Homeschooling with Technology

Homeschooling with Google Docs

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Episode 4: Homeschooling with Google Docs

 

If you are new to Google Drive be sure to listen to episodes 2 (Homeschooling with Google Drive) and 3 (Homeschooling with Google Sheets) which will give some context to what is covered in this episode – Homeschooling with Google Docs.

Google Docs is a spreadsheet program and I love using it.

One reason I love it, is that it is good to use when I am collaborating with others on something. You might be wanting to collaborate with other homeschool moms, or you might be working on something with your children. I have planned trips together with my kids using Google Docs.

If you work together on a Google Doc you know that everyone is accessing the same version. Once you share the document with others, you don’t have to email the latest file to each other. You automatically have the latest one!

My favorite way to use Google Docs in our homeschool was to get my children to use it for their essays and other assignments.

There are a number of benefits to getting your children to use Google Docs:

  • Children need to learn how to use a word processor as this is what they will use in college and the workplace
  • Google Docs is easy to learn to use
  • All work is saved automatically
  • It is easy to go back to previous versions
  • If your children don’t have great handwriting, this is much easier to read than a handwritten paper!
  • You can make comments right in the document which your children can read and then make changes
    • How to learn to use Google Docs


    Google Docs is easy enough to learn just by clicking around the menu options.

    However, if you would like your children to have more formal training, our show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy, offers a 2-semester Computer Applications online class (worth a full high school credit) and also a 4 module Google Drive Unit Study. The latter includes a module on Google Docs.

    Some favorite features of Google Docs


    Under ‘File’

    • You can choose to save the document in a variety of formats including docx (WordPress) and pdf

      • Under ‘Edit’

      • find and replace makes it easy to change a word or phrase used repeatedly in a document

        • Under ‘Insert’

        • you can insert images / tables / charts (but graphic heavy presentations are easy to do in Google Slides)
        • headers / footers for each page

          • Under ‘Format’

          • you can create columns

            • Under ‘Tools’

            • Voice to Text
            • spelling checker
            • word count

              • Under ‘Add-ons’

              • Easy Bib – creates citations automatically once you input info about your source
              • You can also add many others including a thesaurus, a rhyme finder and one that provides the text of Bible verses

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                If you found this useful, please subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts.

                Contact Meryl via email on [email protected] or connect with her on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook.

                The post Homeschooling with Google Docs appeared first on Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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                Homeschooling with TechnologyBy Meryl van der Merwe
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