How to use Google Docs Google documents allows users to upload, create, share, and edit documents online. The advantage for educators is the ability for groups of students to collaborate on a paper, to safely save important documents online, and to have universal access to files. Accessing Google DocsThere are two ways to sign-in to your University of Maine system Google account. 1. Sign-in with the UMaine portal located at: gmail.maine.edu2. Sign-in with the standard Gmail site located at: www.gmail.com

2a. If signing at the Gmail page, you must included ‘@maine.edu’ after your username.

3. Once you have signed into your email account, you can then access the full suite of Google Apps tools including calendar, documents, sites and many more. Click on ‘Documents’ to be redirected to your Docs account.

Uploading a DocumentGoogle Docs allows for the upload of created files such as Text, Word, Powerpoint or Excel. 1. In the left menu panel, click on the ‘Upload’ button. This will present you with a list of options. In order to upload a single file, choose ‘Files’. If you want to upload an entire folder of files, choose ‘Folder’. Navigate to the file or folder you wish to upload, and choose ‘Open’.

2. You are then given the ‘Upload Settings’ window. The default settings as seen are sufficient. Click on ‘Start Upload’.

3. Once the upload has completed, the window in the lower right of the screen will display an ‘Upload Complete’ message with the file or files. There should be no error message.

Creating a New DocumentGoogle Docs has an option to create new documents, such as documents, presentations, spreadsheets and forms. 1. In the left menu panel, click on the ‘Create new’ button. This will present you with a list of the file types you can create. Click on the type, and wait for the new document to open. It will open in a new tab or window depending on your web browser setting.

Naming a New Document 1. In the upper left hand side of the document, click on the words ‘Untitled Document’.

2. When the ‘Rename Document’ screen opens, enter a new document name and click ‘Ok’.

Sharing DocumentsNow that the files or folder have been uploaded to Google Docs, you have to share these files with the users you want accessing them. Sharing documents in a cloud computing environment is not like attaching documents to an email. As the document owner, you grant permission to the files much like a system administrator does with network folders at USM. The shared user receives notification of these new files and will find them located in there Google Docs account. 1. Find the file you want to share and check the box beside the file name. This will activate the file menu on the right hand side of the screen. Click on ‘Settings’ under the Sharing section.

2. The first step to sharing is setting the access level. Access can be Private, Public on the web, or Anyone with the link. You must determine the access level of a document, if you do not then the default access is set to Private. To change access rights, click on ‘Change’ from the Sharing settings window.

3. Determine which access level will be granted by selecting Private, Public on the web, or Anyone with the link. Click ‘Save’ when done.

4. If you choose ‘Public on the web’ or ‘Anyone with the link’, you do not need to individually assign user accounts. Simply copy the link to share by email or share using the quick link items such as Gmail, Buzz, Facebook or Twitter.

5. If you want the document to remain ‘Private’, but visible to other users of your choosing, you will need to add them individually. Click in the ‘Add People’ field and search by name (for any contacts) or enter the email address of the person you want to access the file (this must be a Gmail address). 6. Assign edit (if the user can make changes) or view permission. Click on “Share & Save’.

Creating Collections (tagging)Collections are a way of assigning documents that are similar in nature to a group heading. This makes it easier to find documents as your ‘Home’ list expands. 1. In the upper left hand corner, click on the ‘Create new’ button and choose ‘Collection’.

2. Enter the name for the Collection and click ‘Ok’.

3. Once you have named the Collection, you will find it in the left menu under the heading ‘My collections’.

4. Now that the Collection is created, you will have to assign documents to that group. Click on the document you want in the group. This will activate the right menu screen for document options. Under the Collections heading, click on ‘Organize’.

5. When the Organize window opens, check the box beside the Collection you want the document to be grouped under and click ‘Apply changes’.

6. Once this has been done, the document you selected with have a tag placed beside the name with the collection title.7. Anytime you want to filter by the collection, click on the collection name from the left menu and watch the list shrink to only those items.

Copying a DocumentThis is a quick way to duplicate an already created document. 1. Open the document you want to copy and click on ‘File’. Choose ‘Make a copy’.

2. The Copy Document window will appear. If you wish to make a document copy and included current collaborators, check the box; otherwise click ‘Ok’.

3. The copy will be made and automatically opened. You will then need to change the document name (see Naming a Document for instructions).

Publishing a DocumentDocuments that are published are visible to users by accessing the document URL. Keep in mind, these documents are indexed by Google and visible to users searching on the topic when your document setting is ‘Public on the Web’. 1. With the document open, click on the downward facing arrow beside the ‘Share’ button in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Choose ‘Publish to the Web’.

2. In the Publish to the Web window, click on the ‘Start publishing’ button. This will create the document URL.

3. You will see the window expand to include the URL and embed code after the document was published. The document can now be shared by sending the URL, embedded into websites through the use of the code or be shared with users of Gmail, Buzz, Facebook or Twitter.