Google Docs: Updated Features


Guest post by Zach Johnson, Instructional Technology Team, MS Rep. 

Google Docs is a tool many of our students use on a daily basis. Google recently released new updates that make Docs more supportive of student learning and teacher productivity. Here are my favorite new tools: [TIP Sheet]

Emoji Reactions: Do you use an annotated reading strategy with your students? Next time, try it digitally in Docs using emoji reactions. Highlight a section of the text, choose the “add emoji reaction” icon on the right side of your screen, and choose an emoji. You can assign certain emojis to indicate “aha moments” or questions students might have. Watch the video to see how other teachers are using emoji reactions.

Checklists: Chunking projects and creating checklists is a common practice to support students with large projects or writing assignments. Docs have added interactive checkboxes that you can add directly to your digital projects. Choose the “checklist icon” from your toolbar, add specific tasks, and assign the project to students. This will help them stay organized throughout your project. Watch the video to see how you can incorporate interactive checklists. 

Shortcuts: Digital projects often require several documents and websites. Instead of posting all of these on Google Classroom, you can now embed them easily in Docs. Type the @ symbol in your Doc and a dropdown menu will appear with several options:

  • People: This allows you to add someone from your contact list to a Google Doc
  • Dropdown: Create a custom drop-down menu. Watch the video to see how other teachers are using this tool.
  • Files: Insert a direct link to files in your Google Drive. This could be specific readings or documents students need for a project or assignment.



Shawn Brandt
Director of Technology Integration | sbrandt@isd721.org | 952.758.1709

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