Teaching with Online Collaboration Tools: U-M Faculty Examples

This page features innovative uses of online collaboration tools (OCTs) for teaching and course management. You can browse the full list or use the search criteria to find the examples most relevant to you. Click on any title for a full description or use the Links to watch short videos of faculty describing their teaching strategies and see examples. For a summary of practical recommendations for effectively implementing OCTs in one's teaching, see CRLT's Occasional Paper No. 31: Teaching in the Cloud: Leveraging Online Collaboration Tools to Enhance Student Engagement.
Online Collaboration Tool Title Faculty Name & Discipline Course Type Links
Google Sites Providing Alternatives to Traditional Writing and Speaking Assignments with Collaborative Websites George Hoffmann
Romance Languages and Literatures 		Discussion Video
Blogger Increasing Student Interaction in a Large Course via Blogging Robin Queen
Linguistics 		Lecture Video
Blogger
Wordpress 		Blogging as a Way to Support Student Dialogue and Critical Engagement Melanie Yergeau
English 		Discussion Video
Example
Blogger Integrating Clinical and Classroom Learning Through Private Course Blogs Mary Ruffolo
Social Work 		Clinic
Blogger Blogging to Apply Disciplinary Concepts and Critically Analyze Current Events Scott Moore
Business 		Discussion Video
Box Improving Team Projects Through Cloud-Based Storage and Collaboration Melissa Gross
Kinesiology 		Studio Video
CTools wiki Coordinating Multiple GSIs Using a Course Wiki James Morrow
Political Science 		Lecture Video
Google Docs
Google Spreadsheets
Google+ Hangouts
Google Forms 		Managing a Large Course Using Google Apps Jeff Ringenberg
Engineering 		Lecture Video
Google Docs
Google Drawings
Google Forms 		Enhancing Small Group Discussions in a Large Lecture with Google Docs and Google Forms Mika LaVaque-Manty
Political Science 		Lecture
Google Docs Crowdsourcing Study Guide and Exam Question Development Using Google Docs Margherita Fontana
Carlos González-Cabezas
Dentistry 		Lecture Video
Poster of Evaluation Findings
Google Docs Facilitating Collaborative Peer Review of Student Writing Using Google Docs Brandon Respress
Nursing 		Discussion Video
Google Docs Practicing Disciplinary Critical Thinking Skills Using Google Docs Orie Shafer
Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology 		Discussion Video
Google Docs
Google Drawings
Google Forms 		Enhancing Small Group Discussions in a Large Lecture with Google Docs and Google Forms Mika LaVaque-Manty
Political Science 		Lecture
Google Drawings Improving Teamwork Through Online Synchronous Discussions Robin Fowler
Engineering 		Lecture Video
Google Forms Using Google Forms to Clarify Difficult Concepts in Large Courses Pamela Davis-Kean
Psychology 		Lecture Video
Google Docs
Google Spreadsheets
Google+ Hangouts
Google Forms 		Managing a Large Course Using Google Apps Jeff Ringenberg
Engineering 		Lecture Video
Google Docs
Google Drawings
Google Forms 		Enhancing Small Group Discussions in a Large Lecture with Google Docs and Google Forms Mika LaVaque-Manty
Political Science 		Lecture
Google Docs
Google Spreadsheets
Google+ Hangouts
Google Forms 		Managing a Large Course Using Google Apps Jeff Ringenberg
Engineering 		Lecture Video
Google Spreadsheets Fostering Inquiry-based Learning in Labs Using Google Spreadsheets Chad Hershock
Rachel Niemer
Biology and Chemistry 		Lab
Google Docs
Google Spreadsheets
Google+ Hangouts
Google Forms 		Managing a Large Course Using Google Apps Jeff Ringenberg
Engineering 		Lecture Video
Google+ Hangouts Holding Virtual Office Hours via Google+ Hangouts Joe Bull
Biomedical Engineering 		Lecture Video
Piazza Crowdsourcing Q&A to Engage Students: Efficiently Answering Students' Questions in a Large Course Trisha Wittkopp
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 		Lecture Video
Sitemaker Crowdsourcing Learning: Students Collaboratively Analyze and Annotate Course Materials Benjamin Paloff
Slavic Languages and Literatures & Comparative Literature 		Discussion Video
Wikipedia Editing Wikipedia to Improve Writing to a General Audience Anne McNeil
Chemistry 		Discussion Video
Example
Blogger
Wordpress 		Blogging as a Way to Support Student Dialogue and Critical Engagement Melanie Yergeau
English 		Discussion Video
Example