Google+Docs

== I feel like I’m cheating a little using Google Docs as my first post but it is by far the Web 2.0 resource I use the most and so I had to do it!!

How to Access
Follow the link to create a Google Docs Account -→ HERE

Note: If you have a gmail account then you already have a Google docs account.

What is Google Docs?
For those who don’t know, Google Docs is a free tool offered through Google which allows for multiple users to create and edit a document, presentation, or data sheet in real time. It essentially takes collaboration to a new level. The applications to education are enormous… if you haven’t used it yet, you need to check it out!

Classroom Application
The classroom benefits to using Google Docs are numerous. First, it allows student groups to work simultaneously on a project both in class at out of school. No more trying to share access on the same computer or the classic "Our project is on Suzy's computer and Suzy is absent today!" (I get that one a lot!)

Google docs also allows the instructor to access a project completed by multiple students and view which group members contributed what content as well as make comments on the doc as a whole or individual components.

Finally, the ease of access can potenitally reduce paper consumption!! Go Green!

Sample Classroom Activity

 * In an effort to improve PSSA scores our school has begun promoting a form of group reading to encourage students to interact with a text. In this, a small group of students read a text and record questions/thoughts they have as they read. Questions range from misunderstanding of vocabulary to content specific questions. In addition, students record thoughts they may have which can be anything from items they find interesting, are curious about, find boring, etc...
 * Google Docs aids in this process by allowing students to see one anothers thoughts and ideas as they move through. In addition, the instructor can access student docs to find areas that may be causing difficulty for individuals or the entire group. This provides valuable input as to content areas which may need to be recovered or covered in more detail.

Getting to Know Google Docs
The best place to start is always good old Commoncraft Videos!!!

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So that tells us what it is… but now how to use it.
• From the start page Google offers a “tour” of Google Docs and some of its basic features including How to create Documents, Share and Collaborate, organize, and some more advanced features like sharing to Google Sites and Apps (another topic). • The interface is very similar to MS Word or PowerPoint, just with reduced functionality. If you can use Word or PowerPoint, you can use Google Docs! • Documents and Presentations you already have can be uploaded for storage or for editing in a collaborative environment.

Links to useful "How-To" Resources
[|Google Docs in the Classroom Simple as ABC]

[|Tips and Tricks]

So What are the Benefits?
• The most basic advantage is the ability to create, edit, and share MS Office files even if you don’t have office! You can create a Word Doc, view someone else’s, and even edit them using Google Docs. • Collaboration : This is the biggest advantage to using Google Docs. Multiple users can access and edit a document simultaneously. • Work Offline : Downloading and installing a small app will allow a user to edit Google Docs even without an internet connection.
 * Access details on how to do this HERE
 * NEW NEW NEW- Now you can use Google Docs as a storage site for ANY files, even images and music!

What are the Challenges?

 * The biggest challenge initially is organizing. The main Docs interface organizes in a similar fashion to iTunes where you have a main library listing everything you have, then subdivided “Playlists” or for Google Docs, Folders.
 * Folders work well in organizing.
 * NEW FEATURE!! Folders can be shared in addition to individual docs.

Here are teachers and principals talking about [|Google Docs]

Classroom activity_2. __Teaching Objective __: At the end of the lesson, students will be able to represent data using bar graphs, line graphs and circle graphs. __Lesson development __: I will organize the class in four groups of five. Each group will be asked to suggest some data that they can collect for analysis. For example one group may propose to collect data on their family income and expenditure and post it in a table on the Google Docs.
 * An introductory statistics class on graphing data using Google Docs. **

__The following table shows monthly income and expenditure for five families. __

 Each group will use features available on Google docs to do the following. (1) Using Web-based Spreadsheets students will collaborate in the following ways. - Entering data in the table - Sorting data - Formatting data - Plot simple graphs including bar graphs, pie chart, line graphs etc.   -  Compare work between groups and individuals
 * Household income per month || Monthly expenditure on food || Monthly expenditure on clothing and leisure || Monthly expenditure on housing ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">3,000 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">500 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">350 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">1,000 ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">4500 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">600 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">750 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">1400 ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">7800 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">1200 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">750 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">1800 ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">6500 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">800 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">550 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">1450 ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">5500 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">1000 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">1400 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">2500 ||

- <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">(2) Use presentation tools to carry out the following tasks. - To create a presentation of the analysis -format their presentations -insert text -insert video -insert table -import slide. (3) Each group will also collaborate to comment on the work of the other group. Finally each group will create a folder within Google docs and save their work.

One weakness of using Google Docs in math is that not all symbols and signs used in math are available.

See more [|help]