The eSchool News article asks: “Has Google developed the next wave of online education?’’
I think it has. Or at the very least with Google Wave it has developed the next wave of how we will communicate online.
The article left me wanting to know more before I could form an opinion. So I went in search of additional information. How exactly is Google Wave, which is described as a tool that allows open communication and collaboration on the same document in real time works?
I discovered blogs and wikis and a YouTube video in which the Google Wave developers demonstrate how the product can be used. I was fascinated.
Google Wave has wrapped regular email, live chat, social networking, file editing including on text, photos and videos and more into one application. If you come to the wave late, you just click playback and you see everything that everyone has done to the file.
I am even more fascinated that plans include making Google Wave available free to users.
That it is free will make this product attractive to school officials who are constantly facing tight budgets.
I think that while Google Wave is still just another tool to help enhance the learning experience, it has the potential to:
--Make people more accountable. You know who is making changes to a document.
--Encourage participation. Some students are just better at communicating through writing than by voicing their opinions in front of others.
--Promote collaboration. This will allow students to feed off of each other.
--Make it easier for students to interact with others from different backgrounds and cultures whether they are down the street across the country or on the other side of the world.
I think the conceptual spell check is another element that will be attractive to users. It doesn’t just check to see if your word is spelled correctly, it checks to make sure you’ve used the word in the correct context. I can see this as a very valuable tool for learners of all ages and at all skill levels.
I think that school administrators will find there are some drawbacks to using Google Wave. Does free really mean free? What does Google get for allowing free use? Is it personal information? If so, how much and how will it be used?
Even with those questions, I’d love to get my hands on Google Wave.
Google wave does sound like an interesting piece of technology. I understand that there are costs to running any operation but I do hope that the 'free' version they offer will be in fact free because this will make it possible for many to use and enjoy this tool. I really find the spell/grammar check tool because I know that it is sometimes difficult to use some words in the proper context and that will be truly helpful. I'll be watching to find out what's developing with this cool new tool.
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