Online Meeting Tools
These are some of the tools you can use to host and/or join meetings and communicate with your learners.
Use Zoom free for up to 100 participants for 40 minutes. Zoom meetings can also be recorded and the video posted online by the meeting host. When you first use Zoom you will need to download the software to your computer or install the ipad app. Instructions for joining a Zoom meeting
If creating a meeting you will need to go to Schedule or Schedule a Meeting or My Account > Meetings then schedule a meeting. You will then get a link you can send to participants . You can enter that meeting before it is timed to start so you are ready when they arrive.
Accepting a Zoom invitation and joining a Zoom meeting.
Read this doc on Making Your Zoom Meeting Safe to see how to adjust your settings.
For small meetings of up to 4 screens, Whereby.com (formerly appear.in) is browser-based and free, has text chat and screen sharing features. Information on using Whereby.
For those with G-Suite, Google Hangouts and Meet are options for video conferencing. The premium features of Google Hangouts have just been made available to all schools and they have made it safer to use with students however teachers with senior students may find it better to use Zoom. Turning off your camera once introductions are completed and asking participants to do the same will save bandwidth. More info on using Google tools for remote learning. Great videos on using Google Meet here.
In Google Classroom you can now generate a permanent meeting for that class and students can't join it without you. Video link
Google Classroom is a great organisational tool for sharing resources, tasks and announcements with your learners. Open Google Classroom and click the + in the top right and create your class. You can then give learners a code to join your class. You can also pose questions for your learners to answer. More info on using Google tools for remote learning. You can now shedule Google Meet meetings from a permanent link in your Classroom.
