Month: July 2014

Which Google app works where?

A lot of us have discovered the awesomeness that is Google Apps. As the Googleverse evolves, more and more options are becoming available across different devicWhich device works with which Google App?es and operating systems. Sometimes, though, it can be hard to keep track of what you can do with which device.

This can be especially tricky when trying to manage a Google Apps for Education domain in a BYOD (bring your own device) environment. Which operating systems work best? And which are best avoided?

To help unravel the functionality and compatibility puzzle, I have put together a simple document. It shows the equivalent Microsoft Office applications and a grid showing the functionality across operating systems.

Click here to see the Google Apps Compatibility Across Operating Systems document.

I have been fortunate enough to have tried almost all the platforms and apps, excluding Mac OS. I would have to say the least Google friendly is Windows mobile/RT. I don’t know if that’s just my experience or consistent for everyone.

Recently I revitalised some old Windows laptops by replacing the OS with Linux Mint. What a pleasure Google Drive is to use in the Chrome browser! I highly recommend a Linux Mint install for old, tired Windows hardware.

Do you disagree with any of the information in my compatibility document? Then click on the ‘contact me’ link to the right of this post to let me know or post in the comments below (after all, Google is all about collaboration, right?)

Google Maps Engine – where have you been all my life?!?!

I’ve been a fan of Google Maps for some years now. Despite being spatially and geographically challenged, it has helped me get to where I’m going on many occasions. Only (very, vSimple Google Maps icon ery) recently I discovered the magic of Google Maps Engine Lite and the huge potential it has to be used in the classroom across so many curriculum areas. It’s free and easy to use. Log into your Google account, go to Google Maps, from the search bar select ‘My custom maps’ and get started with a new map and a new layer.

A simple example for using Google Maps Engine Lite is getting students to map locations used in a book or around a particular historic event. You can add complexity by getting students to add additional information such as:

  • pictures
  • information about the location
  • links to other websites

You can also get students to collaborate on a map using the ‘Share’ feature.

Here is a link to a simple map I created using significant childhood locations:

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zLzLktDloYdw.k1jh5MaDkhFE

I added a little bit of information and a link to a photo with most of the pinned locations on the map.

Below as a great tutorial on using Google Maps Engine Lite to make data come alive in the classroom from Contour Education. It’s a great idea and, once again, one that can be used with lots of different topic areas.