GOOGLE app DISCUSSIONS
Google introduced these features back in 2011 and announced them with a great video. They've updated their interface with more attractive buttons and some new extras since then, but the basics remain the same.
New-er Interfaces
'Discussing' in Google Docs/Sheets
Getting Started
✎ Start here to learn about Google Docs: Because Google updates things so often, it's best to just look at their help pages (which are great and always up to date) for support with these things. The other best option is to just experiment with Google Docs a bit on your own. It's pretty intuitive, so a little bit of practice and you'll be all set. (This process is identical for Google Sheets.)
- Overview of Commenting & Discussing
- Overview of Making Suggestions
"Editing files in real-time with others is a great way to work together across the Docs editors, and many of you asked for the ability to suggest changes in other peoples’ documents, rather than making edits directly. Now you can do just that with Suggest Edits in Docs. Make suggestions that can be accepted or rejected with a single click. And when you convert a Word file to Docs or vice versa, your tracked changes will convert as well." - Excerpt from the Official Google for Work Blog
"Discussing" using Google Slides
Overview of the Process
(If you're doing these for class your professor may share and give you access to the document instead of you needing to create it.)
"Just create a [doc/slides/spreadsheet], give everyone edit access and write [it] together (and leave your thoughts and opinions with suggested edits & comments). When it’s ready to go, you can publish it and share a link, or go old school and print and mail it out." - Excerpt from the Official Google Drive Blog
Live Chat in Google Drive Items
If others are accessing a Google Doc/Slides Presentation/Spreadsheet at the same time that you are you can open a live chat window to chat with them directly.
Tips + Bonus Features
Work on Any Device
"We created new mobile apps for Docs, Sheets and Slides across Android and iOS, where you can edit your documents, presentations and spreadsheets on the go. While working in the cloud means you have access to your documents on any of these devices, you can still access or create documents even if you don’t have a data or WiFi connection." - Excerpt from the Official Google for Work Blog
Work with ANY File (in Google Drive)
2.3 Uploading a video (or anything) to a Google Doc
"You come across all types of files all day. The last thing you want to worry about is what software you need in order to view or edit these files. For this reason, we made it so you can open and edit Office files directly in Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, on your desktop, phone or tablet." - Excerpt from the Official Google for Work Blog
Add Functionality
"Add-ons for Docs, Sheets and Forms are tools created by developers that help you do those extra things you need help with, whether it’s printing mailing labels or adding MLA-approved citations, right from your document." - Excerpt from the Official Google for Work Blog
Use with helpful devices (screen readers, etc.)
"Across Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings and Forms, it’s much easier to use a screen reader, with better text-to-voice verbalization and improvements to keyboard navigation. You can now use braille support to read and enter text in Docs, Slides and Drawings. And you can collaborate easier with others in Docs, Sheets, Slides or Drawings because screen readers announce when people enter or leave the document, and you’ll hear when others are editing alongside you." - Excerpt from the Official Google for Work Blog
This idea was in part inspired by Meghan Duffy's in class use of Google Docs for Discussions.