Learn Google Drive
Introduction
Google Drive is an on-line folder that stores the files and folders you create and which are shared with you by others. To access your drive from different devices, you need to sign in to your Google Account (which is created when you open your Gmail account).
Basic information
| ICT Competency | Google Drive is a application for accessing and publishing resources. |
| Educational application and relevance | You can store all your data here by uploading existing file, folders and also can create new files and folders. And you can share your data with your peers to view, edit and comment. |
| Version | Version - Not Applicable |
| Configuration | No specific configuration requirements but Internet connection is needed to use this application. |
| Other similar applications | Nextcloud Dropbox |
| The application on mobiles and tablets | Android phones will have inbuilt Google Drive option. You need to switch on the synchronizing option to get all your mobile camera photos to upload to your google drive photos automatically. This enable all your important event photos will be saved safely in Google Drive. |
| Development and community help |
Overview of Features
- Google allows you 15 GB of free Google online storage, this includes your photos (Google photos), emails (Gmail), stories, drawings, recordings, video (Drive files).
- Your files in Drive can be reached from any smart phone, tablet, or computer.
- You can invite others to view, download, and collaborate on all the files you want–no email attachment needed.
Installation
It is a web based application, there is no installation process. To access google drive, you have to sign in to your google account (Gmail login will do this).
Working with the application
Accessing Google Drive
- Opening Google Drive
Opening a browser
Login to Gmail account
Google Apps, select Drive
Google Drive main page
- The above images show you how to access Google Drive. You need to access a browser (Mozilla Firefox) for this. On your computer with Ubuntu custom distribution, to open web browser go to (Applications → Internet→ Firefox web browser), as shown in the first image. And then type www.gmail.com in address bar to enter to Gmail page.
- Login to your Gmail account by using your Gmail user ID and password.
- Then go to App option which is showing in the image. Click on Drive.
- The google drive page will open and will look like this.
Creating / uploading and sharing files
- Creating/Uploading and Sharing file
New files
Sharing files
Access permission
- To Upload your local Folders to or Files to Google Drive , Click on “New” icon on left side of the screen.
- If you want to create a folder, click on “Folder” --> Give folder name --> Click on “Create”.
- To upload a file: Click on File Upload -> select file ->click open.
- You can create new files here, you can create documents, spreadsheet, slides. Google Drive has Open Document Format (odt, odp, ods) viewer and can open odt, fodt, ott, odp, fodp, otp, ods, fods, ots, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, ppt, pptx supported files.
- Sharing files: Select any file -> Right Click and click Share . Or Open your file, go to right corner and click on SHARE. Here you can share your uploaded folder or files with others by using their Gmail ids.
- Choose access permission. Examples : If you want to give access to edit , select “can edit” option. same like you can select other options like "comment" and only "view".
Saving the files and formats
When you start working on Google Drive documents, it will save automatically with given file name. Or else it will save as "Untitled" file.
Advanced features
- You can create simple drawings on "Google Drawing Page".
- You can allow others to access your documents ('sharing' documents with them) and give their comments and feedback.
Ideas for resource creation
All the documents like photos , important files and text resources can be save in drive. You can use share these resources with your peers to view, edit and comment to make it more effective.
References
Google Drive Tutorial