1. I can see myself using Google docs to send emails to parents with attachments reflecting homework assignments and requesting student responses via email instead of being handwritten. These student and parent responses could be accessed from any computer no matter where its located.
Google docs could also be used for student projects requiring collaboration on reports, spreadsheets and more with the capacity to insert links of other sites for more information on the topics. These same interactive documents could be collaborated between several students where information is shared and formatted into a final document without having access to the program the teacher created the file in. Editing can also be done offline even though the student is not connected to the internet at the time editing is being done.
2. I admit that I was a bit confused when I had to create a Google doc without using a template. I thought it would be tedious and time consuming. After reading Chapter 1 and the instructions in Chapter 5, I was surprised at how versatile Google docs can be; how it has the largest search index; the most internet users of any search site and is known for its highly relevant results. I also enjoyed creating what I think is a good flyer except that I still had an alignment problem even after I sent it as a PDF.
The main concern I have with Google docs is the fact that, like our instructor said, it does not have the "bells and whistles" of Microsoft Word/Office. It's also web-based and I'm not real comfortable with the thought of my documents residing on Google's servers rather than on my own computer hard drive. I asked my husband his thoughts and he referenced my former job and how the agency's computers were hooked to a network. He said that what I'm reading about in my Google Apps text is really the way of the future since agency servers may not be as plentiful in the days to come because of the cost and manpower needed to keep them maintained and secure.
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