Google Drive Basics on the lakevillefalcons.org domain
**Note: They made some changes to Drive since I created this. They are minor, but if you sign in and it looks different, that's why. See my extra info at the end of this page for a few more details.
Part 1:
For this introduction I will start by referring you to a page from Google for Education.
Besides just focusing on the basics of Google Drive, the page provides an overview of Docs, Sheets and Slides. That is valuable so you can see the similarities and differences between those tools and how they all relate. My later PD sessions will provide an opportunity to explore and practice each of those individual tools.
For now, please read the information and watch the video at this link. (Their video is about five and a half minutes long. And if you really want to, you can even take the quiz you'll find there.)
Docs & Drive Level 1: The Basics
Part 2:
Next, please watch the video below that I created. It provides an overview of using Google Drive with specific references to our district accounts.
Even if you already know how to use Drive, keep in mind there are differences for using it with the district accounts*.
My video is just over 10 minutes. You might want to pause the video at points and follow along with your own account** and upload some of your own files like I show. Feel free to share any files with me as you practice.
The video will cover these objectives:
Part 1:
For this introduction I will start by referring you to a page from Google for Education.
Besides just focusing on the basics of Google Drive, the page provides an overview of Docs, Sheets and Slides. That is valuable so you can see the similarities and differences between those tools and how they all relate. My later PD sessions will provide an opportunity to explore and practice each of those individual tools.
For now, please read the information and watch the video at this link. (Their video is about five and a half minutes long. And if you really want to, you can even take the quiz you'll find there.)
Docs & Drive Level 1: The Basics
Part 2:
Next, please watch the video below that I created. It provides an overview of using Google Drive with specific references to our district accounts.
Even if you already know how to use Drive, keep in mind there are differences for using it with the district accounts*.
My video is just over 10 minutes. You might want to pause the video at points and follow along with your own account** and upload some of your own files like I show. Feel free to share any files with me as you practice.
The video will cover these objectives:
- How to sign in on the lakevillefalcons.org domain
- How to navigate Drive using different views
- How to search for files in Drive
- How to change Upload Settings
- How to upload files from your computer to Drive (including how and why files can be converted for editing as a Google Doc)
- How to share the files in different ways (including how to let users view or edit your files)
*In case it is not clear from the video, the biggest change with using lakevillefalcons.org accounts is that we cannot share between those accounts and regular Google accounts. Practically speaking, that means if you are working on documents for students, please create, upload or share them using your lakevillefalcons.org Drive. Anything you have stored in a personal Google Drive account cannot be easily brought into our domain. It's a minor inconvenience at first, but once you get used to it you'll find the benefits are worth it.
**Accounts for the lakevillefalcons.org domain were sent to high school teachers on June 13. If you don't have that email, please let me know and I'll send you your login information again.
The New Drive
Wouldn't you know they'd change things after I make some videos? The page below from Google has a short video and explanation about the new version of Google Drive. I like all the changes and they're very minor, but there are a few you'll want to take note of.
Here's the page from Google with a video and explanations.
**Accounts for the lakevillefalcons.org domain were sent to high school teachers on June 13. If you don't have that email, please let me know and I'll send you your login information again.
The New Drive
Wouldn't you know they'd change things after I make some videos? The page below from Google has a short video and explanation about the new version of Google Drive. I like all the changes and they're very minor, but there are a few you'll want to take note of.
- There's just a New button now instead of Create and upload. You use that single button for creating anything in Drive or for uploading files. Drag and drop still works for uploading though.
- They changed the Shared with Me menu item to Incoming. That's where you'll find things people shared with you.
- Instead of checking a box to select files, you can single click them now. Double click to open them and right click to see some options in a menu. Basically this works more like actions do in Windows now.
- In the video I stated that you can't edit Word documents or PowerPoint presentations without converting. Apparently they have changed that now and those files can be edited right in Drive. I don't have any experience with it yet, so at this time I still recommend converting Microsoft files if you want to edit them.
Here's the page from Google with a video and explanations.