We are going to work with Google Docs a lot in this course. To get started, you need to setup a Google account.

You may already have a Google account, or even a Gmail address, but did you know that you can create a Google account withouth creating a Gmail address? Google offers a variety of services, most of which we will examine during this course. Some people want to be able to interact with Google's services through their existing email address. Adding a Gmail account is an optional activity. Some people would prefer to have as few email accounts to keep up with as possible.

 

So, for the purposes of our course, I am requiring that you create a Google account using your Union email address, even if you already have another Google account. The video below will show you how. The only thing that will be different from you, is that where the instructor in the video is logging into his Yahoo account to click the verification email, you will be loggin into you Union email to do so. Once you have created your account, click the "Okay I have created a Google account with my Union email address" at the bottom of this page.

Some students have had difficulty doing this with the instructions in the video above. I created a new video to try and clear things up a bit.

Here is one more video that walks you through the process.

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Great Job!

Congratulations on establishing a Google account that is linked with you Union email address!

What is Google Docs?

Google Docs is very much like Microsoft Office. It includes a word processor, a spreadsheet program, a presentation program, and many other productivity options. You are probably familiar with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Google Docs offers you most of the functionality of those programs for free, and your files can be stored online, so you know you will always have them wherever you go.

So let’s get started by watching 3 short videos that introduce Google Docs.

This first one was released when Google Docs first came out as a beta program several years ago. A program is said to be in "beta" when it is first being tried out on the public. When the company feels their program is ready and has most of the bugs worked out, they remove the beta tag and release the final version. Google Docs has been out of beta for awhile, but most of what you see in this video still applies.

This next video highlights some of Google Doc's new features that were released within the last couple of years.

Finally here is a more recent video that gives an updated overview of Google Docs from the official Google Docs team. It particularly highlights the uploading features.

These videos give you a general overview of Google Docs. I will be showing you specific social work related examples later in the course.

Let's move on to some general examples of how to use Google Docs by giving you some hands-on time with it. Click the NEXT button below to continue.

 

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In the video below, I take you on a half-hour tour of Google Docs for our purposes in this course. After completing the video, click the NEXT button.

Google Docs Detailed Overview for SW 585 from Todd Stanfield on Vimeo.

Overview of Google Docs for Applied Technology in Social Work Practice course

 

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Almost done!

Now that you have viewed the video and answered some true-false questions, let's watch 3 more very short videos, and then it will be time to move on to the Google Docs Assignment.

This first video from the official Google Docs team gives you a very brief overview of Documents in Google Docs.

This next video from the Google Docs team gives you a quick overview of the sharing features in Google Docs.

Finally here is a short video from the Google Docs team on the collaboration features in Google Docs.

Now on to the assignment.

 

ASSIGNMENT

In this assignment, you will create a Google Docs document. In the document you will write about your impressions of the course so far, including your thoughts about Moodle, the ease-of-use of the modules thus far, or anything else you want to share. You will then share the video with tstanfie@uu.edu. Be sure you have watched the entire video I produced in the "Setting Up a Google Account" lesson. Keep in mind your checkmark for this assignment will not appear until I have graded the file you shared with me.

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