Google Docs ~ Word Processing Features

• Google Documents can't be cut and pasted into Microsoft Word—without the formatting getting all messed up, along with the font, size of the letters, and a lot of other stuff.
• Excellent Workaround--instead of copying, go to "File" and choose "export as Word." This will preserve your formatting and save the document in a Word format.

• Word count feature is located in the FILE drop down menu
• Word counts are slightly different in Google Documents than in Word
• Google is a bit more lenient on what constitutes a separate word
• Most schools and jobs will go by what Word says, so be sure to export to word if word count is important!

• Defaults for documents can be set to select the opening font, line spacing and background color.
• Located under FILE→ Document settings

• You can invite viewers, or collaborators (send them an e-mail invite OR not)
• Once multiple users are working with a document, hit the "Revisions" tab to track all the revisions and roll back unnecessary changes
• With multiple collaborators working at once, it is best to simply “refresh” rather than SAVE. (could “wipe out” others work)

• Click the star next to a document name in the folder view to highlight that document as important.
• Stars help prioritize documents when you have a lot of projects going
• Click on the star at the top of the column to bring “starred’ documents to the top of the column

Shortcuts for Google Docs

Google Docs ~ Spreadsheets Features

Toolbar

• add bold and italics
• change font size and family
• align text
• wrap text
• add charts
• change cell alignment
• merge cells horizontally in selected rows
• insert or delete rows and columns
• add borders

Working with Formulas

1. Double click on an empty cell
2. Click on the Formula tab
3. Choose formula from those shown
4. See additional formulas by clicking "More"

Sorting

• With the Sort tab, you can do the following:
  Freeze rows: Click the Sort tab. Use the Freeze header rows drop-down to select up to 5 rows at the top of the current sheet that you want to remain unsorted.
  Sort your data: Use your cursor and select the cell that you want sorting to start in. Next, click the Sort tab, and select either A->Z (ascending order) or Z->A (descending order). The Sort feature will order all rows of a spreadsheet, except any "frozen rows," using the column or the currently selected cell (or the first cell in a range, if a range is selected).

• To use the sortbar feature: Simply place your cursor in the gray box at the top of any column. The orange Sortbar appears. Click the arrow at the far right of the Sortbar and select a specific sort order for the data in that column.

Sharing

1. From the doc, click the Share tab in the upper-right corner of the document.
2. Enter the email addresses of the people or mailing lists that you'd like to add.
3. Select the appropriate radio button, either as collaborators or as viewers, and click Invite collaborators or Invite viewers.
4. If desired, add a message and click Send Invitation.

Saving

Google Docs ~ Presentation Features

What is it?

Creating a New Google Presentation File

File Menu of Google Presentation

• New: Creates a New Google Presentation
• Open: Opens an existing Google presentation
• Upload a file: Allows you to upload an existing Powerpoint presentation
• Import Slides: Allows you to import slides from existing Google Presentations
• Save: Saves the slideshow/presentation
• Save As: Saves the presentation under a new name
• Rename: Allows you to change the name of the presentation
• Delete Presentation: Deletes the presentation from your account (asks first)
• Print: Allows you to print the presentation
• Save as a PDF: Allows you to save as a .pdf to your computer
• Save as Text: Allows you to save as a text file to your computer
• Start Presentation: Begins the presentation in a new window
• Discard Changes: Gets rid of the changes back to your last save
• Save & Close: Saves your presentation and closes the edit window

Edit Menu

• A prompt window will open
• Browse to the image on your computer and then click OK.

• Click on the Change Theme icon
• A prompt window will open with selections (it scrolls)
• Make your selection for the theme

• A dropdown menu will appear
• Select from the choices given

Editing a Slide:

• Listed below the toolbar is a short descriptor of what each icon stands for--most are familiar icons if you have used a word processor before.
• With a Google Presentation open, you can "mouse over" the tool and a tool indicator will appear letting you know what the tool does.

Presenting, Sharing & Chatting

• Click on the "Start Presentation" icon along the right side
• Your presentation will open in a new window
• The navigation arrows will appear in the lower left corner
• A URL address will appear in the top right corner that you can share with others
• A "Chat screen" will appear for people to dialog during the presentation

• Click on the "Share" Tab from your document
• Type in the e-mail address of people you would like to share your presentation with.
• You can allow people to "view" or "collaborate" on your presentation
• Decide if you want to send an e-mail invitation

• Chats are "real time" and are not captured or saved
• Once the chat scrolls off the screen it cannot be read again
• Screen captures work to "capture" discussions

Other Google Tools

What is del.icio.us?

• Keep links to your favorite articles, blogs, music, reviews, recipes, and more, and access them from any computer on the web.
• Share favorites with friends, family, coworkers, and the del.icio.us community.
• Discover new things. Everything on del.icio.us is someone's favorite -- they've already done the work of finding it. So del.icio.us is full of bookmarks about technology, entertainment, useful information, and more. Explore and enjoy.

Slideshare

1. Search for presentations--by tag, topic & author
2. Join Communities or groups
3. Free resource (register as a user)

1. Upload presentations--keep private or share
2. Comment on presentations
3. Download presentations
4. Mark presentations as favorites

Scribd

• Adobe Acrobat (.pdf)
• PowerPoint
• Word
• Excel

• Ideas on how to use:
• Easy access to your documents
• Keep private or share
• Feedback from others

Photo Tools

• Flickr
• Picasa - Google's photo organizer http://picasa.google.com/
• Picasa Getting started Guide
• Picasaweb Photo sharing http://picasaweb.google.com/home
• Picnik

Ustream

1. Sharing presentations with parents who might not be able to attend in person.
2. Letting homebound students participate with class.
3. Showing and recording student behavior so adminstrator is aware (both positive and negative).
4. Allows parent’s who can’t normally come to the classroom to see what is going on in school.
5. Live science demonstrations showing or receiving from others.
6. Recording and archiving of teaching so students can review it later.
7. Recording student presentations so parents, grandparent’s, etc. can view it later. (Password features help)
8. Allowing guests, experts, etc. to come into the classroom from far away. (Platform neutral)
9. Weekly school (broadcast) for parents.
10. Nightly broadcast review of the day for students to watch at home.

Skype

isighted

1. Go to the "Quick Capture" page (http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_quick_capture).
2. Enter the information about your video in the left column. This is required before you begin recording.
3. If you get a message that says "www.youtube.com is requesting access to your camera and microphone," click the "Allow" button.
4. If you don't see a picture in the record section, you may need to choose a different video source from the video dropdown in the "Record Video" window.
5. Once you see a picture coming from your camera, click the "Record" button to start recording your video.
6. When you're finished recording, click the "Done" button if you're satisfied with your video, or click the "Re-Record" button if you'd like to try recording it again.

Teacher Tube

• Education focus
• Education Channels

TubeTV

• Download video from YouTube or Teacher Tube & SAVE to your machine for future use or archive.
• Easy viewing--anytime without skips and buffering time