Sunday, January 3, 2016

DigiLit Sunday: Organizing Google's "Shared with Me" Drive

Dear Google Gurus,

Today's post is a call for help.  

In the last several years, I've become a Google fan.  I honestly can't imagine life without Google (shhh, don't tell them).  My favorite piece of the Google family is Google Drive.  I love its capabilities.  It's been a long time since I word processed something on my computer based software.  Google Documents give me the ability to create, collaborate, and organize my documents.  I appreciate the ability to work with others and to receive feedback on my documents.  I appreciate the ease of sharing and the flexibility in making documents private, limited, or public.  I appreciate being able to go back in the history to look at revisions.  

However, any trip into my shared folder makes me crazy.  The longer you use Google drive the harder it becomes as documents upon documents pile up in a long list.  I've learned to organize my personal documents into folders in my personal drive, but seem to have little control in what others send to me.  Additionally, I always worry about messing up someone's document.  

I know someone out there has already solved this problem.  I'm hoping you'll share the answers with me.  
  • How do you handle documents that are shared with you?
  • How can I organize my shared drive?
  • Do I have any ability to tag, sort, move, or delete?
Please help!  

Thanks,
Cathy




As part of a continuous collaboration among educators interested in digital learningMargaret Simon hosts a weekly Digital Learning round-up on her blog:  DigiLit Sunday.  Stop by Reflections on the Teche.  

7 comments:

  1. Yes! I feel the exact same way about the Shared With Me folder. I can't wait to see what you find out!

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  2. I was hoping you already had the answers when I opened your blog post. So, now, I'll be anxious to see what you find out. Funny story, I accidentally deleted all of my principal's meetings on everyone's calendar when I deleted them on mine. Oops! Now, I know not to do that. :)

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    1. Love this Julie - that's funny :)

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  3. I haven't solved this problem in my personal account, but I am THRILLED with Google Classroom - it sorts the kids' stuff for me! I send all my assignments out on it now. The kids like it, too!

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  4. I'm with Annie. I can't manage those shared files either. I'm able to add in to it, and delete anything I created, but I can't change anything else. I think it has something to do with who created the file. Hope you find out more!

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  5. When I get documents sent to Drive, if they are important ones I try to move them to a folder that I already created so I don't forget where they are. Otherwise, they join the long list of documents after my folders.

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  6. I asked the smartest person I know about Google. He said "Let it go." if you want something put it in a folder instantly otherwise don't worry about it. Not easy for me but I have followed his lead.

    Sharing features are based on the person who created the document and how they share it: Can edit, Can comment or Can view.

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