course management system. UW-Madison provides a number of Google apps that you can use with your UW-Madison NetID and password.
This activity requires a UW-Madison Google Apps account to gain access to Google services such as Google Docs. UW-Madison supports Google Apps and you should log in to your university Google account by using your NetID and password. This link contains information on how to set up and get started with UW-Madison Google Apps.
Student Instructions for Activity or Assignment
The following brief direction was included with the Google Doc:
In the Google Doc below, contribute two ideas with brief descriptions of activities you intend to use. Place your ideas under the relevant category below.
Assessment/Grading Criteria for Activity or Assignment
In this example, the Absorb, Do, Connect Google Doc activity is a reflective activity and participants earn points that contribute 4% toward the final grade (see Unit 5 in the attached schedule). We used a weighted gradebook that allows instructors to assign percentages to items and categories in order to add up to 100%.
Example of Final Student Output
Download Google Doc (pdf)