How Google Docs Increases Productivity
The jury is out on this one. My favorite Google doc app is 'forms' or 'spreadsheets'. I use forms to create training surveys and feedback forms. I've also created a tech access survey for use district wide.
I find Google docs difficult to use in general because our district doesn't use google apps for education. As such, not everyone has a gmail account which makes collaboration difficult. It also creates a confusing layer of 'where did I create / store that document?' With the creation of Google Drive that should help. I'm hoping to see some integration with my #1 tool Evernote.
Google docs does help me in collaborating with outside entities. I get agendas and resources from the KISD, professional groups and others that I can take my own real-time notes in. In that way Google cloud offers an invaluable connection for me professionally.
That's why I chose the agenda template as my test here. I'm going to try to use this with my small team and see how it goes. Perhaps by testing these tools amongst ourselves we can begin to mount a larger campaign, leading to cost-saving and more convenient collaborative tools for the entire district.
Carol,
ReplyDeleteI also believe that your continued use of Google Docs in the district will highlight a need for creating a Google Apps for Education account. Is there any particular reason why your district hasn't signed up already?
I'm not sure there is a main reason. One thing is that we have been implementing Gaggle over the last couple of years. My understanding is that the district chose Gaggle over Google primarily because of the ability to offer a monitoring system.
ReplyDeleteGaggle is great...It's basically monitored Google with cybersafety tools and amazing real-time tech support meets edmodo. Which is fantastic training ground for teachers and kids.
However, we really do need an online collaborative space to manage workflow and we aren't using Gaggle for staff email.
Perhaps that should be my push...hmmm....thanks for getting me to think it through!