Wikis and Google doc

The more I learn about technological tools the more I get surprised and more interested in the opportunities that nowadays teachers have. Wikis and Google docs are other interesting tools which can be very helpful and useful in an EFL classroom. They provide a free space where everyone can access and add things, edit them. The only thing you need to have is a computer and an internet connection. What I like the most about them is that the teacher can monitor the student’s work. There is a place where the teacher can see the revisions, so he/she can be sure whether everyone has added things or not. However, wiki has a drawback…. It doesn’t let multiple users to add things simultaneously, so it is better to assign wiki activities as a part of their homework not as an inclass activity. 

To my opinion Google doc  is more users friendly.  It’s easier to set up and it provides opportunity for multiple users to work on it at the same time. Here as well the teacher can see the students’ revisions  but they have to access with their Google accounts so that the teacher can see the names…

The only thing that is a drawback for Google docs is that in wikis the teacher can create a page, the way she/he likes and design It the way she/he likes, use it for many times, whereas Google doc is just a page, just a place for a certain activity….

These two tools can be very helpful in developing the student’s writing skills why not creative thinking and enhance group work among the students. Hopefully these tools will become part of my EFL classes in the nearest future.