HyperDocs Connect Students to Expertly Curated Content & InspireCollaboration

Once upon a time, Chromebooks & Gogle Docs were Google certified laptops and word processors... But that was not collaborative and did not advance our mission of providing authenticically engaging and meaningful instruction. How might we get our students to share ideas, incorporate evidence, and even play off of each others insights in a way that promotes deeper learning and activating critical thinking?

The hyper doc is a steep in the right direction... It is more than a study guide--more than a worksheet. It is a repository of curriculum resources and student and insights.

Connecting hyperlinks to warm-up graphics help to extend the original lesson throughout the class period and into the next session.

In its simplest form, HyperDocs are Google Docs with connected hyperlinks that we may use to base our inquiry upon. These hyperlinks connect students to resources--such as primary sources and thought-provoking discussion topics in our learning module and links to digital media resources. There are very few limitations when it comes to using HyperDocs. You cannot embed a YouTube video in the document, but you can easily link to a playlist, video, or other expert sources.

A screenshot of a HyperDoc created to correspond with a look at the image of the happy housewife of the 1950s.

When a student selects the hyperlink writhin the document, it automatically loads the accompanying source: PDFs, digital media resources, additional Google Apps, etc. This makes it user friendly and saves time by pairing online resources in a way that students can use, access, and review. The onus is on the student, yes... And it is just good practice! If we want to help our students to succeed, we can equip them with smartly designed organizers and guides such as HyperDocs.

Once a student opens a HyperDoc, s/he can make a copy of it and share it with partners.

I like to organize the written content using tables: this is especially convenient for students working on their phones, as tables slide from left-to-right. This helps to preserve the integrity of the document while improving the functionality of the text box when working on a small screen. Perfect for working on the bus or in an environment where you don't want others to know that you are doing your schoolwork.

Shocked by this??? To some teens, taking free time to work on your school laptop is a pathway toward being a social pariah. "Playing on your cellphone", though, is perfectly acceptable. Don't judge... We were all teenagers once upon a time and we had formal and informal codes of conduct that we had to abide by.

A few thoughts on how interconnected learning helps us to stop sweating the small stuff:

Far too often, it's matters of organization that hold teens back from reaching their innate potential and keep them from finding academic recognition. Full disclosure-- I do not subscribe to the, "Well, these kids have to learn to take responsibility for organizing their materials..." lecture series. 

Please know that although organization is one of many skills that are prized among students, it does not necessarily translate into an accurate measure of a student's learning or capacity for understanding... 

Deductions on the basis of organization and an acute lack thereof do have a way of severely hampering students' overall scores, affect students' perception of themselves, and don't always build character in the desired way that a well-meaning teacher intends. I'm not saying that students do not need to work on this among many skills--but I would rather give students digital access to everything on demand and spend more time and energy on critical thinking and creative problem solving.

HyperDocs help to encourage meaningful collaboration--a free exchange of ideas and a way to free up students' time so they may devote more energy to building, making, and creating... It is a win-win!