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Collaborative Writing. Single Author Peer Review & Google Documents. The William and Mary Collaborative Writing Project www.collaborate.wmwikis.net. Single Author Peer Review. A text that has been authored by one person is edited/reviewed by one or more student peers. Why Peer Review?.
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Collaborative Writing Single Author Peer Review & Google Documents
The William and Mary Collaborative Writing Projectwww.collaborate.wmwikis.net
Single Author Peer Review • A text that has been authored by one person is edited/reviewed by one or more student peers
Why Peer Review? • Audience feedback: forces the writer to consider the audience • Dialog: engages students in a dialogue about writing • Critical commentary: offers practice for accepting criticism • Text revision: encourages writing as “process” rather than writing as “product” • Metacognition: engrosses students in thinking about their thinking behind writing • Learning to learn how to write effectively
Possible Benefits • For students… • Provides a “safe” (non-punitive) method for getting feedback • Roles as author and editor can improve knowledge of structure and content • Builds “people” skills • For Faculty… • Easily adaptable instructional strategy • Increases student time spent on writing= better papers • Increases the amount of eyes on each paper= more efficient draft process
Model Peer Review • Make expectations clear and provide a common language • Model the process • Provide opportunities for questions and clarification • Examples of modeling peer review • Provide a common rubric and group edit one document that is projected onto a screen • Offer an opportunity for Calibrated Peer Review. (Provide 3 papers- Great, Average, Unsatisfactory. In groups, have students discuss which papers fit which score).
Strategies for Peer Review • One to one meetings between writer and reviewer • Draft exchanges (individual or group) • Targeted review groups (ex. One group checks MLA/APA formatting, another group assesses the strength of the thesis/assertion). • Class Workshops • Faculty model the review process • Students engage in review process • Faculty monitor review process
Technology Supported Peer Review Insert Comments
Challenges • Grouping • Similar ability? • Mixed ability? • Evaluation • Evaluate the process? • Evaluate only the product?
Sample Peer Review Classroom Activity • Students can sit in circular groups of 4 or in one large class circle • Students bring in drafts on a selected due date • A Peer Review form with sample questions travels with each student draft
Single Author Peer Review • More resources are located at www.collaborate.wmwikis.net
Google Documents For Facilitating Collaboration
Caveats • You need a Google account (not necessarily Gmail) to create and share Google documents • Your students have Google Docs through their WM Apps accounts • At times, there can be difficulty sharing between a regular Gmail account and a Google Apps account
Google Documents Improved…
Data Gathering/Experiment • Do you have a Gmail account? • Have you used Google documents for collaboration before? • Please visit www.collaborate.wmwikis.net
Benefits of Google Docs • Familiar Interfaces • Multiple methods for commenting and revising • Real-time collaboration • Automatic Version Control • Open and more transparent writing space
Application • Practice with students (or allow class time for students to practice) • Come up with a “Plan B” • Set parameters for collaboration • Expect participation and remind students of the “revision history” • Provide rubric and instructions for the final product (ex. A document formatted in Word)
Instructional Strategies • Brainstorming sessions • Peer editing • Concept mapping • Coauthoring text • Creating and compiling data sets • Coauthoring a presentation • Cobuiliding rubrics or plans • Collaborating at a distance • Organizing files for group projects
Challenges • Access: collaborators must have Google accounts. Possibility of “snags” between Google and Google Apps interface • Practice: faculty can benefit from practice with Google docs before requiring student participation • Model: spending some class time showing students how to collaborate will ease the facilitation • Clarify: “Rules of engagement”. Establish the ground rules. • Formatting: there are definitely formatting “issues” in Google Docs (though this continually seems to improve”. Exporting the final draft to Word for a final review is always a good idea. • Evaluation: group work or final product?
Sample Google Docs Writing Activity • Documentary response and critique • Student groups view streamed documentary, outline the arguments, generate a list of themes or issues to address • Coauthor a reflection paper
www.collaborate.wmwikis.net April Lawrence adlawrence@wm.edu