I chose to discuss Google Docs. Google Docs came on to the scene in 2006. It is an online collaborative tool for documents. It allows people to edit documents together online. Documents may include Word, spreadsheets, presentations, drawings and forms. Users have to have a Google Account to use this service. Each user can have 1 GB of space (Google, 2010). Some other benefits include the advantage of sharing work and being able to access your work from anywhere. This is a good benefit to have in education and especially distance learning. Google Docs is also integrated with Blogger which is another service provided by Google.
Even though the advantages are numerous, there are a few issues with Google Docs, one being that you have to have Internet access to work with the documents. Google Docs also has less features than Microsoft Office and space is limited on the server because of the vast number of Google Accounts. The technology probably would be better if it incorporated more features.
These are links to information on Google docs:
http://www.docs.google.com/
http://edutech.msu.edu/online/GoogleDocs/GoogleDocs.html
http://www.docs.google.com/
http://edutech.msu.edu/online/GoogleDocs/GoogleDocs.html
References
Google Docs. (2010). Retrieved June 7th from http://www.docs.google.com/
Carol,
ReplyDeleteGoogle is the best, right? It is apart of my daily life now. I use it for directions, searches, spell check - ha! A friend of mine's house got flooded during recent floods, and she posted a list of needed supplies on Google Docs. It was a convient way to check off supplies that people bought so she would not get duplicates. It can obviously be used for educational purposes, as well as many, many more!
Nice post!
ReplyDeleteGoogle docs has been adding an interesting spin to the OpenSource movement and the Web 2.0 environment. When an application is free and also available through any computer that has a web browser, it opens up a whole array of options for access in the online education student. Several of the key excuses students give for not doing homework is lack of internet access, I left my homework at home or work, and was not able to get to it, or my power is out. With Google docs and a netbook, smartphone, or a borrowed computer, you can overcome these and more problems by posting discussions and participate in class for credit or do complete assignments.
On a trip you can generate post ahead of time and store them in Google docs and using a hotel’s business center computer, which usually has a time limit on its use, you can submit you work.
To keep up with what’s new in Google docs, I found this site interesting.
http://www.google.com/google-d-s/whatsnew.html
Ginger Harper