Google Products: Google Calendar

The calendar on Google is a product that probably goes unnoticed by people. Maybe you see it when you first use Google but then forget about it. Why would you need that calendar when you already have one on your desk, in your kitchen, on your phone? If you already have five other calendars, is using the one that Google has really necessary? Probably not a necessity, but then again, neither is having an iPhone, laptop, $300 pair of cleats, a pair of Louboutin's or that Louis Vuitton handbag. It’s something that you absolutely love, but don’t really need. The calendar is fun and easy to use. Since it's a Google product, it comes free with a gmail account.

WHY YOU SHOULD USE IT

The calendar is incredibly easy to use. Events can be changed or added quickly. Many notices and information come through email and the calendar can be quickly accessed to make any changes. It would benefit both teachers and students. Teachers can use it to share assignments and write down important dates: tests, quizzes, essays, homework, whatever they like. Students can then use it to see what they have for homework, or when their upcoming test or quiz is. If they missed class, then they know exactly what they missed, and if the work is in a textbook or something they already have, they can do it and be caught up by the time they get back. It is also online so it doesn't require the teacher to print a new copy of it every time something changes. One of the other neat things is that attachments can be added to the calendar, so the assignments that are put on the calendar can be used to link to the actual paper. Then, if a student misplaces it or is absent and wants to get it to do before going back, it's right there!

HOW IT WORKS

How to access it:

1. Log into gmail account.


2. On the top right of the page, next to the account name, there's is something that looks like a square. Click on that.


3. Click on the calendar icon.


4. And now you're in!

To share a calendar:

1. Click on the "Settings" button.


2. Click on the tab that says "Calendar" (next to "General" and "Mobile Setup").


3. On the line that has the calendar that you would like to share, click on "Share this calendar"


4. There you can choose to make the calendar public or share with specific people using email addresses. There you can also choose what the other person gets to see, or if they can make changes.

Some other settings:

• To add an event, click on "Create" near the top left of the page.


• To edit an event, click on the event, then click "Edit Event".


• To change the format, use the bar on the top right of the page that says, "Day Week Month 5 Days Agenda".

SOME NEAT FEATURES

• Events can be color coded. When creating the event, there is a bar in the middle of the screen that shows different colors. Click on any of the colors to set a color for the event.


• Events can be made to re-occur, select that option when creating the event.


• You can have more than one calendar, and they are separate. The people they are shared with cannot see the other calendars.


• It can be synced with a phone and Google will send a text message to remind you about an event.


• Google Labs: Allows some features to be played with that haven't been fully tested and made into a part of the actual program. They can change at any time. Some of the neater ones include hiding morning and night, (think 11pm-6am, but can be whatever you want) since those probably aren't busy times for meetings and such, jumping to specific dates (both past and present, from 1980-2030), setting a background image, and many more!

The Google calendar is actually incredibly helpful and great to use. It has many features that aren't available on other forms of calendars (like paper and phone). These features are even more useful for educational purposes and by using it for such, can make for a more prepared student and therefore, the class can go more smoothly. Even administrators can use it to plan meetings and other school events and share the calendar with the teachers. The calendar is a very underused product that would greatly benefit educators, students, and even other professions in general.