BP_8_Google_Docs

          A very useful web 2.0 tool that can be used by numerous amounts of people is Google Docs and Spreadsheets.  Google Docs allow a group of people to work on a word document or spreadsheet at the same time.   It is the same format as Microsoft Word and Excel.  The best thing about Google Docs is that it is a great collaboration tool.  Students can work on this from across the country or across the room without talking.  Multiple editors also mean that one person is not doing all the work.  Most people today are familiar with Microsoft Word or other types of word processing software.  Open office is another one.  Google Docs follows the same format and options with only a few less features than Word.  The ease of use of Google Docs is good.  Buttons across the screen allow the creator to name multiple editors and email it accordingly.  The user interface is simple and easy to read.  When sharing with colleagues one can send the link in an email and the other person can follow the link directly to the word document.   Some ways that educators have been using Google Docs is by writing essays and submitting them online.  When submitting through Google Docs, the student can put their project with their last name first.  This allows for the teacher to keep them in alphabetical order.  Also it puts a time stamp on the paper so the teacher can see when it was turned in.  The teacher can keep multiple folders in Google Docs that stores all the papers online for them.  This also eliminates the students with having to keep up with papers after being handed back or the teacher with having a messy desk.  Google Docs can do a great number of things and greatly simplify the lives of teachers and students in every day education environment.