Google Docs Breakout Session

Today’s breakout sessions began with a bang! From iPads to networking, the specialists and guest speakers covered a wide gamut of technology areas. I had the pleasure of attending Technology Integration Specialist Jen Legatt’s session entitled “Collaborating with Google Docs”. The session is labeled for beginners, but as a self-proclaimed Google vet, I was able to gather even more tips and tricks on how to most effectively use this tool.

Jen’s session covered the basics of Google Docs including how to create, format, and share a Google Doc, and how to write on someone else’s document.

A Google account links a number of various applications, which allow for efficient organization and collaboration. Each session attendee used a Google account to access the Documents application. Jen explained that Google in fact recently renamed “Docs” to “Drive” in order to compete with Dropbox by sharing all file types, rather than simply be limited to documents. You are now able to create and utilize a Word document, PowerPoint presentation, Excel spreadsheet, and more.

One relevant pearl of wisdom related to best practices for naming a Google Document. Jen shared that having students share their assignments with you through Google Docs can inundate your Google homepage, unless you come up with an efficient organizational naming system. She suggests having students name their documents by class hour, last name, first name, and assignment assignment. For example, “5_Legatt_Jen_Shakespeare Essay”, would allow you to alphabetize and sort by class period, student, and assignment.

We are all eager to hear tips and tricks you all learned in your individual breakout sessions! Whether you were in Jen’s session with me, or any of the others, please share your favorite points- either in the comment section here, or in your own post!