Thing 18 - google documents

I have explored the google documents through a "brand-new this summer"school google account. The tutorials were very helpful and incorporated hands-on practice which really made it easy to use. Basically, they can function as a wiki allowing changes by anyone you specify. That makes it useful for me to upload collaboration documents with my teachers that allow us all - the library, the computer teacher, the classroom teacher, and principal to collaborate on assignments for our students, then to upload them to a safe, accessible location for our students. I am so much more used to the Microsoft products that I still really need to think before using them on new documents. Of course, for all the work already created on Microsoft products, it is easy to upload existing documents as well or link to them which helps. You can even conference live time to see who is working on the document or set up a time to review them for everyone without meeting in person if there is noone to cover the library at a specified time. That helps me multitask and get needed tasks accomplished during the day. The documents move so easily from one google product to another with just a click of the button which makes it a time saver that helps compensate for the learning curve to produce the documents. You can work on documents offline for times when the internet is down by adding a gadget. Still exploring all the ramifications, but I think I'll be making the adjustment. Plus, I'm sure we'll get school-based training in August when we get back which will be frosting on the cake.