Google Slides

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ABOUT:

Google Slides (formerly Google Presentation) is an Internet presentation generating software that works similarly to Microsoft PowerPoint. You can create presentation slides, or embed  any kind of media just like you would in any PowerPoint presentation. But Google Slides also does so much more. Not only can you work alone inside the presentation slides, you can work at the same time as other people. Google Slides allows more than one person to type in a presentation at once. It also allows easy sharing and embedding in external documents. And there are comment bubbles and an instant messaging feature so that you can receive and provide feedback from other users. Google Slides is excellent for group work and collaborative presenting.

Supported

Mac, PC, Google Chromebook, Mobile

Pros

  • Google Slides is on the cloud, so you can never accidentally erase it forever if your computer crashes.
  • It is sharable instantaneously and all you need is an internet connection.
  • I makes group work a lot more convenient because you can create slideshow presentations with someone else without being in the same room.

Cons

  • Under the ‘anyone can edit’ feature, it is easy to lose track of who has generated which section.
  • It is sometimes difficult to find presentations that someone has shared with you.

EXAMPLES:

https://youtu.be/RdKuNrGapco?t=53s

Uses:

You can use Google Slides for versatile presentations, and more. You can embed a slideshow into a website and convert it to a Prezi. Or you can use it to collaborate with a group on a presentation. It is great for peer review, or even for just creating a slideshow you want to share easily.

Google Sheets

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ABOUT:

Google Sheets (formerly Google Spreadsheets) is an Internet spreadsheet generating software that works similarly to Microsoft Excel. You can record data, or generate  any kind of report just like you would in any spreadsheet. But Google Sheets also does so much more. Not only can you work alone inside the spreadsheet, you can work at the same time as other people. Google Sheets allows more than one person to type in a spreadsheet at once. It also allows easy sharing and embedding in external documents. And there are comment bubbles and an instant messaging feature so that you can receive and provide feedback from other users. Google Sheets is excellent for group work.

Supported

Mac, PC, Google Chromebook, Mobile

Pros

  • Google Sheets is on the cloud, so you can never accidentally erase it forever if your computer crashes.
  • It is sharable instantaneously and all you need is an internet connection.
  • I makes group work a lot more convenient because you can create data with someone else without being in the same room.

Cons

  • Under the ‘anyone can edit’ feature, it is easy to lose track of who has generated which section.
  • It is sometimes difficult to find spreadsheets that someone has shared with you.

EXAMPLES:

Uses:

You can use Google Sheets for almost anything you can imagine. You can embed a spreadsheet into a website and use it as a presentation, or you can use it to collaborate with a group on a lab report or data set. It is great for peer review, or even for just creating a data table you want to share easily. Finally, you need to be able to program data into a spreadsheet to make a map, so Sheets is part of Google Maps creation too.

Google Fusion

taken from blogoscoped.com

ABOUT:

Google Fusion is one of the many ways you can make maps yourself to show data, group places, or combine places with their data. Google Fusion must be combined with Google Spreadsheets for it to work, and once you create a map with Fusion, it cannot be updated automatically. You must collect all your data before you begin. Once your data has been created and synced, inside Fusion, you can change your pointers, which data is displayed, and even group pointers to show how data flows. Google Fusion, like all Google Drive products, allows you to share, and build with others, but because Fusion requires training and practice, it may be difficult to remotely meet with someone to map using Fusion. Last, Fusion can be published and shared, but it does not go live to Google Maps because it does not readily export as a KML file.

Supported

PC, Mac, Android

Pros

  • Once your data is created, it is easy to make changes inside Fusion
  • The visualizations are fun, and exactly like what you see in a Google Map
  • Navigating the visuals of your data is as easy as it is on Maps

Cons

  • It is not easy to learn Fusion. You will want to use lynda.com through the Exchange, or take a class to learn the basics.
  • Fusion does not sync to your spreadsheet, should you need to make changes. You must upload or merge a whole new spreadsheet.
  • Fusion does not go live to Google Maps. Instead, you must learn to plot on Google Earth for this feature.

EXAMPLES

Below is a screenshot of a map a student made in Fusion of study spots in the Atlanta area. You can see she made the plot points green, instead of the classic red. And you can see the information she included on the selected spot.

Learning_Google_Maps-1

Uses

There are many reasons you might make a map in Fusion for a class. If you need to present information containing places for a history class, or to map where all the oak trees are located near campus for Biology, you can use Fusion to do this. If you have data to present on gas pricing in a certain area, or want to plot where people live that own drones, you can do this in Fusion.

Tableau

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ABOUT:

Tableau Software is a powerful collection of data analytic tools that is useable to anyone with big data. It is an interactive platform to show data, collaborate research, and find trends in statistical and methodological ways. Sharing data over the cloud makes it easy to present data to anyone with a computer, and Tableau’s wide platform support makes it easy to use any device to collaborate on projects.

Supported

Tableau is supported on Mac and Windows, with tablet support.

Pros

  • Easy to use tool to handle big data
  • Can be embedded for use on a project website
  • Features a wide array of tools to sort and filter through data
  • Can be integrated for huge amounts of data, including server support

Cons

  • There is a learning curve, but Tableau provides tutorials on their website.
  • Must get used to using spreadsheets for accurate data analysis
  • Individual accounts on other computers outside GSU’s CURVE costs money.

Examples

Tableau’s wide offering of support tools and interactive data analysis makes it easy to understand and learn about trends.

 

 

A live version of Tableau at work. Go ahead and explore the data!

Uses

Tableau’s main use is to construct business projections, markets, and trade values, but the gallery shows a great variety of uses by many different research groups. Use it for regional projects about specific country statistics or the entire world, and show the different levels that come with data analysis. Highlight correlations, details, and instances all on the same page with just a click of a button.