Online+Office+Suites

Online office suites provide a collection of productivity programs within which software is offered as a service. Through this service, one is able to collaborate online at any time and place without a need to download software, or worry about saving/losing information at little to no cost, depending on the service chosen. Documents are safely stored on servers, are portable and provide options such as visibility, sharing and administration control. Options for office suites include [|Google Docs] and [|Zoho]. Both options work with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and although they may not offer all the features Microsoft does, it is comparable. Through these suites, one can use “virtual teamwork” in order to complete a presentation or document while only requiring access to the Internet. Features offered within these services include document import, real-time editing and visibility, charts, mail merge, chat, mobile access, easy-to-use interfaces, document syncing, format retaining, and sharing options among other things.

Online office suites enhance teaching and learning in the classroom by providing the opportunity to create, share and save files with peers, colleagues, or anyone who has Internet access. Google created a “Google Docs in the Classroom” document to share some ideas on how to incorporate Google Docs into one’s classroom in order to benefit not only the students but also the teachers (attachment at bottom). For instance, peer editing, group presentations, online handouts, feedback capabilities and collaboration with peers or colleagues are all possibilities with this program. Additionally, a [|video] for Google was created in order to show the collaboration capabilities of using online office suites; these capabilities are similarly available through Zoho.

College students are commonly given the task of working within a group in order to complete a presentation or project; online office suites provides an opportunity to communicate via “chat” features without the necessity of syncing schedules to meet face-to-face and work. One can work with their group through the suite and additionally may submit their work through the services. Sharing with one’s professor or pulling up the doc’s URL for a presentation promote the accessibility and numerous benefits of using these productivity programs.

-Morgan Hazlett



REVISED- Kortney Sanders
Online office suites such as Google Docs and Zoho are efficient online programs that allows for anyone with internet to access. Google Docs and Zoho are just a few of the many online office suites that are now available for people to use. These programs allow for users to work and communicate together, world-wide and at any time. Google Docs is the most popular online office suite. Although Google Docs works with Microsoft Office, it does not have all of the power or features that Microsoft offers. Rather, Google Docs relies on the basics for people to make spreadsheets, presentations, simple drawings, word processing, along with online storage space. Although Microsoft Office offers many other features that Google Docs does not, the simplicity of Google Docs makes navigating through the program easy. Unlike Google Docs, Zoho provides many features. Zoho also has the capability to make spreadsheets, presentations, text documents and group discussion, but also contains features such as mail, calendars, notebooks, wikis, accounting, invoices, and more. For both Google Docs and Zoho, you can create a new account but with Zoho, a user can sign in using a Google, Yahoo, or a Facebook account. []

Over the past few years, online office suites such as Google Docs and Zoho have become popular and are only growing. With these types of technology, it makes teaching and group work easier. It is easier because the work is done completely online. As an educator, Google Docs, Zoho, and other online office suites will be necessary for students to work with one another, or the teacher, at home and out of the classroom. Because only internet access is needed, students can use their home internet, their schools’ internet, or the internet at the library or other public places, making the accessibility easy. As a college student, online office suites have been necessary in order to make group work happen and be completed. While working in a group, it can be difficult to find a common meeting time, so working on a document on your own time simply by accessing the internet, it easy and fair. As a future educator, online office suites like these will be an essential resource for my students to use. Students can learn from their classmates by posting to a Google Doc or Zoho while working on a project, collaborating on an assignment, or by managing a paper. Rather than using excessive class time for the work, or having the students meet together after school, the students can all contribute on their own time, at their own location.

In my personal opinion, I think Online Office Suites are genius! But its not my opinion that counts. As the other contributors have stated above Online Office Suites are wonderful because they make group work more accessible and contains everything a student could ever need such as: email, presentations, and even documents. I think this website is especially great not only for students but for educators as well. It allows you to even share assignments and projects with your students, so they can see first hand what you are requiring. But beyond the classroom, Online Office Suites allow for an educators to collaborate with their colleagues on assignments and lesson plans. one of the biggest online classroom tool that Google Doc offers are WEB QUESTS. These amazing "virtual" lesson plans help an educator and a student to learn together. It offeres a teacher to completely lay down expectations and a student to complete a task without the neccessity of a teacher. Here is an example of a web quest:

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Aditionally Zoho a program designed similar to Google Docs. It can easily help one to share files and colaborate with others. Here is a video of all the possibilities that Zoho offers:

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---Stephanie Reed

There are many advantages as well as disadvantages to using and incorporating online office suites into a business or classroom. Some people are very critical of online office suites while others think there are many advantages. Just like every product, there are bound to be some issues or challenges when dealing with technology.

Some of advantages include:

1. The cost is low and in most cases there is no charge for using the service

2. Since many programs are included within the online office suite, there is no need to download software outside of the suite's web page

3. Online suites are portable, meaning documents and other elements can be accessed on any computer with a connection

4. Most importantly, groups can work together and share information without being in physical contact

Some disadvantages include:

1. Access to the suite requires the ability to connect to a server or network

2. Speed of the web page and features has caused some concern among users

3. The amount of features offered is low compared to the features available in offline office suites

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9007884/Online_Office_Suites_The_Winner_Is_Clear

--Hanna Worrall

Like stated previously, online office suites provide numerous opportunities and benefits to students, teachers, and professionals everywhere. They can be used as forms of communication between group members, teachers and students, schools and parents, and many other combinations of teams. In this section I wanted to take a look at how it could be beneficial for each age group of students in the classroom.

For elementary students, this type of technology would have more of a benefit for parent and teacher communication. If teachers set up a google doc shared with all the parents of the students in their classes, information could be shared easily, chatting could be done between parents and teachers or other parents, and it would just provided another means of open communication. Also, this would allow both teachers and parents to update information on the site.

For middle school students and high school students, students could start getting into the benefits of group work. Often times students have to work in groups on projects and it is hard for them to find time to meet outside of school. Middle school students have busy after school lives, whether it be extracurriculars, other homework, or taking care of their families. Online office suites allows for collaboration outside the classroom, without having to actually meet. Also, being able to chat freely out side of text messaging or email allows for quicker communication between all group members.

In college, I have personally found these things beneficial for all the reasons stated previously. However, I feel that many people focus on the benefits of using online office suites to not having to meet outside of class time. Meeting with groups outside of class can sometimes be more beneficial than using an online office suite, but they can still help during group meetings. Being able to collaboratively work on a paper or project with other people at the same time both saves time and allows for great sharing of ideas. If someone needs help wording a sentence or coming up with ideas the other group members can see what they are doing right in front of their face.

Overall, these online office suites such as Google Docs have been try beneficial in the education society, for these reasons and the ones stated previously.

---Patty Baker