Blogs, Wikis, or Google Docs - Oh My!

I’m often asked by educators why I use wikis, blogs, AND Google docs. “Why not just pick one?”. The answer is because I use each in different ways. Each of these platforms can be used for numerous purposes. Here is how I use them.

BLOGS
Use: I use my blog to share original information that I feel will be useful for a wide audience. I can place links in other platforms as appropriate to my blog posts.
Ownership: I am the master of my blog along with contributing editors and readers can participate by leaving comments.
Service I Use: Blogger
Cost: FREE for Everyone!
Example: http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com

WIKIS
Use: I use wikis for group projects where multiple people are collecting and growing information. Wikis provide a very easy way for all of those involved to contribute. Wikis serve as containers that hold information that would be useful to those working on shared projects. My wiki has links to blog posts and Google docs. Another nice feature of the wiki site I use is the “discussion tab.” This enables contributors to discuss items related to the wiki page they are contributing to.
Ownership: There are administrators and contributors. The administrator(s) establish settings for contributors. Generally everyone has access to add and contribute information.
Service I Use: Wikispaces
Cost: FREE for Educators!
Example: http://21cpd.wikispaces.com

GOOGLE DOCS
Use: I use Google docs 1) just as others might use MS Word 2) to write collaboratively. I am writing my book using Google docs which enables my co-author and I to collaboratively provide input into the book chapters. I also use Google docs to collaborate with others who write guest posts for my blog. One of favorite uses of Google docs is to bring people together from around the world to contribute on a shared piece of work. Here are some examples of that:

• Innovative Ideas for Getting Teachers Excited About Building Their Personal Learning Networks Real Time from Hunterdon Central Regional High School
• Hiring the World to Be Your Professional Development Provider (free of charge)
• The PLN Matures. The Progression of the 21st Century Personal Learning Network
• Last Day of Free Ning Networks - What Should You Choose?

What is nice about Google docs is that you can see the cursor where other contributors are on the page and there is a chat feature so you can chat about your writing. There is also a revision history so you can see how the document has grown and who has contributed what.
Ownership: There is the document creator who can invite others to contribute.
Service I Use: docs.google.com
Cost: FREE for Everyone!
Example:


Over at the Free Technology for Teachers blog, Richard Byrne shares some more useful information for those wanting to know whether they should use a blog or wiki for a particular class or project. He shares Blogs, Wikis, or Docs: Which is right for your lesson? This is a great chart from Dr. Mark Wagner that outlines the features of each platform, each platform's drawbacks, and examples of each platform in use.

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Get Going with Google Apps for Education with a New Domain

Innovative Educators often ask me how to begin using Google Apps for Education. The first step is to set up a domain. Evan O'Donnell from Teaching Matters, Inc. shared this handy step-by-step guide on how to get started using Network Solutions.

4 Simple Steps to Setting Up a Domain with Google Apps for Ed

1. Purchase a domain:
   http://www.networksolutions.com/
   
   
2. Register this domain for Google Apps:
   http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/edu/index.html
• Completing this form will immediately launch a standard edition of google apps while google review your education application. You can continue setting up the domain in the meantime.
• Google will email you requesting more information regarding your application. Reply to the message with the required information. If in 48 hours google has not been upgraded, complete this form: http://www.google.com/support/a/bin/request.py?contact_type=nonprofit
  
  
3. Enable services for your domain and closely follow the instructions on-screen.
   
   
4. To setup email, you have to switch back to network solutions, manage your DNS records and add MX records:
• Login and click on "Manage Domain Names" under the "nsWebaddress" link on the left. Select the domain you want to edit and click the "edit DNS" button:
  
  

• Select "Manage Advanced DNS Records" from the next screen. DO NOT SELECT "Move DNS"
  
  
• Scroll down to the Mail Servers (MX Records) section and add the MX records that Google requires.

For all the other services you should change the URL of the services so your users can easily access their tools. Click on the service, and choose the "change URL" radio button. Follow Google's instructions for modifying cname records. You change the cname records on the same page as you add the MX records (see above image) - only in the cname section.

Once your services are set, the next step is to setup users and groups. Click on the Explore the different tabs in the control panel:

You can setup users one at a time here, or bulk upload users from an excel sheet using Google's template. If your school is migrating their email from another system, click on the advanced tools tab.

From the Users and Groups tab, you can also setup groups. These are like listserves (allstall) for the domain.

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Created by Evan O'Donnell, Teaching Matters

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