Google Apps
The folks at Google point out that Google Apps help "increase efficiency, collaboration and engagement". I would add that the apps also help students to make their thinking visible, to be creative, to communicate their understanding and a whole lot more. The collaboration is truly huge especially when we extend the learning beyond the classroom walls to support blended learning.
Google engineers continue to develop new apps and improve current ones. What does this mean for us the users? It is exciting to discover new apps that can help us and our students. However, the nature of ever changing tools also means that we need to be ready to adapt in how we interact with the apps as their functionality and interfaces change. It can be frustrating at times but it is well worth sticking with apps as we sometimes need to apply our problem solving skills when using them. :)
The following are tutorials that you can review to find ones that best meet your needs. For the video tutorials note that you can select the bracket symbol in the bottom right hand corner of each video for a full screen view. You are experiencing blended learning when you have choice and control over time and place in which to learn. Over time you can save links to new tutorials and information sources thus building your own personal learning system and personalized approach to PD.
NOTE: The following tutorials are dated so look to do a search for newer versions.
- Collection of Webinars for Beginner and Intermediate Users: Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Forms, Spreadsheets, Presentations, Drawings, Sites and Maps.
- Chrome: Chrome is the browser provided by Google. It can be personalized with helpful extensions (built in tools) including access to flow charts, mind maps and many more tools. You can even set up Chrome to accept voice commands for searches.
- Docs Offline: Sometimes you work to work but are not connected to the Internet. This tutorial shows you how to work in Docs when offline.
- Drive: Drive can be a bit overwhelming especially in managing docs, spreadsheets, drawings, etc. This tutorial can help.
- Google Apps for Advanced Users: Webinar for users wanting to become fluent in using the apps.
- Google Classroom video tutorial
- Google Docs Workflow: Caitlyn Tucker, a leader in blended learning, provides tips in managing docs and folders with one's students.
- Google for Education Training Center: This new Google site offers vast numbers of tutorials on all the apps. It also provides a program of studies of the certification program.
- Google Slides by Ditch That Textbook: A rich listing of resources to make your slideshows more interactive.
- Overview of Google Apps for Education: A Google spokesperson shares the big picture view of the apps and how they can support teaching and learning.
- Richard Anderson's YouTube Tutorials: Richard provides short tutorials on a variety of ways to use Google Apps
- Sites Tutorials: A series of 5 tutorials to guide you through the process of creating a Web site with Google Sites. The first tutorial will start playing then you look to the right side to select tutorials 2-5.
- 32 Ways to Use Google Apps in the Classroom: A teacher and Google spokesperson offers multiple ways to use the apps. You also can watch the webinar version of the presentation.