Google Documents (Docs)

In many ways Docs is the entryway technology for Google Apps. Creating, sharing, and editing Google Documents is incredibly easy to do AND every staff member and student in the Grossmont Union High School District has access.

Cool Features:

• A full suite tools - word processing, presentations, spreadsheets, forms, and drawing
• Managed within Google Drive
• Access anywhere, on any machine
• Multi-person, simultaneous editing
• Saves automatically
• Teacher can track progress in real time
• Total document history
• Translation to many languages
• Ability to publish docs for all or some
• Share docs with others to view, comment, or edit
• Synchronous and asynchronous communication within a document
• Export and import Office documents, PDFs, and more

Ideas for Use

• Use it for all word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and drawing needs
• Publish documents, worksheets, etc. and link them to your class website
• Create templates for students to copy and complete
• Peer reviews of work - editing and comments
• Collaborative writing (essays, book reviews, vocab lists, stories, etc.)

Quick Activity

In your assigned row, write a couple ways that you do or could use Google Documents with your students.

Access the shared Doc here.

Key Logistics Questions - Using it in the classroom.

The follow are tips to help you manage your Google Docs and your student projects.

1. How can I manage my Google Doc files list? (Screencast)
2. Wait! Where are the docs and folders that are sharing with me? (Screencast)
3. Can I import my old Office files? (Screencast)
4. How about exporting to a PDF or Office file? (Screencast)
5. How do I share a document with just selected users? (Screencast)
6. How do I publish a document for everyone to see? (Screencast)
7. How do I share a template with my students? (Screencast)
8. How can I collect student work in Google Docs?
   • Method #1 - Individual (Screencast)
   • Method #2 - A class shared collection (Screencast)
   • Method #3 - Individual student folders (Screencast)
9. How can people interact within Google Docs and what can I do with those interactions?
   • Adding Comments and Discussions (Screencast)
   • Chat (Screencast)
10. What about naming conventions?
11. Your life will be a lot easier if you create some sort of naming convention. This will allow you to readily identify the student and assignment (and class if you have multiple sets of students).
12. I use: period_assignment_lastname --> 3_DBQ_McDowell