Google+Tools

=Google Tools Training=

Are you one of the millions of people with a gmail account? Have you heard about GoogleDocs yet? Google has created amazing online versions of popular wordprocessing, spreadsheet, and presentation tools. They allow users to share and collaborate on the creation of any sort of project that uses one of these traditionally desktop based tools. Have you heard about Google Calendars? Similar to GoogleDocs, GoogleCalendars allows you to create and share online calendars with others. Here is a great article from EduCAUSE entitled "[|7 Things You Should Know About Google Apps]."

To get started, you might enjoy visiting the [|GoogleGuide] website - a place where you can do interactive tutorials to learn more about Google's various features. Below you'll find links to resources that will help you to learn more about various Google Tools (sometime referred to as "Google Apps", and about ways to utilize them creatively in your work.

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How do GoogleDocs Work?
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Educators & Students talk
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Getting Started with Google
To use any of the Google Tools, you'll first need to set up an account with Google - think "email". Below are the steps for getting started with your gmail account.


 * 1) Go to [|www.google.com]
 * 2) Set up a gmail account for yourself
 * 3) Now when you go to Google, **sign in**
 * 4) You'll see links at the top of your main Google page to the various "tools" described here: Documents, Calendar, and iGoogle
 * 5) The rest is pretty easy - use the resources below to train on each of the Google applications you are interested in using!

GoogleDocs
Online versions of your favorite productivity tools (think Microsoft's MS Word, MS Exel, MS PowerPoint, or Apple's iWork: Pages, Numbers, or Keynote). The main difference with GoogleDocs is that the files are stored online, and allow you to share them with others who have Internet access. Your assigned users don't need to have any software to view or edit your documents. Below are links to online training documentation for each of the tools.


 * [|Documents] - from the GoogleDocs Help center, this page will walk you through the steps in learning to create a document and share it with others.
 * [|Spreadsheets] - from the GoogleDocs Help center, this page will walk you through the steps in learning to create a spreadsheet and share it with others
 * [|Presentations] -from the GoogleDocs Help center, this page will walk you through the steps in learning to create a presentation and share it with others
 * [|Forms (NEW!)] from the GoogleDocs Help center, this page will walk you through the steps in learning to create a form within a document and share it with others
 * [|Click here] to view Google Docs - Documents - Tutorials. (Atomic Learning Account Required)
 * [|Click here] to view Google Docs - Presentations - Tutorials. (Atomic Learning Account Required)
 * [|Click here] to view Google Docs - Spreadsheets - Tutorials. (Atomic Learning Account Required)

Google Calendars
Though not part of GoogleDocs, GoogleCalendars are a similar tool, with amazing sharing features as well. Below you'll find links out to training pages on how to use GoogleCalendars to improve your work.
 * [|Welcome to GoogleCalendar] - an overview of the tool
 * [|GoogleCalendar Tour] - just what the name implies
 * [|GoogleCalendar] from the help center, the place to go with your questions about GoogleCalendars
 * [|TeacherTube Video] - an explanation of how to set up a Google Calendar
 * [|TeacherTube Video] - instructions on how to embed your Google Calendar into a wiki or a webpage

iGoogle
Want a way to bring all of your "Google Stuff" together into one place? iGoogle is a type of online "desktop" solution to that very problem. It lets you easily see your gmail, your GoogleDocs, your GoogleCalendars, and even other items (e.g. GoogleMaps) you can add as "widgets". Below are resources to help you get started with iGoogle.

An overview of iGoogle
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 * [|iGoogle] - from the help center, steps to setting up your iGoogle desktop

Other Google Resources

 * [|Using Google Docs in the Classroom] - a great text based walk through how GoogleDocs can be used by teachers and educators, and how to set them up. Has linnks out to training documentation for the various processes.
 * [|GoogleApps Education Edition] - Google's documentation for their school-based edition of the products. Includes a video by Google, product demos, and training videos to help you determine of GoogleApps is the right tool for your school.
 * [|Google for Educators] - More training info. This Google site offers examples of how GoogleDocs can be used at various grade levels with students.
 * [|GoogleDocs Community on YouTube] - A place where GoogleDocs lovers have gathered together to aggregate the very best video resources on training with GoogleDocs
 * [|GoogleCalendar Community on YouTube] - A place where GoogleCalendar lovers have gathered together to aggregate the very best video resources on training with GoogleCalendar
 * [|GoogleDocs Help Center] - The first place to go when you have specific issues with or questions about GoogleDocs.