Google Docs for Surveys or Quizzes

Use Google Docs to create an online survey
Another great use of Google Docs is Google Forms—a fabulous tool for creating surveys or even giving short multiple choice quizzes. You create your survey or quiz using Google Forms, post them on your classroom website or blog, students complete the survey or quiz, and their answers appear in an easy to view or grade spreadsheet. Whenever someone fills out your survey or quiz online, the corresponding spreadsheet is updated automatically. Here are some important guidelines:
1. Make sure that the first question is “student name.” Otherwise you won’t know who submitted which responses.
2. You can mix question types (multiple choice, short answers, paragraph) but if you have too many types and too many students, the spreadsheets are a bit difficult to view.

On the Google docs page Click Create New and drop down to Form
On this screen (the form entry interface) you will have a few options to choose from.

There is a place to put the title and an area for instruction at the top.
The +Add item pull down lets you edit this form. You will notice that when it comes to questions you can add several different types. The Question type has a corresponding Drop Down menu with “Text” being the default type. If you absolutely want the question answered, make sure to click the “Make this a required question.” If you are finished with your question, click the Done button.
You can continue to add more questions by using the +Add Item drop down button.
Next you can choose from several themes. Remember, nothing is set in stone; you can change themes, until you find the one you like.
Now that you have your form created, you can either email it to your intended participants (you created a survey for other teachers to respond) or place the link on your website (you created a quiz for your students).

Instead of completing the yellow and white emergency forms at the beginning of the year, wouldn’t it be great if our district had an online form for us to complete! The spreadsheet could be easily manipulated for whatever list the district needed, whether it be an alphabetically listing of its employees or a listing by school site .

The possibilities are endless. Please take a look at either Elisa’s two surveys or mine on our websites.

Welcome - Google Docs for Posting Handouts Online

Welcome LCMS staff!  This blog is for us to learn about ways we can use technology to help us in our work, with students, and for fun.  We'll post regularly to provide new information plus this blog format will provide a way to go back and check on something you read about before and are ready to use.  Let us know if you've got something you'd like to post - this is our blog for our use.  Let's get started!


Use Google Docs to Post Your Handouts Online
USE:  We need to provide students with so much paper work at the beginning of school and throughout the year.  Sometimes they must have a hard (printed paper) copy, but often they do not.  When we post documents in Google Docs we can skip the paper copy altogether or, if a student loses the first copy, it may be printed at home without having to use more school materials or wait an extra day.  Click here to see Ms. C's webpage for some examples. 

HOW: 
1.  Create a google docs account either by creating a gmail account or using school email address.  Link to create a gmail account.   Link to use your school account. We recommend that you create a gmail account specifically for school use and keep it separate from your personal email. 
2.  Once you're in gmail, click on the tab in the upper left hand corner that says 'Documents'.  
3.  If you already have written the document and have it saved digitally, find the "Upload" tab in the upper left hand corner and choose the document you wish to upload.  If you are composing the document online, choose the 'Create New' tab and select 'Document'.
4.  Be sure to write the title in the box at the top left of the page.
5.  When you are finished with the document and are ready to make it available, choose the 'Share' tab in the upper right hand.  Click on the word 'Change' and choose 'Anyone with the link'. 
6.  Copy the link and paste in on your school web page with the title of the document.  This will allow anyone who clicks the link to view and print the page, but they will not be able to modify it.

ADDITIONAL USES:  In future posts we'll talk about how you and your students can use Google Docs to post powerpoint presentations and spreadsheets, create surveys, administer tests and quizzes, allow students to collaborate on documents and presentations at school or from home, but you may want to explore on your own, too.