Your Favorite Google Tool? Published 2007-03-12 under ,

The mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. (source) It began with an idea for a search engine and has grown to include a whole host of tools. It has the power to transform our language. Google is part of our lives!

As an educator, what is your favorite Google tool or your favorite way to use Google? This was the question that I asked a Google rep at this year's CUE Conference (hear her response) and pass on to you.

BTW

Google has setup an area for educators, Google Education, that has information and description how to use its tools to "empower students and expand the frontiers of human knowledge". If you have never visited this resource, check it out.

2 comments:

Nunya B said...

Hi Robert,
I'm thinking right now Google's calendar is my favorite. I'm a scheduling nut, all over the place generally. I've tried out a dozen or so scheduling apps and calendars and, so far, Google calendar is my favorite. I do love, of course, Google Docs as well...

Chris
www.edleadersonline.org

rob banning said...

I am not sure this is my favorite Google tool, but it certainly is my favorite NEW Google tool - Custom Search Engine. I stumbled upon the Google Custom Search Engine quite by accident while at the CUE Conference. It was not only new to me; all but one of the folks at the Google booth had never heard of it.

You can create your own custom search engine by either limiting your search to specific sites or emphasizing these sites in the results. Say you are a US History teacher. You might include sites like the Library of Congress, History.org, Annenberg/CPB: Artifacts and Fiction, etc.

Additionally, you can make this a collaborative effort, encouraging other history teachers to help grow the list of sites included in the search engine.

And if you are not feeling all that industrious, you can use one of the many existing custom search engines created by others. See Examples

I have created an "Educational Technology" Custom Search Engine and would love to hear of any site recommendations you might like to see included. (link)