Google 101

Overview Google 101

  • What is Google? G Suite, Google Drive, Google Chrome?

  • How to sign into your Google account

  • How to access the G Suite applications

  • Locate Google Apps available in your account

  • Investigate Google Drive

  • Identify storage areas in Google Drive

  • Search for and locate files created by you or others

What Does "Google" Mean?

Does "Google" mean search the Internet? Does it mean a place to store documents in the "cloud?" If you have a Gmail account, do you also have a "Google Account?" The answer to all these questions is "YES!"

Google is a company that started as a search engine and to this day, many people use it as a verb to describe their Internet searches. Over the years, Google has branched out to provide many other products such as the Chrome Browser, an application that incorporates the Google search engine, and various applications incorporated into what is called "G Suite." These applications include ways to:

Connect with others -

  • Gmail (email provider, which by the way, we do not have with our Pasadena ISD accounts);

  • Calendar

  • Hangouts Chat (messaging)

  • Hangouts Meet (video conferencing)

Create documents -

  • Docs (like Word)

  • Sheets (like Excel)

  • Slides (like PowerPoint)

  • Forms (surveys and quizzes)

  • Sites (websites)

Access and Organize everything you create -

  • Google Drive (online cloud storage and document creation using all the applications above)

Many Other Apps That Aren't Part of the G Suite but Google Provides -

  • Google Classroom (assignment and resources for students);

  • Google Maps

  • YouTube (yes, even YouTube)

  • and more

How Do I Sign In?

As an employee of Pasadena ISD, you have been given a Google account. It was created using your Pasadena ISD email address and network password. If you have never logged in, follow the steps below.

  1. In your Chrome Browser, go to www.google.com

  2. Click Sign in at the top right *

  3. Enter your PISD email address

  4. Click Next

  5. Enter your PISD network password

  6. Click Next

  7. This will take you to the Google home page

  8. Once you have successfully logged in, you will see your Google Account icon at the top right.

*If you have a personal Google account, you may be signed into it. In this case, click the account icon and sign out before adding your Pasadena ISD account.

How Do I Access All the Applications?

Now that you are logged into your Pasadena ISD Google account, you should see a circle icon for your account and a group of nine dots called the "waffle" next to it.

  • Hover over the circle icon and you will see your name and email address. This lets you know what account your are using. If you have another Google account, you may need to switch accounts.

  • Click on the "waffle" and you will see all the G Suite and other apps available to you. Anytime you want to access one of the applications, just select the icon.

Where are the Applications Available to Me?

Use the "waffle" icon to select an application such as Drive, Docs, or Classroom. Any time you want to see the waffle again, open a new tab. If you don't see it, type "google.com" in the address bar.

Investigate Google Drive

As was mentioned before, Google Drive is a point of access to all documents stored in the Google online platform. Similar to Dropbox - another cloud storage provider - you can store documents locally and access them online or from another device. Open your Google Drive by clicking the "waffle" and then the Drive icon. If you have anything in your Drive, you will be able to:

  • Sort the documents by date or owner

  • View the documents by Grid or List

  • Other options to customize the view are in Settings

Identify Storage Areas in Google Drive

The default landing area of Drive is your own, personal space for storage. Generally, you will see that you are the Owner of the documents. If you are new to Google, you may not have much here.

However, because Google is a cloud storage solution, that means documents can be shared. Any documents that have been shared with you will appear in the "Shared with me" area in the left navigation menu.

Because you may have a lot of things shared with you that you don't need to access very often, items in the "Starred" menu are things that you have marked as a favorite and can easily access, no matter who they belong to.

Shared Drives are created so groups of individuals can collaborate and share documents that belong to the group - not an individual. You may create a Shared Drive and invite others or you may be invited to one.

Finding Files

Even though you can create folders and organize your own Drive neatly and orderly, there is no way to organize the "Shared with me" files - which becomes a problem when you want tvo find something. Using the Search feature. You can search by owner, file type, location, date modified, name - you get the picture!

Tutorials

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to learning about and using Google. If you would like to learn more...

Consider enrolling in one of PISD's Google-related eCourses:

Or check out these free tutorials from GCF LearnFree

Support

Contact the Innovation & Development Department for additional training and assistance!

If you have immediate questions or run into any difficulties accessing your account or applications, contact JohnT Powell at jpowell@pasadenaisd.org 713.740.5310 or Emily Bourgeois at ebourgeois@pasadenaisd.org 713-740-5305.