Week 8: Thing 18 - Zoho!

I was a bit reluctant to try Zoho since I already use Google Docs. Why create another account which will go unused? But, being the trooper I am, I plugged away as per our assignment. And - I'm so glad I did! WOW - I can't stop exploring the many options.

First, let me explain how I use Google Docs: primarily for collaborating with my teachers. For instance, at a recent workshop with the Reading Specialist and English teachers, we all worked on the same Google Doc at the same time. We brainstormed ideas and eventually created one document which we then made public, and emailed it to our administrators for their review. Quick and easy! Google Docs also has a spreadsheet and presenter (similar to PowerPoint) available. So what could Zoho have that Google Docs does not?

Answer: a lot! Yes, it has Writer, Sheet, Notebook and Show - just like Google Docs. But...it also has Planner, Meeting, Wiki, Creator and more. One of the tools I explored is Creator. Creator allows you to gather and share data online. As a trial, I created this one below which allows readers to submit books they have read. I also added a results view to demonstrate what the collected data looks like. Want to give it a try? Please add a book you've recently read.





There are so many great ways that these tools can allow us to share and collaborate which go above and beyond document sharing. I think I may give it a try with Reading Olympics or our Book Club: students can sign-up online and also submit the books which they have read. Then, all the information can be organized and will be searchable. Love it!