GVSU GMail Accounts

Google Docs and Sites Features




Google Docs (also refered to as Google Apps) is a Web 2.0 tool known as "Software as a Service" (SaaS).  Google Docs is a great example for introducing users to the concept of Web 2.0 while providing for very convenient to use software!  As you are storing your applications and data 'in the cloud', Google Docs makes them easy to use and share for both individual work and group collaborations.  The following Flash demo is well worth a few minutes of your time to see how you and your students can benefit from using Google Docs:  http://services.google.com/apps/resources/overviews/welcome/topicDocs/index.html

As upgrades to the software are transparent to the user, it is very beneficial to look for the red New Features! link in the upper right corner of the screen.  It will be for all of Google Docs and sometimes it is just within one of the applications.

All the applications fall under the title of Google Docs, but they each have a specific purpose and are well aligned with their Office Suite relatives (Open Office, Microsoft Office, etc.)


Google App Name Type of App Link to Help Site
Documents Word Processing http://docs.google.com/support/bin/topic.py?hl=en&topic=15114
Spreadsheets Spreadsheets http://docs.google.com/support/bin/topic.py?topic=15115
Presentations Presentation Graphics http://docs.google.com/support/bin/topic.py?topic=15116
Drawings Draw application http://docs.google.com/support/bin/topic.py?topic=28131
Sites Overview
 http://www.google.com/sites/overview.html

Web Page Development and Hosting http://sites.google.com/support/?hl=en

GVSU naming and agreement http://www.gvsu.edu/it/ Click on Students then Sites

Sites can be used very well for ePortfolios.  Dr. Helen Barrett has assembled a "how to" to get started! http://sites.google.com/site/eportfolios/
   

Folders can be used to tag and organize work with convenient and exciting color-coordinated labels. Content can be used in more than one area, so if you are unsure of sure which folder to put the content in, put it in two!  This will not increase your storage use or cause the file to become a duplicate (unless you choose File>Make a copy...).

The Calendar feature is easy to use and has many features including sharing with other users, importing calendars (example holidays, sports teams, weather and any user created calendars) and, along with the rest of your GMail account, can be synchronized with desktop or mobile personal information managers. 


Page last modified October 27, 2010