Week 4 - Task 1

So this I definitely thought that the Google Apps were pretty incredible! I definitely felt that the most impressive aspect of this is the "free" part.  A school, teacher, or division being able to set one of these up for free seems beneficial to the entire process.  This eliminates the need for paying for an individual server, etc.  It also seems that having the clear organization and affordability of the ePortfolio sphere would mean that more people would become involved.  After all, if it's easy enough, why not?  This would then allow for the expansion of the use of ePortfolios, along with creating the potential for more businesses to include them in their interviewing processes.  Also, having all of the ePortfolios grouped together means easier access and organization for the teacher and the students as well.  I also thought that the Google Docs online powerpoint presentation option was a good tool.  To be able to present a powerpoint online would be a valuable, it made me think of the Second Life options.  Just a bit less technological, and perhaps a bit more doable for the average Joe?  Using Blogger is certainly simple enough, so it seems like a good idea to continue with having all the applications be as simple and easy to use.  Although Second Life may certainly be a creation of the future, the Google set-up seems like one perfectly suited for the present.  

However, the one thing that I was curious about was the privacy aspect of having all of this associated with google.  I understand that using Blogger is one thing, but reading about having all of your pictures and videos stored online and associated with an ePortfolio makes me a bit nervous.  I was just curious about exactly how private all of the links would be? For example, would people "googling" be able to access your personal videos and photos?  Those were my main concerns about the entire set up.  Other than the privacy issues, the entire Google ePortfolio "sphere" seems like a great idea and a far more affordable option for both universities, teachers, and students alike.