PE4_Google_docs

I chose Google docs as my RILS for several reasons; 1) My school district chose Google docs to implement in all the schools, 2) I took tech training this summer and learned a little about Google docs and could see the benefit, 3) I have used it several times in the courses I have taken and have been amazed at how user friendly it is, and 4) I believe it will be an asset for my students to collaborate on their science fair project. I went to Lynda.com and low and behold there was an essential training for Google docs. I hope you enjoy the tour.

I knew that you could share documents and spread sheets, what I did not realize was the ability to share presentations, drawings, and forms. I also did not know that you could use Google docs to store your files without changing the formatting.


The ease of being able to insert links and images will be very appealing to my students. You can link to websites and emails to give more information or to be able to send an email quickly. Inserting images can be accomplished in three different ways. You can upload the image, you can drag the image into the document or you can type in a URL of an image, make sure you have the rights to use any image you put in your documents.

In the spreadsheet area you can import your .xls spreadsheets you just won't be able to edit it unless you convert it to Google docs. You can export your Google docs spreadsheets back to an .xls spread sheet if you need to. The formatting in the spreadsheet is decent, there are not as many choices in formatting as in Excel. I think it is adequate for what my students will be doing. Adding or removing columns or rows is simple with a couple of clicks of the mouse. Formulas in Google docs are very similar to Excel in the way they are set up. The function help button will give you tutorials on how to set up functions in the spreadsheet, this will help my students as they put their data together. Customizing the spreadsheet chart seems to easier in Google docs than in Excel.

It seems as if the students will be able to maneuver through the document and spreadsheet portion of Google docs ease. Come back and visit as we travel through the remainder of the Google docs training.