Transforming Digital Collaboration: The Power of Content Management Tools

1. Google Power Tools ‘Get A Handle On The Cutting Edge’ Sara Newman Distance Learning & TLC Coordinator South Seattle Community College SaraNewman@gmail.com Bill Newman Information Technology Instructor Seattle Community Colleges WilliamNewman@gmail.com

2. Content Management (CM) • As “content emitters”, people want to Collaborate, Search and Store • Feature Rich AND Simple - hard to do both • High priority for Corporations & Organizations • New Frontier for the Web?

3. Content Management (CM) Tools The technologies used to: • Capture/Create • Collaborate • Manage • Store • Deliver... digital files (images, audio, video, documents, spreadsheets, etc.)

4. Educational CM Challenges • Low adoption rates • Varying tech skill levels • Not always appropriate • Busy, underpaid, underappreciated • Can't force people to use • If ‘IT’ not main focus, must be “High Gain, Low Pain”

5. Content Management Solutions? • Proprietary Tools • Custom & Open Source Tools • Web Tools

6. Proprietary Tools Sharepoint, ThinkFree • High Implementation Cost • Ongoing Licensing • Low Adoption Rates • Labor Intensive • Security Concerns • Hardware Upgrades? • Questionable Purchase?

7. Custom Tools Some limitations as Proprietary Tools, and in addition: • Support Concerns • Continued Development (DIY?) • Higher Labor, Support costs, or both

8. Integrated Web Tools Google Apps, Zoho • Work Entirely Through a Browser • Handle Access to Documents • Allow Collaboration & Sharing of Documents • Additional Rich Content Features

9. Google Apps (what are they?) • Web Based Tools • Office Style Documents • Encourages Collaboration • Documents Always Accessible • Integrated Search

10. Google Apps vs. Google Tools • Google Tools is a generic term for all tools provided by Google • Google Apps is a specific bundle of tools and services http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/admins/customers.html (set up video!) http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/admins/resources/setup/ (the steps!)

11. Google – The Verb • Declared a verb in 2006 (Added to Merriam Webster and Oxford English dictionaries) • Ubiquitous, but in a good way? • Sets standards for search • Sets standards for less intrusive ads • High embedded adoption among public • Growing and developing continually

12. GOOGLE TOOLS commonly used by educators …(when not using Google Apps) • BLOGGER– Great for Journaling & Feedback • CALENDARS– integrated into websites! • DOCS– Spreadsheet, Word Processing, Presentation collaboration! (great 2 min video about value) • GMAIL– Has chat tool, recognizes calendar events, can easily forward mail to preferred e-mail acct., etc.! • GROUPS– Discussion Board with file sharing and page creation capabilities. • PAGE CREATOR– We don’t need to be web developers! Get 3 sub-domains & 100 MB of free space! • PICASA – Digital image/video storage & sharing • SEARCH – integration in all tools!

13. Google AppEditions • FREE – 6.5 GB, per user, with Ads • FREE EDUCATION– 6.5 GB, per user • PREMIUM– 25 GB, ($50, per acct. yearly) GMAIL, CHAT/TALK, CALENDAR, DOCS, SITES & START Page And continually adding new features!

14. Google Apps - For Organization • Upload, Create, Store, Share & Collaborate • Low Hardware/Software requirements • Low ongoing costs • Integrate & collaborate • Easy & Self Evident Interface and setup • Embedded public acceptance • No vendor lock!! • Cross Platform!! • Less Support Required

15. Google Apps - For Education • Branding • More Document Space • Integration for Students, Teachers, Committee Work • Customized Email Addressing • Calendar Integration • Single Sign On • Intranet Access Control • Reduced Campus Security

16. Try it! • Low Risk • Security Concerns Decrease • School Resources Decrease • No mandatory hardware/software upgrades • No ongoing costs • Low Adoption? (no cost)

17. WIIFM? (What’s In It For Me?) Faculty from Missouri? (Show Me State) Tools Should be: • Quick To Use and Learn • Self Evident (Easy to understand) • Useful in at least one obvious way • Demonstrate use for: Accreditation, committees, departments, classes and personal use

18. Click Me People of today are results oriented. • If tools aren't easy, (self evident) and expose their value quickly, they are quickly bypassed • Google Tools and Apps are designed with a simple interface • Google wishes to set the high bar for reaching the lowest common denominator

19. Disadvantages? • Document formatting not as rich, yet  • Navigation moves, on occasion  • Documentation can be lacking • Attempt to be self-evident, not always so • Number of available tools dwarfs the important ones (calendar, & integration)

20. Show Me! Google Tools (not Google Apps) support page for SSCC Educators: • http://tlc.sscc.googlepages.com/ Google Apps (SSCC) Small (no audio) video of what we have so far (we just started this week!) – best viewed in Internet Explorer: • http://www.southlore.net/movies/educause-tourofssccgoogleapps/educause-tourofssccgoogleapps.html

21. Testimonials and Support info Educator/University testimonial videos! http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/admins/customers.html#edu Admin features: http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/admins/admin_features.html Tours and Demos: http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/admins/tour.html

22. Why Google Apps? Requires Less: • Support - School Resources – Security Adds: • Collaboration • Integration • School branding Bottom Line: High gain, low pain 

23. Assessment and Evaluation • Please fill out Educause Assessment forms • For further help/information please contact Sara Newman anytime at… SaraNewman@gmail.comand/or SLNewman@sccd.ctc.edu SSCC Office phone (206) 768-6698 Thank you! :)