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.

ArcGIS

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ABOUT:

ArcGIS is a collection of GIS tools provided by Esri.  ArcGIS specializes in bringing in data and maps together to form relationships, see trends, and understand people’s relationships in relation to maps. Knowing the various characteristics around a certain location can reveal hidden data that may give businesses a keen edge in the market, allow people to understand the cultural, economic, and spatial dynamics in a country, and manage huge data to help tell a story.

Supported

ArcGIS is supported on Windows and Mac.

Pros

  • Advanced data analytic tools to discover relationships
  • Ports with other technologies like satellite imagery to deliver powerful applications
  • Gives business and user friendly applications for the real world

Cons

  • Incredible pricey license
  • Limited 3rd party influence
  • Learning Curve is very huge unless taught in a class setting or by experienced instructors

EXAMPLES

An example of GSU’s and Emory’s in-progress platform ATLMaps. This particular project shows the story of Raymond Andrews and his narrative of living in a segregated Atlanta.

 

 

 

Uses

The main uses of ArcGIS follow within the lines of business relationships of whether certain locations are good spots or not to host a particular franchise or find certain locations nearby that may gain business throughout time. However, there are many other applications with ArcGIS tools that allows for individual, inexperienced users to utilize to sort out data in hopes of finding strong relationships. While the learning curve is a bit steep, it is definitely  easy to mess around with maps and explore the different possibilities of finding something.

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.