After a year on Twitter, having gained a fundamentally new understanding of technology and where it is going, I have decided that it is time to move to the cloud. I realized that I needed to institute an information management plan late this school year. I found that many of my files had multiple versions and edits. I had files duplicated on my school computer, school network, home computer and a back up copy on a portable drive. The time involved making sure work was not lost and that various version were merged became unreasonable. The use of multiple devices made it hard for me to access information across platforms and locations.
This is the 3 point plan I came up with. It has already made my life much easier.
1. Google Docs- By moving my word docs, the files there become master files that I can access and edit anywhere.
It allows me to share those files easily (and on the go) with students, coworkers or collaborators. It eliminates multiple copies and competing edits.
One wonderful side effect is that I did not foresee was how easy Google Docs would make keeping my website up to date.
In the past, updating a document on my website involved uploading the most current version.
The time involved was great and the process tedious. With Google docs changes are real time. The overall result has already been a massive savings of time.
The cost was zero.
There are still a few kinks to work out. I still have not addressed what to do with my Powerpoint files. Google docs limits their functionality and their bulk would strain storage limits
(Note: By downloading the
Offisync extension for Word you can edit Google Docs in Word.
This will be a more familiar format for most and can offer a wider range of functions.)
2. Dropbox- This is a free download that allows you to create a common shared folder on all of your devices.
By placing a file in your Dropbox folder you edit it across devices.
It also eliminates the need to email files.
The share function will let you collaborate with people without the need to compare and rectify competing edits. I also found the share features helpful in sharing unit materials with students.
One the box is setup, I only need send the link.
Dropbox has been really helpful with Powerpoint files that can be large and troublesome in Google Docs.
3. Evernote- Evernote is once again a free service that can be downloaded to you computer, phone or tablet.
It allows you to add and organize all of your data. Once uploaded, you can tag information making it easily searchable.
The Wow! Factor of Evernote is its ability to make text in a picture searchable.
By taking a photo of books that I have read and uploading it, I now have a database of books searchable by title and author. I can add my reviews and then share them with others.
The
Google Chrome Evernote extension makes clipping and saving web pages easy.
The time savings comes from the ease in finding and accessing this information as well as the elimination of paper files and filing.
A premium service is available for those who might exceed the 60mg per month upload limit and for those who want to upload word or Powerpoint files.
My plan has yielded some great results. I have saved HUGE AMOUNTS OF TIME, which we all know is one of if not the currency of education. Secondly it has streamlined tasks and created an ease that just makes my work more enjoyable. I can now share and collaborate more efficiently. The school year has not yet started and I have already gained back the time that this process took to implement.
