. Google Docs lets its users create, store, and share word processing documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and forms.
The best way to learn about the power of Google Docs is to watch this three-minute video:
Like Microsoft Office, Google Docs allows for creating a document from scratch or creating a document from a template. There are several things Google Docs offers that Microsoft Office does not.
First, I love having documents stored online. This way I can access them from any Internet-connected computer. It doesn't matter if the computer has Office installed or if it runs Macintosh, Windows, or Linux. It just needs to have a web browser. Storing online is superior for student use too. I work with schools that I visit every two weeks. After one visit the students were to continue writing scripts for a podcast. They happened to be writing their scripts on paper, so I lead a discussion on how best to keep the paper safe for two weeks. Unfortunately, after two weeks, not a single student in that classroom managed to keep the paper that long. That's when I decided that the scripts needed to be typed into Google Docs. This way it was impossible for students to misplace their work.
Another great feature of Google Docs deals with sharing. After creating their documents for their scripts, students shared the documents with me. I could easily log into my Google account and see each student's scripts from any computer anywhere. I could even view all of the past revisions and leave comments on the scripts. When it was time to grade their work, I did not have to collect any papers--their work was already listed on my computer.
Some school districts already have an arrangement with Google where the school district creates student accounts. If you don't teach in a district with an arrangement for Google Apps, creating student accounts for Google Docs can be a challenge. That's because in order to create an account, Google requires a unique email address for each new account. When signing up, Google sends a message to that email address to verify it. Google also uses that email address to send information if the password is forgotten. The problem is that students may not have an email address and even if they do, you probably don't want them accessing that email from school. Furthermore, you might not want to create an email address for students because their parents may not want their child to have one and it might be against your school's policies. (Do note that when creating a Goggle Docs account, you're actually creating a Google-wide account which includes Gmail email access.)
Here are some ways teachers deal with the Google Docs' need for an email address:
- Sign up using the Gmail login page instead of signing up for an account from the Google Docs login page. This allows users to create a Google account without the need for an email address. However, if a student forgets his or her password, there isn't an email address on file for resetting the password. You could have students put your email address as the Secondary Account so that when a password is forgotten, the reset link is sent to your email.
- Use a disposable email address. Services like MailCatch and Mailinator allow you to create temporary email addresses. These email addresses expire after a few hours, so they are perfect for verifying an account. However, since they expire, they cannot be used to reset a forgotten password.
- Use Gaggle.net email. Gaggle.net offers safe email for students. They offer subscription-based and free accounts. Signing up using Gaggle means that students have two sets of login information to remember: Gaggle's and Google's.
- Create a catch-all email account. Use GoDaddy to purchase a domain name ($10 per year) like ourschooliscool.net. Activate the free email that comes with a GoDaddy domain. Then follow these instructions to set up the email as a catch-all account. Once a catch-all account is created, anything sent to any email address at ourschooliscool.net is sent to the same email inbox. So, students sign up for Google Docs using an email address like jody@ourschooliscool.net. If a password needs to be reset, the email comes to the inbox for that catch-all email address.
If in doubt of your district's resources and policies for Google Accounts, be sure to check with someone in-the-know before proceeding. Really, once the account are set up, using Google Docs is a breeze and you'll wonder how you ever got along without it.
