I'm using it for the basics, but I know I should be able to do more. I'm not talking about in the classroom, even, just use with individual students. Without Microsoft Word, what do you use for word processing? What do you do about printing? Any other helpful hints would be appreciated.
Google plus works great when you don't have word. When I was student teaching, all of the students had laptops, but they didn't have enough space to hold microsoft office, so every student in the school had a google plus login. The cool thing about it, is that teachers can go in and leave comments right on the students papers while the students are still working on it by sharing.
We started using them this year. I love it! Google docs is very similar to word and easy to use. I love the sharing aspects of it and the feedback ability. I love, love, love that my documents are wherever I need them without needing to remember my flash drive. We print through wireless.
I use Google Docs all the time but my students are all on online curriculums and can only submit Word documents. I can convert presentations from Google by downloading them as Power Points, but there is nothing like that for documents. I also can't connect to our printer at the tutoring agency or mine at home.
If you click "File" then "Download As" and you can choose "Word Document (docx). It's the same format as a word document. In order to print, you need to install Google Cloud Printing on a computer with a printer attached to it. You can do this through the settings in Google Chrome. When you need to print with a chromebook, it will find the printers attached to your username, even if they're on computers miles away, and lets you print from them. The only thing is that the computer has to be on to print from it. It's not as direct (technically, it prints from the Chromebook to the computer first, and then it prints from there to printer), but the ability to print anywhere is nice. http://www.google.com/cloudprint/learn/
All my students have one. After using it in the class this year, I now use google docs for everything. You have to have internet access to use it though I believe. I put all my assignments on google docs and then just post the link on my classroom website.
I'm getting better at using it now. Yeah, you can't do anything without an internet connection, but that doesn't bother me. I don't think I can get connected with the printer at work without a tech person to help, but I can always print from one of their computers, so that's not a big problem. Now, scanning ... that could be an issue next year. But, for now, as long as I can download as doc files and power points, I'm good. teacherguy111, do your students do their assignments on google docs after you post them?
I set it up on a regular laptop so I'm not sure about on the CB. I just had to click the button under "more" that said "offline".
I believe you can do a "Google Hangout" between google accounts. It is the equivalent of Skype or Facetime. I've used it once or twice on my regular computer, but never on a Chromebook.
ok reading this you've got me curious.... do you just have to have a google acct or is it more software type stuff?
With most Google things, you only need a Google account. With Chromebooks especially, there is almost nothing to install. All software is kept on the web and accessible from anywhere, not just your Chromebook. The Google accounts are the free gmail ones anyone can sign up for. If you do "install" new apps, it just amounts to creating a shortcut to a web-address in your Chromebook toolbar.
So, when my car broke down and I knew I couldn't travel 30 minutes to tutor my student, that made me look harder and find the Hang Out app. Amazing what you find when you look! And, yes, all you need is a gmail account. I never even knew that until I told my student with a Mac that we should probably use Google docs to edit her essay. She said, "Oh, I can do that now that I got a gmail account."
New problem - my printer is more than 2 years old and it can't be hooked up to the Cloud ...... next stop Best Buy. After I pay $1300 to get my car out of the shop. Sigh.
Hold on! You don't need to hook it up to the cloud. You only need to hook it up to another computer. Then install cloud print on that computer. Make sure the computer is hooked up to the printer and it works printing directly from the computer. (that computer needs to be connected to the internet) Make sure Google Chrome is installed on the computer. In the settings on Google Chrome, log into your Google account. In the settings, click "See Advanced Options" Go down to Google Cloud Print and click "Add New Printers" or "Manage". Add your printer to Google Cloud Print. When you log-in on your Chromebook, log into the same account you did for Chrome on the computer. Try to print something, and find the new printer in the print dialog that comes up. My printer is like 5-8 years old and works fine with cloud print.
I understand that - but my other computer died! There is a bright side, I found my third laptop and just went and bought a power cord for it and had the Geeks check it out. It is in good condition, so I think I can use that to print through. Thank you for those good instructions! I am hazardous to laptops, that's all there is to it.
Cheaper than what? The power cord was $70 so I think I can use the 3rd laptop with that. But, yeah, my first thought was to get a cheap compatible new printer.
Yeah, I was pretty shocked. No, it was a universal power cord because they didn't have one for the Asus.
