Use the Cloud!
As many of you know, the GECDSB has provided all students with the opportunity to use Office 365, a cloud-based office suite, free of charge. While many tend to use it for Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, one of the most overlooked aspects of this service is OneDrive.
OneDrive is a file hosting service that allows users to upload files and access them at a later time. These uploaded files can also be shared with others at a moment’s notice, simplifying the process of collaboration.
The first step to using this resource is knowing how to access it. You can do so by going to https://publicboard.ca/Pages/default.aspx, hovering over the student heading, and clicking on Office 365.
From this point, you can sign-in in by entering your school-issued username and password. Once you are logged in, you should see a cloud icon with a caption named “OneDrive.”
Clicking on it will take you to the OneDrive user interface.
Advantages of Using OneDrive
Unlimited Storage – The main benefit of this service is the unlimited storage that you are given. While competitors such as Google Drive only give users 15 gigabytes of storage space, using OneDrive through the school board allows you to upload files to your heart’s content.
Collaboration – Sharing files with others has never been so easy! Just click on the file(s) that you want to share and click on the share button on the top of the screen. Once you have done this, there are two ways of sharing the file:
You can invite people by entering their names or e-mail addresses on the screen that pops up, which will send a link to their Office 365 account or e-mail address, respectively.
You can click on the tab labelled "Get a link" and press the "Create Link" button on the screen that appears, selecting the top one if you just want to share it, and the bottom one if you want the receiving party to edit the file.
Integration – OneDrive is integrated into many of Microsoft’s other services. For example, instead of going through the tedious process of saving files to the hard drive and manually uploading them to your service of choice, Office applications allow you to save directly to OneDrive.
If you need a place to store large files or just want a service that lets you upload things quickly and easily, then OneDrive is the right thing for you.
By: Daniel Tesfai and Damara Gagnier (Grade 11 Peer Helpers)
