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Five Big Google Announcements From June 2023

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Wish you could stop students from copying from ChatGPT and other AI tools? Google might have an answer for that if students are doing it on a Chromebook. Let’s explore this and a few other big announcements made by Google, including:

  • Google Classroom enhancements
  • Stop AI plagiarism
  • Improved accessibility
  • Google Meet’s paired tiles, Q&A, and polling
  • Google app licensing management

Let’s take a closer look at these updates. May you find the emergence of long-awaited features exciting!

#1 – Google Classroom Enhancements

Analytics. Wish you could leverage Google Analytics-style graphs and information for student work? Then you will love the announcement of Google Classroom’s new analytics features.

Gif showing several new analytics features in Google Classroom recently announced by Google.

These provide insight into student performance and engagement. What’s more, they address the following:

  • Assignment completion
  • Average grade
  • Active students
  • Missing assignments
  • Growth and loss for courses

That’s a pretty incredible analytics update. The analytics features will be launched in the coming months and are currently being evaluated.

Temporary Class Access. What’s more, Google made the announcement that Classroom now has the option to visit a class with temporary class access. That is, any of the following can now have temporary access without needing to be a co-teacher:

  • Principals
  • Department heads
  • School counselors
  • Curriculum leaders
  • Administrative assistants
  • Coaches and mentors
  • IT admins

In addition, trusted educators visiting a class can do the following:

  • Share links to class templates
  • Import content into classes
  • Plan, organize, and analyze assignments and grades
  • Choose grading scales to align with the district’s grading system
  • Disable submissions after the due date*
  • Make comments more engaging*

These features will be available to select Google Workspace for Education editions, including Teaching and Learning Upgrade and Education Plus, and must be enabled by administrators.

*All Google Workspace for Education editions will have access to asterisked features shown.

#2 – Stop Student Copying from AI

Ready to stop plagiarism and AI-assisted learning before it happens? Google announced that it’s adding ChromeOS data controls that allow Google Admins to:

  • Prevent copying and pasting from AI-based tools
  • Stop screen capture, sharing, and printing efforts
  • Disable cameras and microphones when not in use
  • Turn on an electronic privacy screen when viewing content

These features make it easy for school technology staff to enact restrictions. Some ways to identify when restrictions are enacted include:

  • Data source
  • Destination
  • User access

There are system requirements. ChromeOS devices must be on version 103 or later. What’s more, they must be in user or managed guest session mode. These ChromeOS updates have profound implications for device management in schools. Google provides some example scenarios and rules online at Google Support for you to explore.

#3 – Improved Accessibility

Google reiterated its commitment to accessibility with new releases and improvements. These releases improve viewing in the browser and read alouds for Adobe Portable Document Format (PDFs).

Image showing Google's announcement of an image to text feature available in the Chrome Browser.

Now, you can also take advantage of improvements on:

  • Google Reading Mode. This is now available for Chrome browsers on all devices. Reading mode makes text larger, changes the font, and eliminates distractions.
  • Image to Text Conversion in PDFs. This ensures screen readers can convert images in a PDF to text. Then, the screen reader can read the text aloud.

These changes will become available in the coming months.

#4 – Google Meet’s Paired Tiles, Q&A, and Polling

Have two people presenting in a virtual meeting? Will there be a translator or a sign-language interpreter? You can now “Ask to pair the tiles” so that the tiles appear together. If one of you speaks, both tiles are highlighted.

Image of four people in a Google Meet.

There was also a Google announcement of new question and answers (Q&A) and polling features that will be available for livestreams. Additionally, for schools with the Education Plus option, the limit is now set to 1,000 attendees.

#5 – Google App Licensing Management

In a move sure to please finance department superintendents, Google announced streamlined app purchasing. That is, Google Admins for schools can now buy apps from developers directly. Locate these available apps in the Google for Education App Hub.

The Google for Education App Hub makes it easy to access apps that work with Google for Education tools. App licensing “can be provisioned and managed within the Google Admin Console.”

Image of Adobe Express showing app licensing options.

Source: Adobe Express at the Google for Education App Hub

What’s available? Explore the Hub, but you won’t want to miss these offerings:

Any one of these alone would be amazing, but to have easy access is wonderful. Also, these are now available at no cost (FREE!):

  • Adobe Express for Education. It’s free for schools using Chromebooks across the U.S.
  • Figma. This is already free for all K-12 schools in the U.S. who use Chromebooks.

I hope these Google Announcements benefit you, your school, and your students. Once you give them a try, let us know what you think in the comments.

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twitter takeaways
ChromebooksGoogle Tips and Tricks

Twitter Takeaways: Google Meet Breakouts Plus

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Looking for Twitter takeaways focused on Google Meet in the classroom? You have come to the right place. In a series of tweets, the amazing Kris Szajner shared innovative instructional activities. Let’s take a moment to explore these in this edition of Twitter Takeaways.

Before I share tweets about Google Meet you may not have seen, let’s revisit recent changes to Google Meet.

twitter takeaways

(Adapted from source)

Google Meet Updates

Since March 2020, Google has brought updates and changes to Google Meet. Their head-spinning updates have attempted to compete with competitors’ features. You may find their barrage of updates tough to keep up with.

Source: Google

Here’s a quick recap of some Fall, 2020 updates:

  • Attendance tracking: Get reports for live streams now available
  • Breakout rooms: Add timers, students can get help, teachers can assign students
  • Raise your hand in Google Meet
  • Admit all participants at once and view up to 49 participants
  • Change your background, conduct polls, and ask questions

Now that you know what’s up with Google Meet, here are some Twitter Takeaways. Of course, these ideas translate well. You can also adapt them for use with other video conferencing tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

Twitter Takeaway #1: Breakout Rooms

“Breakout rooms are becoming essential,” says Kristina Moon because they work for a range of activities. That range includes in-class small group instruction to student collaboration. What’s powerful, Kristina says, is that they work well. That’s great for either virtual or hybrid classroom environments. As a writing teacher, I find creating small pods of writers to discuss the writing process invaluable. Angeliz Alverio says this is a mind-blowing use of breakout rooms, and I agree.

Juanita shared this tweet on how to track breakout rooms in Google Meet:

Kris Szajner has been sharing wonderful stuff on Twitter including the use of Google Meet to support Independent Reading time.

twitter takeaways

Mr. Tarasevich plans to use breakout rooms as an alternative. He suspects this may work better than calling students out in mid-meet. As a follow up, others share that they have adapted Kris’ technique. For example, Jade uses it for “interventions, pullouts, one to one, and testing.”

Of course, Ben Kovacs points out that teachers must be careful meeting one to one with students. While I agree with Ben, in remote teaching situations, it’s an easy matter to schedule a meeting. Once scheduled, notify the parent/guardian and don’t be afraid to hit “Record” for an archive copy. As always, be sure to keep your administrator informed and be transparent as possible.

Twitter Takeaway #2: Build Your Name

Where do you stand on the question of cameras on or off for students? Many argue that cameras should remain on at all times. In fact, some teachers will remove students whose cameras get turned off. No matter where you stand on this topic, you may find Jessica Hughes’ hack for “cameras off” worth emulating:

Loving these student submissions for week one of #remotelearning. Task: Build the name you want to go by in something you love & make it your @Google avatar. Now, if they turn off their cameras in #GoogleMeets, we know who is with us.

twitter takeaways

As you can see from the example above, when students switch off their cameras, you still know who they are. Jessica even has a padlet where students have added their custom avatar. How might you use this in your digital classroom?

As always, remember to check with your campus administrator and district technology folks. It’s best to keep all informed when sharing photos of students.

Twitter Takeaway #3: Meet Resources

Wondering how others are sharing resources about Google Meet usage? Here’s a quick list of more amazing content about using Google Meet.

There are many online resources for Google Meet. Be sure to explore these search results for YouTube and TCEA’s TechNotes.

Beyond Twitter

What are some ways that you’re using Google Meet? For example, how are you using JamBoard within Google Meet? What challenges are you facing with Google Meet in Google Classroom? Please share in the comments.

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Google
Google Tips and Tricks

Our 2020 Google Resource Roundup

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

Every year, I gather all the fabulous Google resources from our blog. This year, we have had so many amazing posts on topics ranging from Google Meet to Google Classroom. Check out this incredible list of Google blog posts from this past year categorized by topic/tool.

Accessibility

Apps

Chrome Tablets

Classroom

Contacts

Docs

Drive

Gmail

  • Declutter Your Inbox the Easy Way – Is your email inbox a mess, filled with emails you really don’t want? Fear not. We have four useful methods to declutter your inbox.
  • Gmail Tips and Tricks – Gmail is more powerful than you realize. Learning how to filter emails and create an event within an email saves time. If efficiency is your aim, read this!

HyperDocs

Meet

Sites

  • Google Sites Bells and Whistles – See what Google Sites can do now with the new tools and features that have been added.
  • Templates for Google Sites – Discover templates for Google Sites that can be used to create a website for a classroom, extracurricular activity, or portfolio.

Slides

  • Recording Video into Google Slides – Need to share some quick instructions with students and avoid big screen recording tools? Record to Slide is your new go-to tool.

Various Google Topics and Tools

Voice

YouTube

In addition, don’t forget to check out the 2019 Google Resource Roundup, 2018 Google Resource Roundup, 2017 Google Resource Roundup, and the 2016 Google Resource Roundup for even more phenomenal Google blog posts. As we move into 2021, stay tuned for more fabulous posts by joining our email list to ensure the latest content gets delivered right to your inbox and you never miss any of these wonderful resources.

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female working on math problem in notebook
Google Tips and TricksMath

Teaching Math with Google Workspace EDU

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

It was only a week ago that a teacher reached out to me about typing mathematical symbols. Lonnie, a math teacher, expressed the challenge:

I’ve avoided using Docs for a long time because it does not allow me to take a snapshot. As a math teacher, I often need to take a snapshot. It’s less tedious than trying to find all the mathematical symbols to type something out.  And another thing…I’m not sure why I would use Google Sites or YouTube.

In this blog entry, we’ll explore a few responses to these questions.

Mathematical Symbols

Solution #1: Lightshot

You can use several tools to take snapshots and then copy-and-paste or insert them into Google Docs. I rely on Lightshot, a Chrome extension and/or program you can load on your computer. It makes it easy to snap pictures of my screen and annotate them. You can see it reviewed in this video. It’s also mentioned in my TCEA Remote Learning support page for the video. Find it online.

math

Solution #2: Equatio

Equatio is a Chrome extension that takes the pain out of making equations or math expressions. You can dictate equations as well. Teachers can use Google Forms to create quizzes and students can add diagrams, sketches, and more to make their thinking visible.

Get Equatio in a free or premium version. Want to see more math tools? See this blog post.

Digital Whiteboards

Need a digital whiteboard? Most of us do when we’re trying to explain mathematical concepts. One way to do that is with a digital whiteboard that makes connecting with students easier.

Here are three digital whiteboard solutions you can take advantage of. The question is, which one does what you need?

Tool #1: Google Meet Plus

If you’re looking for the Swiss army knife of Chrome extensions for Google Meet, then this is it. Google Meet Plus has a built-in whiteboard that offers a few extra features that come in handy during a Google Meet. One of them is showing you a running record of who added what to the whiteboard.

math

Google Meet Plus makes it simple for participants to do the following:

  • Share and collaborate on a whiteboard in the meeting
  • See the drawing in real-time

Get simple and powerful tools in a Google Meet session with Google Meet Plus.

Tool #2: JamBoard

Jamboard is a great whiteboard solution, and it’s collaborative. Since it’s a G Suite solution, which means you can use it with your students. But you will still need math tools for typing. “You can also write on it with your mouse/touchpad,” says Shari Hiltbrand. She goes on to say:

Access it by going to your 9 dots/waffle. That is at the top right of your Gmail or Drive page. Scroll through the apps and you’ll find JamBoard.

You may find Sarah Kiefer’s Wakelet Collection about JamBoard worth exploring:

If in Google Classroom, you can assign a JamBoard to each student. You can use a laser pointer, and create an unlimited series of blank pages (whiteboard screens) that can be saved. You can also embed GIFs in JamBoard (video). Unlike Google Meet Plus’ whiteboard, there is no revision history. Here’s how one teacher reported using it in her classroom with two remote learning students:

Eric Curts (Control Alt Achieve Blog) has put together an amazing video on using JamBoard and Google Meets:

Tool #3: Whiteboard.fi

mathAnother nifty solution is Whiteboard.fi. From their website:

Whiteboard.fi is a simple tool that you can put into instant use. Create a class and invite your students. When they join, all will get a digital whiteboard.

As their teacher, you see all your students’ whiteboards in real time, so you can follow their progress. The students only see their own whiteboard and the teacher’s.

Imagine your students creating a concept map while you are sharing a new idea or concept. Whiteboard.fi makes it easy for students to make their thinking visible while you provide live feedback.

Virtual Online Space

One of the tough problems we encounter in teaching math is finding ONE place to put everything we want to share with students. A great tool for that is Google Sites. I put all my stuff that I share with others in Google Sites like a simple bulletin board. Here’s an example or two you may find of interest:

As wonderful as Google Docs is, having a space you can refer to online like Google Sites can be a lifesaver.

Did You Know?

Sign up for one of our Google Certified Educator certifications. You’ll learn about more than Google Meet, as well as earn 12 CPE hours per course. Use these courses to get Google Educator certified. Find out more online.

Sharing Video Playlists

One of the reasons you would use YouTube is to share playlists of educational videos with students (or colleagues/parents). For example, you could make a playlist of supplemental videos for a particular math lesson. Watchinga  video can assist learners in visualizing concepts from a different perspective.

For example, check out this YouTube playlist Algebra Made Simple. Imagine using it to reinforce algebraic concepts covered in class today.

Equations, Whiteboards, and More

When you consider how many tools are available, it can be overwhelming. That’s why I like to have two or three to refer to when working. I hope this blog entry has provided you with a few ideas you can build on. If not, here are some more ways to Empower Your Math Lessons with G Suite for Education.

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Zoom chat in progress on laptop screen, green coffee cup to the side
Google Tips and TricksLeadership

Google Meet or Zoom Transcription

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

As most of us move online, we start to realize how important it is to make our communications accessible. One way to achieve that is through audio transcriptions. For many of us, a first experience with audio transcription involved Google Voice. Now most of us spend more time on video conferencing platforms like Zoom and Google Meet.

There are several tools available for transcription of video conferencing audio. Let’s take a look at a few of those.

Wait, Why Do I Need a Transcription?

That question isn’t unlike one I heard someone ask a principal. Then, it was, “Why do I need an audio recorder on my phone for this parent meeting?” Sometimes, you need a digital record. 

While video recording meetings has gotten easier, there are times and circumstances that may call for a written transcript you can share with your supervisor or keep for legal reasons. Please recall that it is important to ask and get the consent of at least one person. If you’re a part of the conversation, then you can record even if no one else knows. 

Note: Texas makes it a crime to intercept or record any “wire, oral, or electronic communication” unless one party to the conversation consents.” That means, if you know you are recording, and you are in the conversation, you can record in Texas (source). Learn more about recording meetings outside of Texas.

The main reason I would rely on transcription is to recall important points. This makes it easier for everyone to stay on the same page about what you and the others involved said. Out of courtesy, I encourage you to seek consent of everyone involved in the conversation with you.

Recording Tools Abound

Today, an audio recorder app on your smartphone works great for face-to-face meetings. But what about Google Meet, the tool of choice for many since it’s now free to schools and individuals? You can record, but it’s immediately obvious to all present. If you want to record, but want to keep that to yourself, how do you do that? Let’s explore a few tools that may be helpful to you in those sensitive meetings.

Tool #1: Tactiq 

Need a Chrome extension that can transcribe Google Meet audio? Look no further than the easy to use Tactiq. You can save and share with it. Some of its features include being able to:

  • Read the full history of the conversation in real-time
  • Export the transcript to a text file, your device’s clipboard, or store in Google Drive
  • Select memorable information in the transcription for later review

Here’s a quick overview of how it works:

Free features include the ability to auto-start in Google Meet and export to a Google Doc or text file. Also, the free feature list includes speaker detection and click-to-highlight. You may have to pay $5 per month to see more integrations such as auto-save to Google Doc and export to subtitles. 

Tool #2: Scribbl

You can use Scribbl to auto-record and transcribe a meeting in real time. It allows you to tag and focus on excerpts and save them as sound clips. Scribbl works with Google Meet, as well as Zoom. Like all the other tools mentioned, it works with a wide variety of conferencing tools.

Tool #3: Fireflies.Ai

Like other tools, Fireflies.Ai records and transcribes  Google Meet and Zoom. For Zoom calls, you add fred@fireflies.ai to your calendar invite. At that point, Fireflies.Ai will join the meeting and capture everything. You can get the Fireflies Chrome extension. This gives Fireflies the ability to work from within your Google Calendar.

Did You Know?

The other day, while playing a YouTube video I had uploaded, I noticed that YouTube transcribed my audio and showed my text at the bottom of the screen. You can take your video conferencing recording from Meet or Zoom, then upload to YouTube. YouTube will then automate a transcript. Amazing, huh?

Never Forget

From this point forward, you no longer need to ask, “What did we talk about in that meeting?” While a video recording may be undesirable, a text transcript may be enough to jog your memory.

Don’t be afraid to give this app a try with your young reader. It may be the type of engagement your child needs. Read along with your child to improve engagement.

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virtual background - screenshot by author
Google Tips and Tricks

Virtual Backgrounds for Google Meet (Updated)

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Connecting to a Google Meet, and wish you could drop in a virtual background like Zoomers do? If you read Dr. Bruce Ellis’ blog entry, Creating Virtual Backgrounds for Zoom, you know what I mean. You can add a virtual background to Zoom with ease. Can you do the same with Google Meet? In this blog entry, we explore two possible solutions. Let’s find out.

Got the Virtual Background Power?

When my primary computer died in March, 2020, I had a moment of fright. Would I have to clean up my home office? Would I have to venture out and try to find a Dollar Tree green tablecloth as a cheap green screen? The answer was, “Yes, I did have to clean up my office.” My old Dell didn’t have the graphics card to handle virtual backgrounds for Zoom.

Did You Know?

Sign up for one of our Google Certified Educator certifications. You’ll learn about more than Google Meet, as well as earn 12 CPE hours per course. Use these courses to get Google Educator certified. Find out more online.

“Wait a second, I thought we were talking about Google Meet?” you may be saying to yourself. And, yes, that’s true. We aren’t worrying about the Zoomers with their fancy computers. We need solutions that work on Chromebooks, or low-end computers like mine. But most may not know about a way to create virtual backgrounds for Google Meet.

Virtual Backgrounds for Google Meet

Those of us who have dwelt in the dark of our home offices have seen a great light. That’s right, it’s a Chrome browser extension that makes virtual backgrounds a reality. You can use this virtual background add-on to mask what’s behind you when in a Google Meet. Imagine the story if this consultant had enjoyed the use of a virtual background:

virtual backgrounds

Virtual Backgrounds for Google Meet  (source for image above) offers ten soothing background in different locales. While I don’t see an easy way to add an image or video (like Zoom does), something is better than nothing.

The best part about it? This browser extension works on low-powered devices. But I will admit that it’s not perfect. You will appear to have a halo around your head and torso.

virtual backgrounds

Another neat tool to explore is Visual Effects for Google Meet. Unlike Virtual Background for Meet, it DOES allow you to upload your own background and change it. While you still get the same halo effect as in Virtual Background Chrome extension, Visual Effects lets you achieve this with green screen OR an uploaded image. Nifty!

You are now ready to enjoy your next Google Meet. Use one of the available virtual backgrounds to escape your home office mess. You may even find that other folks will ask you, “How did you get a virtual background for Meet? Do you have a green screen?” Tell them to visit the TCEA TechNotes blog to learn more.

Don’t be afraid to give this app a try with your young reader. It may be the type of engagement your child needs. Read along with your child to improve engagement.

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Google browser open on laptop/chromebook with person sitting in front of it
Google Tips and Tricks

Google Meet Add-Ons and Updates

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

If you’ve adopted Google Meet as your standard web conferencing tool, you may have encountered a few challenges. In this blog entry, we’ll explore a few Google Chrome extensions that can improve your Meet experience.

Did You Know?

Sign up for one of our Google Certified Educator certifications. You’ll learn about more than Google Meet, as well as earn 12 CPE hours per course. Use these courses to get Google Educator certified. Find out more online.

Adding Chrome Extensions

To add Chrome extensions, first open up your Chrome browser. Then click on the links shared below. These links will take you to Google’s App store where you can add the Chrome extension to your browser. All these extensions will work on any Chrome/Chromium-based browser.

google meet

Photo Credit: PC World, Brave 1.0 Review

Some of those browsers you may be familiar with:

  • Google Chrome: Google’s flagship browser
  • Chromium. A browser available for GNU/Linux operating systems.
  • Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based). Microsoft’s adaptation of the Chromium browser
  • Brave (Chromium-based). A privacy-friendly browser that works great and fast. A nice alternative is Vivaldi.
  • Mozilla Firefox (Chromium-based)

Here are the links to the browser of your choice. My preference? Brave or Vivaldi. Both offer additional security and cross-device sharing of web pages. If you are on a managed device (e.g. Chromebook), then you are stuck with Google Chrome. No matter what your browser, here are some ways to enhance Google Meets.

Google Meet Chrome Extensions

Now that you’ve installed your favorite browser, it’s time to try out Google Chrome extensions. Several districts have chosen to push these out to all managed devices. In doing so, they enhance the Google Meet experience.

Here are the extensions you can add now:

  • Google Meet Enhancement Suite – This is a Chrome extension that adds more to the Meet experience. The main features include:
    • Grid Layout: see everyone in your Google Meet in one view, highlight speakers, and set it as your default layout
    • Push to Talk: quickly mute and unmute yourself with the press of a key
    • Auto Join: skip the join screen and get straight to the meeting
    • Smart Defaults: automatically turn on captions, mute your mic, or turn your video off

See some of the enhancement kit option in the image shown right.

A few more must-have add-ons for Google Meet:

  • Google Meet Plus – An amazing tool that is a must-have for any teacher. You can drop links, famous quotes, use a whiteboard that tracks who did what.
  • Nod – Quick emoji reactions for muted team members. Nod allows team members to send real-time reactions to presenters and speakers during meetings on Google Meet. You can change Meet to show your full name as well as first name when sending reactions
  • Google Meet Push to Talk – Hold the space bar in Google Meet to talk instead of fumbling around trying to mute and unmute.
  • Google Meet Grid View – Show Meet attendees in a grid view
  • Grid View for Hangouts & Meets – From their website, “See everyone in your Google Meet or Google Hangouts Call at once – it’s the grid view/Brady bunch view you’ve been asking for! This extension enables the grid view/Brady bunch functionality for both Hangouts and Meet with a single extension for convenience.”
  • Meet Attendance – Collect attendance in a Google Sheet from a Google Meet automatically
  • Virtual Backgrounds for Google Meet –  Check out this Chrome extension that provides you with virtual backgrounds for Google Meet.

 New Features Announced

April, 2020 has seen the announcement of many new Meet features. For example, Google expanded access to Premium Meet features at no cost. G Suite EDU users have access until September 30, 2020. G Suite EDU administrators need to turn on Meet for their domain (Watch Video), as shown below:

tcea responds

Photo Credit: Via Email from Georgina Dean, 04/27/2020

This means you can have meetings for up to 250 participants per call. You can have live streams for up to 100,000 viewers within your domain. Last, you can record meetings and save them to Google Drive.

google meet

Some other big announcements include the following:

  • G Suite EDU administrators may give meeting creation privileges to individuals, groups, or organizational units (OUs).
  • Google Classroom and Meet integration
  • Participants to a Meet must now request and be given approval to join a meeting
  • Meeting control feature that prevents participants from rejoining. For nicknamed meetings, this prevents students from rejoining after the last participant (usually the instructor) has left. Once the teacher restarts the nicknamed meeting, students can join again.
  • Meeting creators and calendar owners can mute or remove other participants.
  • Meeting creators and calendar owners can allow others from outside the district to join.
  • Numerous security protocols have been put in place.

Other Meet experience enhancements include:

  • Tiled layout for larger calls: See up to sixteen participants at once, up from four.
  • Present higher-quality video content with audio: Need to share a Chrome tab with audio/video? Share one tab functionality available. You can continue to share your screen.
  • Low-light mode: Google Meet optimizes your video to make you more visible in less than optimal lighting.
  • Noise cancellation: Meet will filter out background distractions.

Want to explore Google Meet in more detail? A learning opportunity known as Teach From Home is now available from Google. There are many topics you can review. Most include an illustrated tutorial and/or video.

Tips for Google Meet Teachers

Are you a teacher relying on this tool? Here are a few more tips for ensuring you have control of a Google Meet:

  • Turn on Meet only when you are ready to enter and be the first person in Google Meet. This is important because it gives you ownership of the Meet
  • Assign a nickname to your Meet. When you open the Meet via Calendar, it provides you with the option to create a nickname or identification code. That code is then associated to the web address or uniform resource locator (URL) that is created.
  • Switch off the Admin Console option that grants students the power to start a Meet
  • Make sure you are the last one to leave the classroom. If you must, expedite the exit of any students lingering behind.

Some teachers like using breakout rooms. Zoom and Microsoft Teams have them, but Google Meet, as of April 2020, does not. What do you do if you want breakout rooms? You get creative like Clay.  Follow Clay’s tutorial to add this feature.

Recording a Virtual Meeting

First person in and last person out of a Meet? You will find a recording of a the meeting in your Google Drive. But there are other recording options you can take advantage of. (Please remember the law and ethics when recording these meetings.) Several tools can assist you in this. For example, use OBS Project (or one of many tools) to record a Google Meet. You can get a transcription of everything spoken in Google Meet.

Use Fireflies.ai (get Chrome extension). It has these features:

  • Adds a button to Google Calendar & Google Meet and enables you to easily transcribe calls.
  • Record your meetings, transcribe, search, and share with one simple click
  • Fireflies Chrome extension adds a button on your Google Calendar so you can invite the AI assistant Fred to your scheduled meetings.

As the web conferencing tools get easier to use, you can focus your attention where it matters most, your learners.

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