Google Docs Fundamentals

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Google Docs Fundamentals Authors Note In this issue we look at the fundamentals for using Google Docs. Along the way we’ll explore some of the things that are essential for using any word processing application. The lessons we learn here can be applied to any document and should set the standard by which you and students begin to create documents. These are the skills we all need to be aware of and use regularly. The typewriter as a writing instrument has disappeared from the scene for several years now, but we still cling onto some of those old standards for creating documents. I’m often surprised to see students using skills meant for the typewriter. Most students have probably never seen a typewriter in person or touched one. They probably picked up these skills from a teacher that learned to type using a typewriter. Back then many of us were fortunate enough to learn to use the typewriter and learned skills we used in one way or another over the years. Our students are not as fortunate. They don’t attend classes for word processing skills. Sure, many students probably use some software for keyboarding, but keyboarding is not the same as using a word processor. When we learned to use the typewriter, we learned the various rules needed to create a properly formatted document. In the lessons for this issue we will learn some of the proper formatting rules for documents when using a word processor. Those rules are similar to the ones used on a typewriter but with slight changes and variations. We’ll learn about fonts, spacing after punctuation and formatting of paragraphs. As teachers we feel we need to be experts, but that is far from the truth. Learn along with your students. Put them to work. Act as their guide and be aware of what can be done with technology. – Alex Reyes Designed by Freepik.com 1 Digital Maestro
Google Docs Fundamentals What is Google Docs? Google Docs is part of your free gmail account. Google and Gmail is more than a search engine and email. Google provides an array of free tools for productivity, entertainment and learning. Google docs has free apps that fit neatly into productivity and education. Most of the tools that are used in business and productivity can be used in education by students and teachers. Google Docs is a word processor and part of a collection of free apps that includes spreadsheets and presentations. These apps are all cloud services. Cloud services are applications and storage provided by companies like Google. This means the applications and storage are managed by the company and we can use it on any device that has access to the Internet. This is very true for Google Docs. There are many advantages to cloud services like Google. The major advantage is that Google takes care of managing the applications. They regularly update the applications. They also take care of managing your documents. The documents are stored on their computers and they take care of securing them so they are not lost or damaged. Documents in the cloud also provide several advantages. These include the ability to share and collaborate. You might think that needing an active Internet connection to work on documents might be a major drawback. Of course it’s not, because Google provides applications that can be installed onto most mobile devices. Mobile devices include tablets, smart phones and Chromebooks. Applications allow you to create and edit documents if you have an Internet connection or not. When there isn’t an Internet connection, the applications saves your document on the device. This next part is the beauty of services like Google Docs. Once you are connected to the Internet, the documents are automatically sent to the cloud. A copy remains on the device to edit. Changes are regularly synced to your cloud storage. If you work on the same document with another device or computer, the changes are automatically available on all devices connected to your account. Cloud syncing provides advantages when sharing documents. We’ll learn more about sharing later. Cloud syncing also has advantages in collaboration. Collaboration is one of the important tools I will spend time talking about later. Why should we use Google Docs in the classroom? You should use it for all the reasons I just wrote about. In addition, you should use it to make your life easier as a teacher. How can Google Docs make your life easier? That is what we will explore in this issue. You should use it because it will engage your students. Students are engaged by meaningful and purposeful learning. Developing and creating provide avenues for meaningful learning. This process engages higher levels of Blooms and deeper levels of Depth of Knowledge. Digital Maestro 2
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