Google’s support site has provided simple, clear instructions for using Jamboard. The only challenge is getting to those instructions! So, we’ve put together a list of helpful links for you here.
We’ve also filled in a few (inexplicable!) gaps in Google’s instructions - and, because we assume that many of you will share your screen in Zoom or Meet when you use Jamboard, we’ve provided links to instructions for doing that, too. (Scroll all the way down for those.)
Jamboard is part of your Champlain G-Suite tools.
To use Jamboard, log into Google, open a new tab, and click on the nine dots next to your profile image on the top right of the main search screen.
Scroll down until you see the Jamboard icon (it’s a yellow circle and an orange rectangle arranged to look like a J). Click on the icon to open your Jamboard main page.
Click on the + sign in the circle on the lower right to start a new “Jam”.
Go to the top right and click on the three dots to the left of the “Share” button.
You will see the option to “Rename”.
Select this option to open the Rename task box.
OR click the current name of the Jam at the top left to open the Rename task box.
Type in the name you want for your Jam and click “OK”.
At the top of the Jam, you will see the frames icon: two rectangles with arrows on either side, pointing left and right, as well as a small arrow below them.
Click on the rectangles to expand your view of the frames icon.
Click the plus sign on the left or right of the rectangles to add a new frame to the left or right of the current frame.
Click the upward-pointing arrow to reduce the size of the frames icon back to normal.
On the top left, below the title of the Jam, you will see the words “Clear frame”.
Click on these words to clear the contents of a frame, leaving only the background.
On the top left, below the title of the Jam, you will see the word “Background”.
Click on it to open the menu of background options.
Click on the background you want.
Note that you can use different backgrounds for different frames in the same Jam.
On Jamboard, there are a bunch of “tools” icons that appear to the left of the Jam frames. Here is an explanation of what these tools are and how to use them.
Here are some specific instructions for some of the tools:
Your Jam will automatically be saved every few seconds.
Go to the top right and click on the three dots to the left of the “Share” button.
You will see the option to “Download as PDF”.
Select this option.
Note that this will save all frames of the Jam.
Go to the top right and click on the three dots to the left of the “Share” button.
You will see the option to “Save frame as image”.
Select this option to save the frame as a PNG file.
Note that this will only save one frame at a time - you will need to repeat this process for all the frames in your Jam if you want to save the whole thing.
(This is an easy way to make a fresh Jam for each class session if you wish.)
Go to the top right and click on the three dots to the left of the “Share” button.
You will see the option to “Make a copy”.
In the Copy task box, choose a name for your copied Jam and select the folder in which you want to put it.
Choose “Share it with the same people” if you wish to do that.