College of Charleston Google Apps accounts are now available for faculty and staff. Accounts include features such as Google Docs, Calendar, Groups, Sites, and Google Talk. Calendar, document, forms for surveys or other input, website creation and publishing, video sharing, and group communication are all integrated into Google Apps.
A complete list of Google Apps products and their features is available on the Accounts and E-mail page of the Information Technology website.
While the features sound great, you might be wondering, “Will I benefit from using Google Apps?”
Just ask your friends over at Teaching, Learning, and Technology. The office uses Google Docs to create, edit, share, and collaborate on office type documents. Almost everything they share as a department is done within Google Docs. They have created a shared collection, which they all have access to, that enables sharing and collaboration without having to email files back and forth. TLT uses Forms, a part of Google Docs, to create surveys, registration forms, and equipment checkout requests. The office also uses Google Presentations for most of their presentations slides, enabling them to embed the presentations into a blog, OAKS, or anything else that allows for embedded content.
Think Google Apps would be beneficial to your office or department? Setting up your account is not only free, it’s easy.
Log in to MyCharleston and click on the Employee tab. You will see a module labeled ‘Request Your Google Apps Account.’
Click on the ‘Request your account today!’ link. You will be taken to a web site listing various policies. If you read through and agree to the terms of use, scroll to the bottom of the page, check the box signifying your compliance, and hit the ‘Setup my Google Apps account!’ button.
It will take a few minutes for your account to configure. Once your account is ready, you will be navigated to a sign in page. Sign in using your full College email and current password.
Once logged in to your account, you will have access to the applications listed above (Google Docs, Calendar, Groups, Sites, and Google Talk).
