GoogleGroups2

=**Communication Tool:**= Group Members: Sara Banner and Laura Reagan


 * Screenshot or logo**

==

Google groups allows many people to discuss in a group forum online. The groups can be private so the group leader can select who they want to join the group. The groups allow people to discuss all together a project or a topic that they want to discuss. There are groups for just about everything that you can think of. You can also create your own pages and allow people to discuss topics with you. The pages are customizable so you can upload pictures or graphics to them. You can also share files on Google Groups so if you're working on a project with a group of people instead of having to email several documents back and forth or getting together in person and finding a time when everyone can meet, everyone can collaborate on the project online and upload their work to the document or file.
 * Brief introduction of the tool**

Some advantages of Google groups for education are that a teacher can make a group for his students to communicate with him or her outside of the classroom. Instead of like in the past if a student has a problem with their homework and they were unclear about something in class, they would have to call a friend and see if they knew the answer and if they did not, they were not able to get help from the teacher until the next day in class. Another problem that can be faced with communicating with the teacher, if the students have the teachers email address and there is a common problem and the same question gets asked to the teacher 20 times, the teacher has to respond to 20 different emails. If the teacher has a Google group, they can make a discussion board and the students can ask their questions on their homework outside of class and get the help they need. and if the student logs on and sees that someone already asked the same question that they asked, they can read the response and not have to ask the teacher the same question over and over again. Another advantage of Google groups, are when students are working on a group project in class they dont have to corrodinate a time to meet up outside of class. This can be difficult for some students who may not have a drivers liscence or who may work they can on their own time log onto the Google group and coloborate on their project and have it ready for the class presentation. They also would not have to bring in a flash drive or disk with the project on it, they can from the teachers computer (if the teacher has one) log onto the group and pull their presentation off line.
 * **//Advantages of the tool//**

Some disadvantages of Google groups are that not all students may have access to a computer or the internet at home. The students who do not have access to the internet from home would have to find ways to get to a computer with internet, whether that be at the library or at the school's computer lab. For those students it is not as conveniant because they may have to have a ride from their parent and their parent may not have time to take them to the library. Furthermore, it is not on the students own time if they have to seek out a computer with the internet. If for example the student is working on their homework and they come accross something that they dont understand they would have to stop what they are doing and go find a computer. This would be very inconveniant for those students and unfair because of the students who do have access would have the information before them. Also another disadvantage to the group is that it is asyncronous and the student may post a question late at night and the teacher may not get it in time before it is too late. On other internet sites the teacher gets a notification whenever there is a new additon to the group but that is not the case for Google groups.
 * **//Disadvantages (limitations) of the tool//**

Think of one example of integrating the tool in teaching your subject area. What will the teacher be doing? What will student s be doing?
 * Application of the tool in your subject area**

When doing a research project the teacher could post a topic and students can join into different threaded conversations. They can use either a web interface or e-mail. To share resources and ideas, while the teacher could be looking over what the students resources are to be sure that what they are adding to the group is helpful. The teacher would also be able to guide students or suggest sites that they believe are helpful. This can cut down on the time students use up for looking for a big subject by breaking it down into smaller segments and have at the end everyone putting their own information together through this tool. This would be for a large project that would need many areas of the subject looked at. This will also help the students after class work on homework being able to access the information when ever they need to without having to hunt their classmates or teacher down. This would also help students not only find information but visual aids as well, along with sharing ideas of how to present thier information.


 * Find a tutorial video on YouTube**

Find the tutorial video on YouTube and find the "embed" html code. Copy the code. To insert your Screen Toaster by [click Widget >> Video >> YouTube >> Paste the embed html code in the text box >> Save >> delete the instruction after you've successfully inserted the video]

=media type="youtube" key="29n6xm1dLiI" height="340" width="560"=


 * //List of key features showed in the ScreenToaster ://**

If your classmates want to learn more about your topic, where should they go? Please recommend 3 websites or more.
 * Useful Resources**

If my students wanted to learn more about Google groups I would recommend these websites: [], [] , and http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/join-this-group-google-groups-joins.html.