Today I took advantage of the Hangouts application within the Google Suite. I invited my current classmate and former coworker to a video chat and she initiated the call. I had tried a practice run beforehand with my personal email on my phone and my school email on my laptop. The call went through and I could see my own image, but I could not see or hear the other screen. I was pleased that the call with my classmate worked immediately.
The experience was very positive. I have used FaceTime plenty of times before and I am a fan of video chatting. The problem with FaceTime is that it only works when both users have an Apple device. Skype works with anyone, but I always have connectivity issues, poor quality, and slow response rates. Today was my first day trying Google Hangouts and I was impressed with the quality. I can see Google Hangouts becoming a useful communication tool for me.
I might use Hangouts to hold parents meetings with parents who are unable to make it to the building for various reasons. This way, I only have to provide my email address and I can still express my tone, facial expressions, and other important nonverbal communication. It’s better than a phone call or email because my tone and face will show my attitudes and hopefully prevent miscommunication. I could also use Hangouts with my colleagues when in-person meetings or phone calls are not possible. With summer upon us, I thing Hangouts might help teachers who are traveling for a majority of the summer connect with us, even if it’s just for a short period of time. Finally, I can see Google Hangouts becoming a fantastic tool for students as they work on group projects. While many of my students have phones and are willing to share their contact information with their peers, others do not have these luxuries. I do know that all of my students will have school-used Chromebooks next year and a school gmail account. Therefore, they can use Hangouts to communicate. This is much faster than email and the immediate responses are essential for effective group work. I love that Hangouts gives students the option to collaborate outside of the classroom.
Math with Ms. Hollander 
I am glad you had such a positive experience with this, and are considering using it for your classroom in the future. I think using this as a backup for parent meetings to help alleviate schedule demands is a great idea! I am sure the parents would appreciate your flexibility as well.
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Hey Bethann. Hangouts is a wonderful tool to have. In addition to google hangouts, are you familiar with google voice? It is similar to hangout, but it is an actual phone number that you can connect to your cell phone. I use it as my professional number, and give it out to parents to contact me. there are many great features with google voice, including sending you an email when receiving a text or voicemail, and it is free!! This way your cell number can remain private, but you are still available to communicate without being stuck in front of a computer.
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I have heard of Google Voice and I know some friends and professors from college who use the tool. I have never tried it myself, but I can see why reaching you at your phone is easier than waiting for a Google Hangouts call. I did not realize the tool allowed users to video chat. Thanks for sharing!
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I wish my teachers would test the technology before using it for the first time….great job! Google Hangout is a great alternative to Facetime, especially since it is usable across all platforms. I frequently use Google Hangout for meetings, but I really like your suggestion of connecting with colleagues who are traveling over the summer. I work all year and that would be a great way to collaborate with teachers over break without having them come into school (which they don’t get paid to do). I also like your parent communication idea! You are so right, face-to-face is so much better than email…no misreading tone and waiting for answers to questions.
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Hi Bethann,
Great idea to use this tool for parent meetings. I feel like this could be a remedy to a lot of scheduling issues. It would be very easy for a parent to attend a Google Hangout session while at work on a break. Sometimes the idea of having to ask of off work is very off putting to parents. Allowing them the option to connect virtually could increase parental communication and support. Great idea!
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