Previously I had blogged about how to keep your webpage fresh by using Google Slides presentation. The idea is that instead of having to update your webpage everyday, you can simply update the Google presentation that is embedded on your webpage. The webpage will automatically update with your edits.
Since Google Docs automatically update as you make edits they are great tools for ensuring that students always have the current information. I almost always discover some kind of typo or way that I was not clear in a directions document. Printing the directions for students ensures they are locked into the “first draft.” Providing a link to students with the directions allows me to add FAQ’s to the document as students as them. Without having to make an announcement or sending out emails all students have the clarifying information or corrections each time they reference the directions.
One Link
Providing students with a lot of links to documents can provide confusion in a course. One way to combat this is to always link all of your resources from your class website, but this does not fully solve the problem.
Reusing the same resource retains the link, thus allowing students to bookmark a resource or to find it easily. Using a URL shortener such as tinyurl.com or bit.ly allows you to create a custom URL that students can remember. Using something such as tinyurl.com/keelersprojectdirections is easy for students to remember. If I use that same Google Doc for each project then I do not have to create a short URL or update links on my website for each project.
Do Not Lose Your Content
Before you delete the directions and information from the last project, make a copy of the document. Retitle the copy to be the name of the project. Edit the original.
Next year when you are going to assign the project again, find the document with the directions to that project. Copy and paste the directions into the project directions document.
Try these keyboard shortcuts
Control A – Select all of the content on the document.
Delete – Delete the old project directions from the project document.
Control A – Select all of the content on the other document that contains the new project directions.
Control C – Copy. Copy the project directions.
Control V – Paste. Paste the project directions into the project directions document.
