Sharing Powerpoint or Office files in General

[ccoltmanm]

I have three English classes that work together on Monday. The school, in all its wisdom created and gave every student a Google email address. Cool. Except that students will be using Microsoft Office in the majority of their careers and Google Docs, despite its advantages now regarding sharing of files and working collaboratively will not suffice in the future when they will all be in the same spot.

That being said, I can't have them all create a live account to use the office.live experience and the collaborative nature of Microsoft, so what are my options?

I think I'm stuck with having them email the files around.

For example. Groups of 4 were working a 20 slide Powerpoint. Each member made 5 slides. In order for them to combine the slides, they all had to use their gmail account and email the slides to 1 person. That person combined the slides.

Too much work and time and chance of error. Any suggestions?

I am thinking of IT making a shared folder on the school network they can access. But short of that, anything online?

[123456789A]

Have everyone make a Windows Live account, then email the finished product to whoever made you use google in the first place.

[ccoltmanm]

Have everyone make a Windows Live account, then email the finished product to whoever made you use google in the first place.

IT, not an option, wish it though.

[lt8480]

Dropbox via the web?

[ccoltmanm]

Have you guys used the google docs plugin for office?

[capr]

the google docs plugin for office is fantastic. it is much like sharepoint. Creating a shared folder isn't very good cause then you have 50 files with the same name and every one of them is different. Try the google docs plugin for office.

be warned it has it's bugs and annoyances. You need to work out how to get around them before giving it to your students.

[Glassed Silver]

I know I'm being old fashioned here, but why not try FTPing?

Glassed Silver:mac

[farmeunit]

The Google plugin for Office is great. That being said, you can also download the files to the machines, then they can upload back into that folder, or another turn folder. Just set whatever permissions you want them to have for those folders.

We use shared folders on our network. Same concept. When they turn in the folders, have them add their names to the title.