This note is about using the word processor, but most of this can be applied to the other tools as well.
The most important features compared to working with a normal single user word processor are:
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| Revision history |
Revision history
(File menu) You can see all previous versions of the document, also restore any old version.
Publish on the Web
(File menu) You can make a regular web page of the document in three seconds. The web page will be automatically updated after you have edited the original.
Inserting comments
(Insert menu) If you don't want to change what other team members have written on the document you can add a question or comment in the margin of the document.
Share
You can decide that the document is visible only to you. There are many levels of giving access to other people to view or to edit the document. You can let everybody on internet view and edit the document, but you can also give this authority to people who have the link to the document, to one or more Google Groups members or to individuals you specify by giving their emails. You can also let a larger audience view the document and let a limited group of people edit the document.
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| On Google Hangout |
Edit simultaneously and chat or run a video conference
A number of people can edit the document at the same period of time. There is also a chat for fast exchange of ideas while working. (I don't know the upper limit of people who can work simultaneously. I have had 30+ students writing on a document within some minutes.) And up to ten people can edit a document on a Google Hangout live video conference!
Who wrote what?
Sometimes it is useful to know who contributed with what on a document (e.g. if you are creating a course document and the teacher is monitoring the performance of students.) Then you just decide the text colours to use like this at the beginning of the document:
Sara
Artur
Maria
Johannes
(The authors can also be spotted from the revision history)
I must say I am a late adopter of technology. I like things that work 100% and I am sure I have something in my hand, rather then a link to online document.
ReplyDeleteWhile I'm sure future of work will force us to use more online tools, at present MS Office is still dominating. From my personal point of view I am its supporter because with Word and PowerPoint I am also able to make documents look nice and professional.
Most of online tools have only basic text editing options, limited font selection, and the list could probably go on for next few paragraphs.
The positive side is of course the idea sharing and discussion facilitation. If nature of work would force me to use Google docs I would suggest using it this way:
1. Collectively create a document in Google docs
2. Export it to MS Word. Perform some magic (read: make it look nice)
3. Export it to PDF
4. Send it to all involved parties.
Currently all my projects involve points 2-4. Last year we did some projects where we used Google docs. I have a positive experience. The only thing that Google docs misses is point 2 from the previous paragraph. When I will be able to create same looking document online I will be happy to ditch MS Office. :)
Sebastjan, we are already (as a first year IB students) using Google docs for all of the groups works (and you surely know how many there are), so it is coming more and more effective and regularly used. And thanks to Cai, I know how to use it. And this lesson just took it a bit further, I didn't know I can do that kind of stuff too. But I do agree with you on that, that it is easier to make things "pretty" (and I like my things pretty!) with PowerPoint or even Word. But I also think that time is running past them.
ReplyDeleteOh, and we are using prezi for most of the presentations.
ReplyDeleteYes, there are two different topics covered here:
ReplyDeleteGoogle Docs or any wiki is for creating and editing something together.
MS Office and other expensive software are available to make things look fancy.
(Personal comment: I don't use expensive software any more almost at all. I love having access to the latest (and only) version of my stuff whenever and with whatever device connected to the net, also I value high the ability to share everything exactly with the persons I want.
To me the step from using a typewriter to computer was big, but the step from personal offline to shared on-line software has been even bigger.)