Google Tools for Educational Research and Collaboration

Google for Educators (www.google.com/educators) and Google Labs (http://labs.google.com) include a wealth of free and powerful tools for educators. Google Tools help you streamline your Internet research, connect ideas, create hyperlinks, collaborate on documents, and much, much more.

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Getting Started with Your Brain

• Think about what are your hobbies, where do you like to go on vacation, do you have children, what is your job, what information would you like to learn more about
• Decide if you want to use today to improve your personal or professional life.
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Getting Started With the Technology

• So you think you know Google? Take this quiz
• Gmail Theater: Why Use Gmail?
• Create a Gmail Account at mail.google.com

Google Tools

1. Google Chat
2. Google Toolbar
3. Blogger.com - Blog about Gmail and Chat
4. Google Video - Find the Video "Pay Attention" - Use the Google Toolbar to create a Blog describing your reactions to this video.
5. Take the Google Quiz About Searching
6. Google Advance Search - Blog about Google Advanced Search 
7. Google Reader - Subscribe to your Blog
8. Google Scholar - Search for scholarly literature
9. Google Notebook - Blog about Google Reader, Scholar, and Notebook
10. iGoogle - Customize Away
11. Google News
12. Google News Alerts - Create at least three Google Alerts 
13. Google Labs - All things cool from Google 
14. Google Docs
15. Google Maps
16. Google SMS - Specify a topic and receive email updates when news breaks
17. Google Earth

Resources

1. Google Earth Hacks
2. Aircraft Tracking
3. Discovery Global Video Tours
4. Global Cloud Map
5. The Infinite Thinking Machine - Google's blog for Educators
6. Google Teacher Center - Google Group for Educators
7. The Good Earth by Amy Standen - Edutopia article on Google Earth classroom ideas
8. Google Earth Sightseer - (BBS and email newsletter)
9. 3D Modeling with Google Sketchup - (podcast)
10. Google Earth Community for Educators