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Google Docs and Writing

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My students like to use Google Docs for collaborative drafts of projects. They like the "Suggesting" mode for editing, though it takes time to get used to this approach compared to Microsoft Word, and they really like the "Chat" mode for working together remotely.

I'm not as comfortable with Google's "Suggesting" edit mode. I like the "Track Changes" approach of Word, but that might be out of familiarity.

The "Revision History" is also little clunky in Google Docs. Students have rolled back edits by accident, especially on tablets. Maybe the location of the "Editing Mode" and "History" (the upper right) makes them prone to accidental "palm clicks" when holding the devices.

I've not used the JavaScript-based macro features, but I am glad there is a way to automate editing tasks. One of the reasons I love Word is the ease of Visual Basic for Applications. JavaScript ("GScript") macros might enable me to add similar editing tools to Docs I have created for Word.

The extensions and add-ons for Docs range from lousy to okay. I've not seen many that are "WOW!" and my students don't seem to be curious about the add-on library.

Writing always changes with technology. I'm not sure Google Docs is a step forward, but it is a step towards greater convenience.

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