Google Drive Basics

Google Drive is the place that all the files are hosted. Just like the main hard drive of your computer, except the extra junk and it's online.

You can pick up any of your files that you have put on Google Drive from anywhere.

Search

At the top of the screen is a search bar. It has the ability for you to search by type, owner (if it is shared or not), location, etc. This is particularly helpful it you know it was a video clip of your students doing a skill from last week but you can't remember what the file name is.

In the top right corner of the screen this icon appears. If you click it, it allows you to switch between list view and grid view for your files and folders.

Side bar

The side bar on the left hand side will automatically go to the My Drive setting.

Priority - ones that are mostly used or commonly used.

Shared with me - Files and folders that are shared with you by other users.

Recent - Files and Folders that have been opened recently.

Starred - Files and folders that have been starred. Starred folders are best to be ones that are important or ones that you refer to often.

Trash - the Recycling bin or where deleted files go.

Storage in a Google Education account (which teachers and students have) we have unlimited storage.

Creating Folders

To create a folder press the new button at the top of the Google Drive screen. Then click folder. It will ask you to name the folder. Name it and then click create.

Folder organization

In a folder you have many ways that you can organize a folder. By clicking on the folder name you will see your options. We will go through the options below.

If you click Rename it will allow you to rename the folder.

You can change the colour of the folder if you like having things colour coded. This is particularly helpful and when you are putting things in folders for differentiated groups, or for different subjects.

You can download a folder and it will download it and the contents into a zipped file.

Move to

You can move the folder to a different location in Google Drive if you feel it isn't where it fits that best or need to move it. Be careful when doing this as if it is a shared folder, it may disable the sharing, or limit the contents, especially if it is a folder within a folder.

If you click Move to it will prompt you to pick where you would like it moved to.

You can also at the bottom of this create a new folder. This is helpful if you are planning on embedding this folder within another folder.

You have the ability to share folders by sharing it directly with that person's email. This is good for those who are only sharing content with a specific person. On the pen on the right hand side, you can also pick to allow the person you have shared it with if they can only view the contents or if they can organize, add and edit the contents. It will default to organize, add and edit. You have to pick the latter for it to change. You type the person's email into the box. They will see it in their Shared with Me folder and it will also send them an email.

You can also create a link to make into a shortened link or a QR code for students.

You do this by clicking Get shareable link on the options. This by default will go to the only sharing with those within our domain (O'Chiese Education Authority). If you click Sharing settings this will pull up options. If you want it to be public and made into an accessible space that any students or staff can access make it Public on the web or if you want it to be less open but only allow the person with the link, which is just a little more secure then pick Anyone with the link. Either do not require a person to login in with their Google account to access it.

The strictest form of sharing is the default where it is limited to those who you have emailed it directly and shared it with them.

Uploading Files & Folders

In Google Drive as it is a cloud based file service you can upload files for them to be backed up there. Certain file formats such as Word documents and PowerPoints can be opened with Google Docs and Google Slides to be worked on and saved there.

To upload a file press New and then File Upload it will by default open one of your most recently used file folders and display individual files that can be uploaded. If you want to upload more than one file at a time hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and click the specific files you would like to use.

If you have a whole folder of content to upload click Folder upload

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