Google Hangouts can provide a very simple and effective meeting space for any individual. It is essentially Skype but run solely throughout Google. Hangouts allows you to chat through text messaging or through a video call. In this post, I will briefly outline how I used Google Hangouts in my classroom and how they can be utilized in innovative ways.

In My Classroom
We would meet with two separate classrooms using Google Hangouts to make the connection. One of these classrooms was on the east coast while the other way in Canada. We would meet with these classrooms two times a month. This would provide us time to schedule an activity and to prepare our students. We did not meet as individuals but as whole classes (teachers). 

Here is how I set it up:
  • I would begin by making a connection with another teacher who would be willing to complete an activity like this
  • We would contact each other and schedule a time for us to try this out
    • While scheduling, we would also determine an activity for us to do
  • When the day came, I would start the video chat throught the Google Hangouts app on my iPad. I would then place the iPad in the pen tray of my SMART board. This way my class can see their class and they can see us! I chose to run it through the iPad because it would create a screen that was not too big to distract students to the point of losing their minds! Through my computer, I would work on the shared assignment with my classroom.
Here are some examples of what you could do with another classroom.

How it can also be used


Here is a folder containing supplementary materials for you to use.