What is Google Pack?

Occasionally I run into people who are new to computers and are overwhelmed where to start, what is safe, who to trust,  or ________ (insert your own concern).


One site I recommend for them to visit is the Google Pack site. Which is then followed by, "What is Google Pack?" and for those who are on the site while we are talking, "Why is this free?" or "Why didn't someone tell me about this before?"


As displayed in the image, Google Pack is: 
Software selected by Google
Always free
Ready to use in just a few clicks!


Google Pack for Mac and Google Pack for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.

Learn more about the software selected in Google Pack. The site lists the software selected by Google with two bullet statements that provides a description. You can select Learn More About Google Pack Software and access the source where one can gather more information  about each product. The site changes to keep up with current needs, when Google Pack first launched Google Chrome didn't exist. You can select one or all of the following options for installation:  Google Chrome Web Browser, Google Apps, Google Earth, Google Toolbar for IE, Spyware Doctor with Anti-Virus, avast! Free Antivirus, Immunet Protect Antivirus, Google Desktop, Google Picasa, Adobe Reader, Firefox with Google Toolbar, Google Talk, Skype, RealPlayer, WebM for IE9.


Previous versions of Google Pack included: Ad-Aware, GalleryPlayer, Norton Antivirus Special Edition 2005, which included a 6-month subscription, Norton Security Scan, StarOffice, a productivity suite that includes a word processor and spreadsheet, Trillian, Spyware Doctor Starter Edition.
Google Pack is also available through the Google Products page in the Home and Office Category.
Once Google Updater is installed, you can view the current status, view installed software, set the status for updates, and set your preferences. You can remove or customize Google Updater.

Scroll to the bottom of the site and you will find links for the International versions of Google Pack available in: Български - čeština - dansk - Deutsch - Ελληνικά - English - English (UK) - Español - suomi - Français - Hrvatski - Magyar - Italiano - 日本語 - 한국어 - Nederlands - Norsk - polski - Português (Brasil) - Română - русский - Slovenčina - svenska - ไทย - Türkçe - 简体中文 - 繁体中文
Google Pack via Wikipedia

So whether you like to tinker, help others, or need a quick fix for an older device there is something for everyone in the Google Pack. Have you or do you use Google Pack? 

Comments, recommendations,  +1 and reaction box selections are always welcome.

Leadership Day 2010 - Call to all bloggers

For the 4th year, Dr. Scott Mcleod is calling all bloggers to participate in Leadership Day 2010 on July 30, 2010. Everything you need to know to participate is available in the Calling all Bloggers - Leadership Day 2010 blog post.  

From Dangerously Irrelevant

Dr. Mcleod provides you with prompts to spark ideas, a checklist, history of the Leadership Day blog challenge, a badge, and instructions on how to participate in the Leadership Day 10 blogger challenge post. Leaders come in all forms, all ages, and all levels of technology experience, we learn from you, because of you, or in spite of you.


For those who choose to "lurk and learn" review ISTE NETS-A, search for the official hashtag #leadershipday10, comment on someone's blog post, forward links to friends, tinker with something in technology, or NOT. For those who share knowledge, skills, and experience...thank you, continue doing what you do.


Last year for Leadership Day 2009, I did a blog post asking the question, "What are you doing? Leadership Day 2009", this year I continue to challenge you to do whatever you can...with and for our replacements...at some point you will be replaced. 

If our learners are our credentials...how is that working for you?

Regardless of your role...you are a stakeholder, whether you work for, live near, pay taxes for a learning environment, whether you are one, know one, want to be one from a student, administrator, educator, parent, support staff, parent, guardian, business owner, community member, concerned citizen or a combination of the above...do something.


You play a vital role in the unity of a community, observe, assess, adapt, implement, overcome, self educate, encourage others to share what they know and from Steven Covey's 7 Habits, "Seek first to understand, then be understood".


Look how far Google Apps Education Edition has come in the last 4 years.
From the Oregon Dept of Ed and Google Apps presentation as Oregon became the first state to allow districts to implement GAEE:
The published slide presentation
The Question and Answer session
Oregon Department of Education Google Apps Case Study
Google Moderator Questions and Answers for the ODoEd webinar
Colorado and Iowa opt for Google Apps Education Edition (June 2010)

In June 2009, PBS Frontline Digital Nation did a piece titled, How Google Saved a School? Principal Jason Levy used Google applications and a 1-to-1 laptop program to turn around Intermediate School 339.
IS 339 Dot-to-Dot A digital celebration program June 16-19, 2010
Presentations from the 2009 Dot-to-Dot program
Follow Jason Levy, Principal of IS339 on Twitter
About Dot-to-Dot A Global Learning Reception FAQ

Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) Project Plans for Google Apps.
18th largest school district in US, 209 Schools, 129,500 Students, Over 22,000 Employees, Over 60,000 Computers. Change from previous presentations 20K more computers, 6K less employees.

Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) has been Googlized and subsites of presentations at CloudCamp, CoSN 2010, Gartner 2009, NECC 2009, MICCA 2009, ASBO 2009.

Dr. Helen Barrett's ePortfolio Mash Up with GoogleApps (2007)

Save the time and energy wasted on complaining, banning, and ignoring it and take some time to listen, understand, learn, then share it with someone.

Thanks to Dr. Scott McLeod for taking time from his own busy schedule to keep the Leadership Day blog call to action a positive and shared learning experience and thanks to everyone who does something to support Dr. Mcleod's reminder, "because , I promise you, if the leaders don't get it, it isn't going to happen" (2010).

GAEE - Oregon, IS339, and PGCPS

Acronymese...for those who speak it just one part of a daily dialect...every career field has one including education and technology.

Some schools and school districts are opting to implement Google Apps Education Edition (GAEE) for a variety of reasons. Google provides case studies on the GAEE site, but finding formal documented research in dissertations is challenging. Links available in this post feature the Oregon Department of Education, NY IS339, and Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) and Google Apps Education Edition.

Recently Oregon Department of Education made the news for being the first state to partner with Google to allow the schools in Oregon to implement GAEE. You can take 55 minutes to watch the YouTube version of the recorded webinar or bookmark it for incremental reviews. They estimate savings of $1.5M per year by moving to Google Apps and answer questions from training to CIPA and FERPA. Join Steve Nelson, Chief IT Strategist for the Oregon Department of Education, and Jaime Casap, Business Development Manager for Google Apps Education, for this recorded webinar to hear the benefits of Google Apps, why Oregon decided to "Go Google", and plans for using Google Apps with all the schools.

More information from the Oregon Dept of Ed and Google Apps presentation:
The published slide presentation
The Question and Answer session
Oregon Department of Education Google Apps Case Study
Google Moderator Questions and Answers for the ODoEd webinar

In June 2009, PBS Frontline Digital Nation did a piece titled, How Google Saved a School? Principal Jason Levy used Google applications and a 1-to-1 laptop program to turn around Intermediate School 339.
IS 339 Dot-to-Dot A digital celebration program for 2010 is scheduled for June 16-19, 2010
Presentations from the 2009 Dot-to-Dot program
Follow Jason Levy, Principal of IS339 on Twitter
About Dot-to-Dot A Global Learning Reception FAQ


Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) Project Plans for Google Apps.
18th largest school district in US, 209 Schools, 129,500 Students, Over 22,000 Employees, Over 60,000 Computers. Change from previous presentations 20K more computers, 6K less employees.

Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) has been Googlized and subsites of presentations at CloudCamp, CoSN 2010, Gartner 2009, NECC 2009, MICCA 2009, ASBO 2009.

Google in Education - Diigo

Dr. Helen Barrett's ePortfolio Mash Up with GoogleApps (2007)

More information is available from the Google Apps Education Resource Center where you can:
Learn More:  Customer Case Studies, Resource Center, Security & Privacy FAQ

Get Started: Quick Start Guide, Google Apps Education FAQ
Downloads: Security Whitepaper, Google Apps for K12, Google Apps for K12 FAQ, Google Education Solutions, Improving the writing process with Google Docs
In the classroom: K-12 Lesson Plans
Stay Connected: Quarterly EDU Newsletter, New Features Email & RSS, Google Enterprise Blog, Google Apps on Twitter

Opposition articles:
ITS delays switch to GMail Yale Daily News March 30, 2010
Gmail pilot ends UC Davis opts not to outsource faculty, staff email  May 1, 2010
Biggest US cloud deployment kills Google Apps for Education ZDNet June 4, 2010

Would love any references to educators, administrators, and students who are or have participated in any action research as schools progress through the GAEE implementation. Are you part of a school, district, or state that has or is implementing Google Apps Education Edition? What happens if you attend school that has implemented GAEE then transfer to a school lacking technology or vice versa? Thoughts, comments, and recommendations are welcome.

TPACK, GAEE, and data dump from 2 weeks of intense assignments

Learning about Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework has been enlightening for me as I visit the many sites created and maintained by Dr. Punya Mishra & Dr. Matthew Koehler  the TPACK wiki,  TPACK 101, All things TPACK, collaborative and separate projects, publications, and shared information. 


What are the opportunities to observe, measure, inquire about TPACK in schools that have integrated Google Apps Education Edition beyond NY IS 339's Dot-to-Dot: A Global Learning Reception and Prince George's County Public Schools PGCPS has been Googlized and Oregon Department of Education announcement for statewide option for GAEE? While Mishra & Koehler continue to provide TPACK learning opportunities in higher education, what about the TPACK levels of those involved in schools that adopt Google Apps Education Edition or when students become the teachers?


Just a few links from my Internet connections and RSS feeds:
Drape's Takes When Students Become Teachers Become Students 
Sylvia Martinez Generation YES Students teach tech to Superintendents
Fred Wilson A VC in NYC Let The Students Teach
Vicki Davis Cool Cat Teacher Teach Students to Teach Themselves
Edutopia Students Teach Technology to Teachers
Project Tomorrow Students Speak Up 
Pew Internet & American Life Projects Technology User Types
PBS. Digital Nation How Google Saved a School
NY IS 339's Dot-to-Dot: A Global Learning Reception (2009)
NY IS 339's Dot-to-Dot: A Global Learning Reception (2010)


I tend to learn something from everything and everyone I encounter...good, bad, or indifferent but in the world where the arguments still continue about who is in charge, who is in control, while budgets are being cut not just in education but also in technology (and other career fields), many educational and learning sites are blocked, and many schools still lack basic technology...learning is still taking place. Can you imagine graduating high school in 2010 and never accessed the Internet to learn? Well it is still a reality.


The 2010 National Educational Technology Plan (NETP), 2004 NETP and other NETP archives are available through the net, what are the lessons learned? What lessons learned are in available in the practical application? For the educators, technology integrationists, students, self directed learners and many individuals who are returning to higher education and continue to share knowledge, a heartfelt thanks from this lifelong learner. While I cannot thank everyone in my P⁴LN*, know that whatever you post in cyberspace may impact a learner somewhere, sometime, and/or somehow.


After an intense 2 weeks of research and homework I just needed to post some of the ideas that have resurfaced as I review and assess the reasons why I am on this doctoral journey and compare, contrast, and align information while trying to maintain priorities and responsibilities of life beyond being a student. 


So is anyone researching TPACK in schools that have implemented Google Apps Education Edition?


Comments, recommendations, or checks in the reaction boxes are welcome.


P⁴-Personal, Professional, Perpetual, Persistent


Related posts:
Consolidating References (09/2009) 
Consolidating More References (11/2009)
Research Topic Ideas (10/2009)