Google Apps is a set of applications that have become the technological backbone for many schools. Google Apps is a set of communication and collaboration tools that have been combined to provide a cohesive learning/collaborating environment. This environment has been created for both the K-12 and postsecondary levels.
Great thing about Google Apps for Education is that it is free. Schools can put a great deal of their IT communication and collaboration tools in The Cloud. This means that Google has to worry about how to keep your system running 24/7.
Presently the tools include:
Presently the tools include:
Communication Tools:
- Gmail
- Google Clendar
- Google Talk
- Google Wave
Collaboration Tools
- Google Docs
- Google Sites
- Google Video for Education
- Google Groups
This is just a quick posting to get the discussion going. Here are some resources you might want to use to learn more about it.
- Google Video on Google Apps (10 min)
- Google Apps opening page
- Improving School Communication with Google (Edutopia)
- Google Apps in Education Webinar (30 min)
- Google Apps for Education Overview (Kathy Schrock Article)
What about you?
Are you using Google Apps? How long have you used it? How has it changed your method of operations? What have been the advantages? What about the disadvantages? What other resources can you recommend?
I have used google apps since I started my master's program. Without the introduction to this serve I am not sure I would use it. Now, when someone tells me they are not familiar with Google Docs for some other app, I have to show them this great service right away.
ReplyDeleteI love the collaboration aspect of google. When I am creating documents for school or group projects, I automatically go to google to share and edit things simultaneously with my peers or professional colleagues.
I really like that ability of embedded google apps into my classroom webpage. This makes everything convenient for parents and community members.
I have used google apps since I started my master's program. Without the introduction to this service I am not sure I would use it. Now, when someone tells me they are not familiar with Google Docs for some other app, I have to show them this great service right away.
ReplyDeleteI love the collaboration aspect of google. When I am creating documents for school or group projects, I automatically go to google to share and edit things simultaneously with my peers or professional colleagues.
I really like that ability of embedded google apps into my classroom webpage. This makes everything convenient for parents and community members.
The Google Docs seem to be the saving grace of my Blogging assignments. When Blogger went down yesterday (or something on our network wouldn't allow it to work correctly) many of the students just copied their post to a Google Doc and shared it with me. Pretty simple.
ReplyDeleteDr. Z,
ReplyDeleteHere is yet another way to prevent me from having the excuse that I do not what something is (google apps) or how it could be useful. It will also help me to understand the system so that I can follow conversations of peers who use it.