Kent ICT Blog

Collaborative writing with other people can be a very productive and fun way to produce/edit all forms or writing. Online document collaboration has changed the way how teachers and their students share and edit documents with more than one person being able to access and make changes to the same document, up until now this feature has been very popular in Google Docs.

Etherpad is an online collaborative text-editing application that, like Google docs, does not require downloading or installation of any software packages. However, unlike Google docs there is no registration and you can see changes made instantly.

How to use Etherpad

Simply click “Create a Pad” on the homepage and you will open a new editing session. Just like Flashmeeting, you can then copy and send the URL of the session to whoever you would like to join the session.

e.g.

Each person is assigned a different highlight colour thus making it is easy to see who has typed what. Each person can also write simultaneously and the text is updated in real time.

 Click on the link below to read more about Etherpad and ideas for using it in the classroom

http://www.kented.org.uk/internet/etherpad/

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How did I come across Etherpad?
Etherpad is yet another great resource I have discovered via my Twitter network of teachers. Twitter  is a social networking site that has given me access to the most creative, influential, and innovative minds the world has to offer. Through Twitter, I have been able to share and gain ideas and resources for use in the classroom, with other educators from around the world.

Why not come and join us? http://twitter.com/mbarrow