Five: Online Productivity Tools ~ MORE GOOGLE!!!

THIS ASSIGNMENT IS DUE MARCH 16!

The availability and use of online productivity web-based applications (think word processing and spreadsheets) has exploded over the past several years! These powerful applications provide users with the ability to create and share documents over the internet without the need for installed desktop applications. Some experts speculate that this emerging trend may mean the death of Microsoft Office and other software-based productivity tools, while others think web-based applications have their place. No matter which side of the office suite platform you side with, you can't argue the benefits of these tools!

One large benefit to web-based applications is that they eliminate the need to worry about different software versions or file types as you email documents or move from PC to PC. Another bonus is that they easily accommodate collaboration by allowing multiple users to edit the same file and provide users the ability to easily save and convert documents as multiple file types (including HTML and pdf). You can even use many of these tools to author and publish posts to your blog.

It’s this type of integration with other web 2.0 tools that also makes web-based apps so appealing. For this assignment, you will take a look at a web-based word processing tool called Google Docs.

Google Docs is an easy-to-use online word processor, spreadsheet and presentation editor that enables you and your students to create, store and share instantly and securely, and collaborate online in real time. You can create new documents from scratch or upload existing documents, spreadsheets and presentations. There's no software to download, and all your work is stored safely online and can be accessed from any computer.
Take a look at this:



Google Docs in Plain English

Other Google Docs Resources:

Overview for Educators (Made use Google Docs presentation tool)
Google Docs: The Basics
Google Docs: Tips and Tricks

How Students and Teachers can use Google Docs

Google Docs sharing features enable you and your students to decide exactly who can access and edit documents. You'll find that Google Docs helps promote group work and peer editing skills, and that it helps to fulfill the stated goal of The National Council of Teachers of English, which espouses writing as a process and encourages multiple revisions and peer editing.

Teachers are using Google Docs both to publish announcements about upcoming assignments and to monitor student progress via an interactive process which allows you to give guidance when it might be of maximum benefit – while your student is still working on an assignment. Through the revisions history, you can see clearly who contributed to what assignment and when; if a student says he or she worked on a given project over the last two weeks, it will be documented (no more "dog ate my homework" excuses)

Students will find that Google Docs can help them stay organized and keep on top of their assignments. They never have to remember to save their work; it happens automatically. It's easy to collaborate online with fellow students, even when they aren't in the same place, and they can get feedback easily from teachers, parents, relatives and tutors, and enter updates anytime from anywhere. And kids can go back to the revisions history to see how their assignment has evolved, and who has helped.





Teachers and Principals Talk about Google Docs



Assignment: Now that you know a little about Google Docs, let's do some collaborating. You received an email from me inviting you to collaborate with me via Goolge Docs. As a class, we are going to write an article and create a presentation about Web 2.0 tools. So, here are your directions:



1. Visit this site to discover some fun web 2.0 tools: Web 2.0 Award Winners . Explore a few that you think are interesting. (Scroll down to see categories...and even further to see a description of each site, by category.)



2. Now, visit the Google Docs link(s) that you were sent via email.(You will have to use your Google log in information.) Take a look at what your classmates have written and created. I have written the opening paragraph and created the opening slide.




3. Then, choose one of the web 2.0 tools you explored and:

• Add a paragraph or more to the article about that particular tool. ( *It does NOT have to be related to education but please choose one that has not already been written about.) In your paragraph(s), explain what it is, why you like it and how it would be used. Remember that none of us may have heard of it before...so be sure to make your description clear...make us want to visit the site.
• Add a slide to the presentation document about the Web 2.0 tool you selected. Keep it simple. Here's a link to a Google Docs: Presentation Help page if you need it: Presentation Help You will notice in the Presentation tool that you can add links, video, images, etc, so be creative!
  
• Look at what others have written and created. Make changes as you feel necessary.

When we are finished, we will have an article and a presentation which describes nine Web 2.o tools! All of this....without ever seeing one another! Have fun with it..can't wait to see the finished products.

DON'T FORGET TO POST TO YOUR BLOG AND THE CLASS BLOG ABOUT GOOGLE DOCS!