With the pending roll-out of Google Apps for Education on the UWindsor campus, it will be a hot topic of conversation during Campus Technology Day, Thursday, May 17.

“There is much to talk about when it comes to Google and the cloud,” says Sean Moriarty, acting executive director of Information Technology Services.

A keynote address by John MacDonald, senior enterprise account executive with Google Inc., is set for 9 a.m. in the Ambassador Auditorium. It will explore the rise of cloud computing, discuss how these technologies are helping to enable innovation, and promote them as solutions to enhance security and maintain privacy.

In a 1 p.m. session, “Google Apps for Teaching and Learning,” Candace Nast, digital outreach coordinator for the GATA Network, and Richard Kenny, a student working with IT Services, will introduce a few basic functions of Google Docs – including word processing, spreadsheets and forms – Google reader and Google Plus, discussing how users might employ these tools in research and the classroom.

In addition, a hack desk in the poster area will give attendees a chance for hands-on exploration of Google Apps.

“There will be a bunch of user accounts set up and ready to go so that anyone who wants to explore Google Apps can walk up and try them out,” says Nast. “I’ll have data pre-loaded and ready to play with in a variety of Google Apps and will be on hand to guide and answer questions.”

The sixth annual Campus Technology Day runs 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the CAW Student Centre. It features interactive sessions and poster presentations on the theme of “Opening Doors with Technology.”

Registration is free for UWindsor students, faculty and staff and includes a complimentary lunch and wine & cheese reception. Find a full conference agenda and online registration form at uwindsor.ca/ctd.