Category: Cloud Storage

Google forms

4/15/2016

Google Doc uh... Drive is such an eye opening idea it has made purchasing software seem silly. Many or our teachers are already using G-Docs and having students use it too. But what about Google Forms?

First of all What the Heck is Google Drive? It used to be called Google Docs. Create an account at Google and you can also create Docs (Documents) which are similar in all look and feel and can even be downloaded as Microsoft Word. PowerPoint and Excel files. The two BIGGEST reason to use this tool...

It is stored in the cloud. No saving to jump/thumb drives. No e-mailing it home... Etc. Just log on to your Google from any device and edit your document! Yes, even a smart phone.
Share it and have others work on your paper. It is called collaboration. Share the link with the teacher when you are finished to to turn it it. No printing and wasting paper and ink...
Oh, and It's free

Docs is pretty simple and I'd be happy to teach you and your students the details. What are the details? The "fun" part of my job is that so many of these sites change where there links are and what you can do that by the time I type up instructions it may have changed! It is much easier to show you and have you play than to type it out.

So what about forms?

Forms is a "doc" on Google Drive. I am sure you have filled a form out before - now it is your chance to create one. Start by Clicking on "Create" and chose "Form". You will get some options and it is pretty straight forward. But I would keep it simple. The best thing about this form is that the supplied answers will fill in a spread sheet for you. So keep that in mind - Each Question you ask becomes a column across the top and each response is a row.

The hard part is deciding what to use it for. So on the right are some ideas. Please add your own in the comments.
There is no need to ask for time or date as that will automatically be recorded. You can also stop collecting data at any time. And you can have your patrons see the results.. or not.

Suggestions

Be sure to always as for the period, Last name AND first name in separate questions so that you can sort your spreadsheet that way.
Do not ask long questions. You question will fill in your top row. Use the help box for details. It is ignored in the spreadsheet.

Ideas for forms.

Disclosure Statements - Have kids ..er Parents fill out the form saying they read your disclosure. Add name and contact info too. (I have detailed instructions on this)
Field trip chaperons.
Inventory of who has something.
Book requests
Mileage form
Collect student created websites or on-line documents (links) that they created.
Lock Down survey.
Lab data collection. Students have their own data but add to the groups bigger data collection.
Book numbers.
Locker numbers
ANY data you want in a spreadsheet

Google Drive vs Dropbox

5/10/2014

0 Comments

By now I would hope most of you ("my teachers and students") have either a Dropbox or Google account. You advanced ones, you have both right?
A quick history. Dropbox is older and therefor the more experienced and popular with us old folks. Google Drive has only been around a few years. But in prime Google fashion it has been running very fast and caught up do Dropbox very quickly in functionality. Both are fantastic but I will try to compare them below.

I am not sure how a professional teacher functions in today's technology world without one or the other of these "Cloud drive" tools. Here's why...or what they both have in common. Yes, there are others too drive)

All your files will sync across all your devices.
If you install the application on your personal computer it works just like a regular folder. Put something in that folder and it shows up on your other "things" whatever they are.
Take a picture of something on your iPhone, iPad... (or other thing) save it to your cloud drive and it shows up on your computer.
Make a folder "Public". Put the link on your webpage. Students (or anyone) can click the link and see any files you saved in that folder on your computer. (No they cannot edit them - unless you give them rights to in Google). Example... Make a folder called homework. Get the link to it and post that link on your website. Create a file with your homework assignment on it. Save it in that folder. Students now have access to it. That's how easy

Problems & Warnings

If you delete a file from one spot... it gets deleted EVERYWHERE. Remember... it syncs! Example... If you have personal files on your <cloud> account that show on your school computer and delete them... They will be deleted on all your devices.
Do NOT install/store either of these on your M:Drive. Don't put a Cloud Drive on you network drive. If (when) the Network goes down you wont have access to your files - it defeats one of the purposes. Put it ON your C:drive.
Unlink before provisioning. Preferences -> unlink. If you don't when we wipe your hard drive it will delete your files. See #1 above!!!
If you use either service on an iPad UNLINK it when you're finished. See #3!
You can unlink items in #3 and #4 above from the setting on the appropriate websites. Example. I can log into Dropbox.com and go to settings and unlink unused devices. Currently I have 6 devices that access my dropbox folders. The files will STILL be on that devices but changes will not be synced.

Google Drive

If you have a G-Mail account you already have access to Drive
Online editable documents
Cleaner/Prettier interface for shared/public folders
Shared documents to let others edit AT the SAME time

Dropbox

Simpler (due to non editable on-line files)
More Apps save to dropbox