Everything Google

In class on Tuesday, it was all about Google. I have to begin by saying that I was absolutely amazed by everything that I learned. The lesson focused on using gmail, goggle docs, google calendars and iGoggle. I am so thankful for the information presented in this lesson. I had no idea you could do so many different things with Google. As I sat in class, I couldn't help but smile. I was so excited about all of the possibilities that Google presents.

I was most excited about setting up my calendars and iGoogle page. When I finally got home after a long day, I spent at least two hours switching all important information over to Google. Google calendars is a great way to stay organized and on top of things. I now have a calendar for school, birthdays, TV shows, Jazz Basketball, and Personal events. The greatest thing of all is that I set it up so that it sends everything to my cell phone as a reminder. It is a great way to keep up with the hussle and bussle of everyday life. I had so much fun setting up my iGoggle page. There are gadgets for every possible thing you could ever imagine. I love my iGoggle page. It is a place where I can keep everything I need. The bookmarks feature is a wonderful way to keep your favorite websites organized and only a click away.

Google docs is probably one of the coolest applications I have ever seen. The fact that multiple people can work on the same document simultaneously is awesome! The possiblities are endless. And having a document that is online eliminates so many of the stresses that come with working with computer based documents. It is just an amazing application.

When I become a teacher, I will use Google in numerous ways. I plan to have a website where my classroom calendar will be posted. This way parents will always know what is going on in the classroom. Google calendars will also help me to remain organized. I will use Google docs to work with my fellow teachers and parent volunteers. With Google docs, my co-workers and I can work on numerous things with equal colaboration and ease. Needless to say, I love Google and cannot wait to learn more!

I really enjoyed the video that accompanied this week's lesson. It was powerful and definitely caught my attention as a future educator. We live in a technological age. Young minds are constantly being simulated, whether it be from TV, movies, computers, video games, or ipods. A teacher standing in front of the classroom giving a lecture just isn't going to cut it anymore. Times have changed and therefore the way we teach has to change. Technology is not the enemy of education. In fact, educating through technology is the most powerful way to educate in my opinion. Not only will we be better teachers, students will be better students if we use technology to educate.