Please help me- parent can't access my syllabi

[TravelingChris]

I typed my syllabi in a MS Word document.  One parent wrote me that she can't open the document on her computer at home but can on her i-phone.  Can I convert a copy of my document into something she could read or should I tell her to download open office or ms word viewer?

[TravelingChris]

Never mind.  She told me she can read a pdf file so I went through the ordeal of copying files into PDF and then having my email account not be able to send it since the file was too big.  So I ended up getting dropbox and doing it with conjuction of my email.  I also wrote her an email and told her to get MS word viewer or open office and that her daughter will need a word processing program. I didn't think I would have to specify that since I thought everyone with a computer had a word processing program.

[Moxie]

I feel your pain. I was a Cub Scout den leader for a time and had a mother with no email. She had a computer and worked in an office, just did not have email. She wanted me to call her anytime an email went out to let her know what was going on.

[TravelingChris]

That would be even worse, Moxie.  I don't think anyone can join our co-op without email.

 

WHen I was writing required items for the class, I did include pens or pencils, paper, the text, etc.  I said that the students, who are all high school students, would need internet access.  However, I didn't think to put down things like printer or word processing program since I haven't known any homeschooling parents who don't have these. But the place I thought a class before was very different than this place.  Back in Northern VA, my kids had less technology than most of the other homeschoolers.  At that point, they had regular cell phones, not smart phones like most of the other kids, etc. 

 

 

[regentrude]

The family may have a word processing program, just not Word.

Or she may even have Word, just an older version that can not open your file.

 

When I make materials available to my college students who all have access to Word, I always use a pdf format, because that has no compatibility problems; even with everybody having some sort of Word, formatting does not always work between different versions.

[Alexigail]

When I have to send a document over the internet, I usually create one through google docs. It has the basic features of a word processor, but everything can be viewed online.

[Dana]

Agree with regentrude. It also prevents someone from making changes as easily to my documents.

I have a program that lets me print my files as PDFs. It works nicely.

[zoobie]

Upload to Google Drive. You can share the document with a link.

 

MS Word has an option to save as a PDF.

[MusicMama]

Google Drive.  It's the only way I work.  It makes sharing and group editing a breeze.