Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Google Docs- Teacher's in Digital Age need to know!

Google is much more that just a search engine it is an entire resource of information management. Teachers and students can benifit by exploring the many new features of Google. Here are some of my favourite features (so far)
1. IGoogle- customize your search page with all your favourite site feeds.
2. Google Reader - Any one that has an area of interest that they are passionately seeking to learn more about need to set up a reader. Information comes to you. I think this is the single best form of professional developement since my last formal graduate course.
3. Google Forms- Excellent for gathering primary data, evaluations, surveys etc, easy to make and automatically go into a spread sheet. Easy to post on website, blog, or email links directly to those you want to complete the survey.
Here is an excellent resource on how to use Google Forms in classroom.
http://tbarrett.edublogs.org/2008/08/23/10-google-forms-for-the-classroom/

4. Google Docs- ducuments, presentations and spreadsheets with a free program and that can be easily shared and posted to websites, develope your work, docs, presentations with others in collaboration or securly kept your items private.
5. Google geers -allows you to view files and work off line.

I teach high school but am totally impressed by the younger generation and how they are using these new tecnologies. Here is an wonderful example of how grade school students in New Zealand are using Google docs in the classroom.



Check out this web site to find out more about Google forms and educational uses in Virgina. http://www.vaopenclassroom.org/

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