Research Guides: Tech for Teachers: Collaboration

Productivity Software

Belmont offers Office 365 access for their students, faculty, and staff, but if you don't have that available, or you need something for someone else, these resources can help.

LibreOffice
Free download of MS Office type programs (Writer = Word, Calc = Excel, Impress = PowerPoint, Base = Access); no online suite available
Google Drive
Online only suite of MS Office type programs (Docs = Word, Sheets = Excel, Slides = PowerPoint, Forms, Drawings)

FIle Sharing

The resources listed below can help you manage files on multiple machines - if you're regularly switching between a work and personal computer, these services can help you make sure that all of the files you need are available on whatever device you're on. Dropbox and Google Drive also offer backup services to help ensure that you don't lose files (including photos) if a device stops working.

Box
Free account offers 10GB storage; web and mobile versions; share files via link; can share whole folders with other users. There is a 250MB file upload limit.
Dropbox
Free account offers 2GB storage; can sync files between computer and web; web and mobile versions; can share files via link; can share whole folders with other users. Also offers file conversion and PDF editing capabilities.
Google Drive
15GB free (shared with Drive, Mail, and Photos); can sync files between computer and web; can share files via link; can share whole folders with other users; part of Google family; mobile version requires multiple apps for file editing

Web Conferencing

Need to meet with someone, but you can't find a time for you both to meet in person? Try one of these services. You can also use these for recording video of presentations or other activities in your classroom, if you don't have a stand-alone camera.

Google Meet
can include up to 100 people for up to 60 minutes; provides collaboration tools, screen sharing, and automated closed captioning
Skype
Free version can host up to 100 participants in a 24-hour call. Automatic closed captioning is available, and meetings can be recorded to the cloud. Screen-sharing is available, but not breakout rooms. Participants are not allowed to call in via telephone – they must use the app or browser-based version to join.
WebEx
Free version can host up to 100 participants for a 40-minute meeting. Closed captions are not available on the free version. Meetings can be recorded to your computer. Screen-sharing, breakout rooms, and other standard features are available. Participants are not allowed to call in via telephone – they must use the app or browser-based version to join.
Zoom
Free version allows up to 100 participants in a 40 min meeting. Automatic closed captioning is available, and meetings can be recorded to your computer. Participants are not allowed to call in via telephone – they must use the app or browser-based version to join. Screen-sharing, breakout rooms, and other standard features are available.

URL Shorteners

Tired of links that have things like "1AksonHmBEtNUlngPW4hk8R_qEn7A4EHyhFsx0VgRTMA" in them? Try a link shortening service - you can choose to customize a link, or just get a link that has way fewer random characters. Either way, the link will be easier to share with others!

Bit.ly
Create 10 short URLs/month and 2 QR codes/month. Five of those 10 short URLs can be customized, and the QR code can be customized. Account registration is required in order to access link usage information, but you can also just shorten a link using the box on the lower part of the home page.
TinyURL
Free accounts can create up to 100 customized short links, but usage information is not available for those links. QR codes are not available. An account is not required to shorten a link – you can use the box on the home page.