All About Google Tools

Google is commonly associated with their popular web browser, but they have far more powerful tools that allow teachers and students to be able to

- Monitor online data.

- Take notes while browsing the internet

- manage photos
- Create collaborative maps

- monitor and participate in discussions
- publish videos

In addition, Google has gone the extra mile by providing  a teacher area  with teachers’ guides and exciting examples of classroom teachers using Google Tools to support the use of technology as a mindtool.

Get started with Google tools, by creating a google account to take advantage of all that google has to offer.

http://docs.google.com/Present?docid=dcf68xfb_40gf5j5r&invite=fwg7kqd

Creating a google account

http://www.google.com/ and click on SIGN IN

 

Google Docs, Spreadsheets & Presentations: 

http://docs.google.com

With a google account you can create documents, spreadsheets and presentations easily AND the collaboration features they have included allow multiple people to edit the same document at the same time. GREAT for the classroom because with the Revisions tab, you can even see which student contributed what).

Create, edit and upload quickly
Import your existing documents, spreadsheets and presentations, or create new ones from scratch.

Access and edit from anywhere
All you need is a Web browser. Your documents, spreadsheets and presentations are stored securely online.

Share changes in real-time
Invite people to your documents and make changes together, at the same time.

It's free
You don't pay a nickel.

 

Google Docs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRqUE6IHTEA

One neat trick is to send an invite to ONE PERSON cc yourself and then post the link to join a doc publicly.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN INVITE LINK...
I've shared a document with you called "All About Google Docs: Activity UM 08":
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcf68xfb_258cfg4bsd9&invite=pqsh65

It's not an attachment -- it's stored online at Google Docs. To open this document, just click the link above.
---


Google Spreadsheets (aka Google Forms)

Start with a blank Spreadsheet…go to share, ask others to fill out a form
Embedd these on wikis or anypage that accepts HTML code to give yourself even more flexibility!
Sample form: 

Google Presentations

Here's what you can do with presentations:

• Share and edit presentations with your friends and coworkers.
• Import existing presentations in .ppt and .pps file types.
• Export your presentations 
• Edit your presentations using our simple WYSIWYG editor.
• Insert images and videos, and format your slides to fit your preferences.

• Allow real-time viewing of presentations, online, from separate remote locations as well as the ability to use chat to communicate during a presentation.
  
• Publish and embed your presentations in a website, allowing access to a wide audience.

http://docs.google.com/Present?docid=dcf68xfb_40gf5j5r&invite=fwg7kqd

Check out these TEMPLATES for google docs, presentations & spreadsheets.

Google Calendar

Wouldn't it be great to be able to keep track of all the events in your life, coordinate schedules with friends and family, and find new things to do -- all with one online calendar? Perfect for creating school or class calendars--you can decide which calendars to view, which to publish, which to share, and they can be embedded and subscribed to as well.

http://snipurl.com/khcalendar

 

Picasa Web album

http://picasaweb.google.com/
Can also access under photos from your google account
http://picasaweb.google.com/kristin.hokanson/ICanTGo
Great way to create online slideshow
can also host images from other mac applications...keynote, comic life, etc...

Google Sites (aka google wiki)

http://sites.google.com

example of site created with embedable slideshow & form

http://sites.google.com/site/hokansonstuff/

This was ALL DONE by my 8 year old

Google Maps

http://maps.google.com
With a google account you can create & bookmark your own maps.  It is more than a search engine that finds local businesses, shows maps and directions. It's also useful to find content related to a certain place through mapplets or directly from the search box. Find photos, videos, books and maps from the web.

• Browse the directory
• Make a map
• Add photos from picasa album
• Share in your profile

OR use
SAMPLE

Google Sky
http://www.google.com/sky/

 

FOR PC ONLY   Google Earth can now be used from a browser, without having to install the full application.  Instead of the application, you need to install a plug in that only works in Firefox and Internet Explorer 6/7 on Windows -Kristin Hokanson 7/21/08 8:54 PM

Google Groups (can be used as a discussion forum)

http://groups.google.com/group/lwenglish2h-4

 

iGoogle & Google reader

What is RSS?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0klgLsSxGsU

Blogger

Google's Blog host is blogger. Check out my blog http://khokanson.blogspot.com

Google Notebook

http://www.google.com/notebook/fullpage#b=BDQyESwoQksPNxNUi

What is Google Notebook?
It is  a Web-based wordprocessor, accessible from any Internet-connected computer as long as the user is logged into their google account.  With the firefox addon this is great for any informal research on the web.
See this great video for an in depth how to.
Google Notebook Demo Video
MY NOTEBOOKS

Student Use
Students can use google notebook to take notes as they are searching..

How to use google Notebook
Log into your google  account
Download the browser extension
Restart your browser
As you surf, highlight the information 
click on the notebook browser extensionand it adds the content, web title and link to the current open notebook
Once a notebook is complete, it can be Exported to Google Docs to create a final product

Google Video

Video & YouTube - How can you argue with free video hosting? While you definitely have to keep its educational uses in check, I'll be the first to admit that I've used YouTube with my students