Google Docs- Getting Started

Hey everyone, I am back. It is a great morning, mainly because I am finally seeing the sun shine. We have had tons of rain here in Central Minnesota over the past week plus. I know the city of Duluth is facing some crazy obstacles with all of the flooding and washouts.

Ok, now on to Google Docs. I would not say I am an expert by any means, but over the past year or two, I have seen the many benefits and tools that this site has to offer and have become more and more familiar. First of all, getting started started with Google is very simple. I would first create a GMAIL account. All of our students at Verndale High School have a gmail account, which enables us as teachers to communicate with them very easy (we have one as well). Instead of using a personal email or our school email, we use GMAIL and everyone in our building can share files and information very easy using the same email service.

Now what is Google Docs? Google Docs is a service that allows you as a user to create/edit/store/share information using multiple tools. What is great about this is you can share your information with someone by simply adding them to your document that you have created. There is no more saving documents in a folder on your desktop and adding it as an attachment to an email (ever had a file too big and cannot add it?). Or maybe you have received an email from someone who was supposed to attach the document and lo and behold, they forgot to attach it!! I can simply click on share and add joeshmo@gmail.com and my colleague or student can view the information at the click of a button. If I am working with that person on this document or presentation, I can allow them to have editing rights, and then they have the power to edit and change the information.

If you are familiar with Microsoft Office, this is basically a waterdowned version of that. You do not have access to ALL of the tools that an Office would provide, but if you want to save yourself $150+ big ones, this might be for you. You can create Documents, Presentations, Spreadsheets, Forms, Drawings, and Tables. It truly is a great tool that will only continue to get better.

I think that is a good start to learning more about Google Docs and getting started with it. The best advice I have is go to Google and educate yourself through trial and error.

Here is a video that can help you, but BEWARE, this video will not provide you with extreme entertainment, but it will help walk you through getting started. Have fun and good luck. We will visit more later.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBh8bMC7XEU