Quick Stepset for Google Groups Setup

This isn't an exhaustive setup set, but a quick look at setting up a Google Group for your school.

1.  Create a Google account if you don't already have one.  You can use your district email as the account contact email or, probably preferably, create a new gmail email account for your school.  (mrmartinelementary@gmail.com would be just sweet!)

2. Go to http://groups.google.com/ .  Click on 'Create a group'.

3. Give the group a creative, yet descriptive name.

4. Create a group email address.  This could be the same initial name, mrmartinelementary@googlegroups.com

5. The description will help people identify your group from a list.

6. Choose your access level.  If a school-wide group, you probably want it to be open and public.

7. You will be sent an email giving you the sign up information you just selected.

8. You can invite members now.  Type a few key stakeholder emails and send them the invite.

9. Remember your group http address and email address.  You will need that in just a minute.

10. Visiting your group, or going to your http address will show you what others will see in the group.

Signing People Up For Your New Group

You could sit there and type in everyone's email address.  Oh Boy, that would be FUN!  However, you can put a button on your website that sends people to your group and lets them sign themselves up.

Method 1: Most webpages and wikis allow for the use of Google Gadget scripts.  One popular one is the google groups sign-up box gadget.

Simply type your http address in the URL box and a pretty message under that. You can customize as needed, but when done, click the 'get code' button underneath.  Paste that code into your webpage.

(Useful Tip:: If you are putting this into an online web editor (pbwiki, AISD Teacher webpage), first click the "Source" or "HTML" button to view the source of the page. Place the cursor where you want the signup box and paste the script. Save the changes and view the page.)

Method 2: When you are logged in as an administrator, you will see a link on the main page for "Tune Your Groups Settings" . Under the General tab, there is a link for 'get a promotion box'. There is code in that link that you can paste onto your website.  This code is more straightforward HTML code instead of web 'script' code.  

Manager's Tabs and Settings

Managers will be able to use the settings to define who can post/upload/view/etc on the group's webpage.  Managers can revoke memberships, and overall web appearance.