One TIP finding

I discovered that online collaboration (with Google Docs) had a similar positive effect on student performance as did offline collaboration.

The baseline data for student came from individual work. Students answered a free-response question from the College Board's Advanced Placement exams and were graded according to a standardized scoring guideline from the College Board. Each student's individual performance on a given topic was compared to the group performance on the same topic, as graded according to the appropriate scoring guideline.

The grade changes from individual work to group collaboration work for each student. However, students averaged a 16% increase in the online environment of Google Docs versus a 17% increase in the offline environment where only pencil and paper were used.

These results were determined over three testing periods of online collaboration and three testing periods of offline collaboration for each student. Stronger results could have been determined by utilizing more students and more testing periods, but the total AP class enrollment was seven students and instruction prevented allowing time for more testing.