One Stop Shop for Docs (Thing 19)

Apparently Google just does it all.  Search engine, blogs, reader, docs!  The list could go on and on.  This semester is the first time I've used Google Docs before.  My first experience using Google Docs was signing up for a topic for a class assignment.  I had never used Google Docs.  The collaborative element of using Google Docs was different, but really simple!  I really like how there can be several editors and contributors for one document.

After exploring Google Docs for a little bit, I found it pretty simple to use...very similar to Microsoft Word.  There were some features that Word has that Google Docs doesn't.  I found that to be a little frustrating.  I could easily create my document in Word and then upload it to Google Docs if necessary.  Also, I noticed,  when I uploaded some documents into Google Docs, they didn't look exactly the same.

There are several ways that Google Docs could be for classroom learning and professional productivity.  The first thing that came to mind was the team newsletter.  Each week, I create a parent newsletter for the use of the entire grade level.  Sometimes, I have to send out a team e-mail asking for ideas for the newsletters or dates to include.  It would be simple to create the newsletter in GoogleDocs.  Then, invite the rest of the team to contribute to the newsletter.  It would also help with fixing simple typos and errors.

I also like the idea of using Google Docs as a "flash drive on the move."  I recently had a flash drive break that held important documents.  My flash drive still doesn't work, but luckily I had backed up some of the documents on my computer.  Google Docs is a great place to store your documents.  Not only are they easy to access from anywhere, but there is a comfort in knowing that they are in a safe place. 

The form feature of Google Docs could have a lot of great uses.  It would be a great way to survey parents.  You could easily post the link of the form on your blog or school website.  Then, parents could access the form through the link.  It would probably be an easy way to collect parent contact information during Sneak A Peak as well.  I found the form feature to be a little tricky to use, but, if I had a little more time, I think it would be very easy to use.

Google Docs can also be a great way to share resources.  Here is a simple worksheet I created to help my students practice adding and subtracting mixed numbers.  It is pretty basic, but other teachers could find it beneficial.  Other teachers can edit the problems to best meet the needs of their students.
Adding/Subtracting Mixed Numbers Worksheet