Weekly Reflection - Google Tools

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What?


This week we have been focusing on creating websites via the venue of a Google doc. The idea is simplicity in form and innercontextuality. We also spent some time with iGoogle, creating a personalized page for our own use and reference.

So What?

This means that those who are computer illiterate or who can only handle the basics can create a website. I still think using Google sites (self made templates) would be more beneficial for teachers, but you could easily translate a Google doc based website into a classroom wiki (when wiki’s have traditionally been difficult to set up). The share functionality of a simple Google doc is great. Its design application is iffy, the tables are bad, and it doesn’t marry enough with programs like excel to be fully worthwhile, yet. But I believe it will get there.


Beyond just the website builder, the time with iGoogle was interesting. I personally haven’t used it much. I can see where if I allowed myself, it would be very useful. Of course the time it would take to become entrenched one might argue the why’s of it all. But I have always been an individual who likes the streamlined aspect of one product commitment. Google is doing this for me in a manner in which no other company (even Apple) has yet to match.

Now What?

For my students, this is the beginning of making homework and group work truly group accessible. It’s easier on the environment and makes type work streamlined. Because of my personal background, I don’t see me going about creating a course website in this manner, so I doubt I will use it like this in the future. I will and do support the idea of using Google docs as a way of paper submission. I have been using this function for awhile now and love it. If this is where we are heading and know that it will only improve with time, I can’t fathom what it will be even in a few years. Perhaps creating a website this route will be obsolete and perhaps it will be perfected.


Using this Google tool however, does enable greater collaboration. That truly is the key in moments like this. Open communication can be increased when the access to information is universal. Programs like this one engage and unify.


Video Reflection


The first link posted sent me to the video created in 2007 about web 2.0. I have seen it many times. I remember when I first saw it and was impressed with the editing. Aside from that, I find its personal agenda towards paranoia to be a bit much. Sadly it is also out of date, but nonetheless interesting. I would like to learn more about the ethnographic study this was intended for. What were the final conclusions or are they still gathering? Gratefully there is a Google search for that! The second link we were sent to was the same information you had posted on the class site. I really do like the idea of reverse phone look up. I also appreciate the links for privacy. Many people become hyper-phobic when it comes to the web. I find myself using it all the time to try to look people up. It has become an increasingly important networking tool and I only expect it to become more prevalent as technology increases.