How to Create a Google Doc That Students Can Write On

As an educator, it’s essential to provide students with a simple and efficient way to collaborate and complete assignments online. Google Docs is an excellent tool for this purpose because of its real-time collaboration features and ease of use. In this guide, we’ll show you how to create a Google Doc that students can write on, making the learning experience interactive and seamless.

Step 1: Create a New Google Doc

To get started, log in to your Google account. Open Google Docs by navigating to docs.google.com in your web browser. Once there, click on the blank document to create a new Google Doc. You can also select a template if you have a specific layout in mind for your assignment.

Step 2: Set Up the Document for Collaboration

After you’ve created your new Google Doc, you need to set it up for collaboration. To do this, click on the "Share" button in the upper-right corner of the document. This will open the sharing settings.

In the sharing settings window, under the "Share with people and groups" section, enter the email addresses of your students. If you want the document to be accessible by anyone with the link, click on “Change to anyone with the link,” and set the access level to “Editor.” This gives students the ability to write on the document.

Step 3: Customize Permissions for Specific Students (Optional)

If you want to limit specific students’ ability to edit, you can click on the drop-down menu next to their name and select “Viewer” or “Commenter.” This is useful if you want students to provide feedback or review content without making direct changes.

Alternatively, if you want to provide different sections of the document to individual students, consider adding headings or table sections and assigning each student their own area for editing. This helps maintain organization while still allowing for collaborative writing.

Step 4: Share the Google Doc with Your Students

Once the document is set up for collaboration, click on the "Copy link" button. You can now send this link to your students through email, a learning management system (LMS), or any other communication platform you prefer. When students click on the link, they will be able to access the document and start writing.

Step 5: Monitor and Guide Student Participation

To ensure that your students stay on track, keep an eye on the document's activity. Google Docs allows you to see who is editing the document in real-time and track changes made by students. You can use this information to guide the students or provide feedback as needed.

Additionally, if you're looking to collect feedback or responses from students in a more structured way, consider integrating your Google Doc with Formswrite.com. Formswrite allows you to create custom forms and surveys that integrate with Google Docs, making it easier to collect and organize student responses.

FAQ

Q: Can I limit the editing permissions for specific students?

A: Yes! Google Docs allows you to manage permissions for each student. You can set them as "Editors," "Commenters," or "Viewers" depending on what level of access you want to grant them.

Q: How do I track student participation in the Google Doc?

A: Google Docs shows a list of active users, and you can see which student is currently editing the document. Additionally, the "Version history" feature allows you to track changes made over time.

Q: Can I add students from outside my school or organization?

A: Yes! You can share the document with anyone who has a Google account or even with people who don’t have a Google account by adjusting the sharing settings to "Anyone with the link."

Q: How can I collect structured responses from students?

A: For more organized feedback, you can use Formswrite.com to create surveys or forms that students can fill out. These responses can be automatically saved to your Google Doc for easy reference.