In a previous post I talked about some of the new add-ons for
Google Forms that greatly expand their functionality. Today, I want to let you know about some core add-ons for Google Docs that could expand educational opportunities for students (or just make everyone's life easier!).
Adding Addons
Making one of these add-ons available in Google Docs is simple. First, open your Google Doc and click on the "Add-ons" menu at the top of the page.
Then choose "Get add-ons..." and you will be presented with a pop up window that shows a long list of possible choices. I will highlight a few of my favorites here.
EasyBib
EasyBib allows you to insert citations and a subsequent bibliography page to your Google Doc.
Easy Accents
This add-on allows students to choose French, German, or Spanish (plus a few others) accents to add to their documents through a button system. It may or may not be more fluid than learning the keyboard shortcuts, but I'll leave that decision up the experts.
Lucidchart
This is definitely the easiest way I have found to draw flowcharts and mind maps on the web and have them inserted directly into a Google Doc. Uses range widely from having students create mind maps for science notes, to a floor plan image of their sci-fi room during a creative writing project.
Openclipart
With this add-on, you can quickly search through the openclipart.org database for free to use clip art images to insert into a document. It is worth noting that you can also search for images from within a Google Doc by using the Research tool (Ctrl+Alt+Shift+I), but the resulting images range from clip art to actual photography. Using the Openclipart add-on is a nice way to filter down those results.
Final Thoughts
There are
many other add-ons to explore. Some have very specific functions that might be perfect for your classroom. Explore the possibilities, and collaborate with your colleagues when you find something that works!
