Google Mail, Google Docs, Google Calendar-Tips

Morton Mondays is provided to HDCSD staff members 2 times a month to showcase different technology items and provide technology support outside of school hours, hopefully during the times when the teachers are more available.  Different features related to Google Mail, Google Docs and Google Calendar was showcased during the 1st Morton Mondays.  Below is a little bit of what teachers might have missed, forgotten or not known about related to these online Web 2.0 tools.

Google Mail

Click on the HD Bulldog Icon to Refresh your Inbox

Click on the Gear in the upper right hand corner and click on Mail Settings.  The features below are available.

Within the General tab: 

*You can change the Language

*Click on My Picture to add a picture to your profile            

*Add an automatic Signature at the end of each composed email

  -Might include: What you Teach, Where you Teach, Best way to reach you

*Turn the Vacation Responder on when you are gone for a sick day or meeting, letting the people emailing you know where you are out or when you are available to reply to their email

Within the Labs tab, add different labs (widgets) to enhance your Mail, such as:

*Calendar Gadget- Add a sidebar to your Mail showing a snippet of your Google Calendar events for the day

*Docs Gadget- Add a sidebar to your Mail showing a snippet of your most recent Google Docs

Google Docs

Click on the Gear in the upper right hand corner and click on Document Settings.  The features below are available.

Within the General tab:

*You can change the Language

*You can change the Time Zone - make sure it is set to Central Time

Within the Documents page:

*Click on Create New to create new documents including:

 -Form- Which creates quizzes, surveys or tests that can be taken online and results can be reviewed and summarized online

 -Drawing- Which creates a drawing that can be collaborated and shared for others to edit or view

*Click on Upload and Settings to check your conversion settings

 -If you want the files you upload to be converted into a google docs format, √ that box

Within an actual Google Docs document:

*Click on File and Click:

 -See Revision History to see who has revised the document you have shared

*Click on Insert and Click:
 -Comment to add comments to areas where suggestions are made or comments to a turned in paper are made

Google Calendar

Click on the Gear in the upper right hand corner and click on Calendar Settings.  The features below are available.

Within the General tab:

*You can change the Language

*You can change the Country

*You can change the Time Zone - make sure it is set to Central Time

*Click on Week Stars on to choose between Sunday, Monday and Saturday

*Choose Event Dimming options to dim past events and/or dim recurring future events

*Choose Yes or No to Show Weekends

Within the Calendars page:

*Choose how you want to view the calendar by Day, Week, Month, 5 Days or Agenda