What is a Google hangout?
Google+ is Google’s new social networking tool. I have only just discovered its amazing potential since attending the Google Teacher Academy in New York in October. Google has put a lot of funding into developing Google+ and they are committed to making it work well for education, so it will just get better and better I am sure. Once you have created a circle of friends in Google+ you can choose to hang out with them on Google+. This allows you to video chat, IM chat, watch YouTube videos together, and more.
Summary of benefits
Google Hangouts are part of Google+, Google’s new free social networking tool. On a Hangout 10 people (possible 15 on Google Apps) can:
*video chat
*IM (instant message) chat
*watch YouTube videos together
*collaborate on a Google Doc
*use a whiteboard collaboratively
*add effects for fun
*record the Hangout directly on YouTube
*live stream for more viewers
*A minimum of two people
*and more…
A Slideshare showing the steps
This slideshare was used in the SchoolNet webinar of the same name and shows the steps in creating a hangout.
Get the hang of a Google+ hangout from Fiona Beal
Webinar recording:
Last week SchoolNet had a webinar whih was presented by me (Fiona Beal) on ‘Get the hang of a Google Hangout’. Here is the recording.
http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/p6kgz1ndmhz/ (22 mins)
Ideas for using a hangout in the the classroom
• Read a story
• Bring in an expert/guest speaker/author|
• Share from a Slideshare
• Homework tutoring
• Professional Development meeting
• Work on a project together
• Virtual penpals
• Global classroom discussions
• Career Day wit panelists
• Attend other hangouts (Google has a whole library of hangouts)
• Extended discussion on a class topic
• Subject-related hangouts
• Conduct workshops and seminars
Additional reading and viewing
a) A tutorial
Please note that Google updates its products continually so some features in this video might look different.
b) Further Reading
