I am a committed user of Google's Tools. There are seven major "tools" available that I use:
- Documents (Word Processor)
- Presentation Creator
- Form Builder
- Spreadsheet (which is also a Data Base as are all spreadsheets)
- Reader of RSS Feeds
- Google Earth
- Picasa Image Manager
Why are these tools so valuable?
- They are Free!
- They allow for a collaborative effort which also produces a record of who did what when
- Documents and presentations are available to online audiences if desired
- Chat (in some cases also with video) is available to "distant" participants
- Can't lose document (stored in the cloud, i.e. Google's server)
- Accessible anywhere there is an internet connection without need for an application other than a browser
I have found Google's tool set to be enormously useful and beneficial in my teaching over the course of the last several years.
