Planning and implementing the RILS has been an insightful and informative experience. I implemented the RILS with two learners, one successfully and the other not successfully. Throughout this experience, I learned many lessons, many of which are the reasons for the unsuccessful effort with one learner.
First, I learned that it is crucial to have at least a basic understanding of how Google+ integrates with the other tools in the Google suite. I became even more aware of the importance of the black bar at the top of the different Google platforms. Second, it became apparent that it was necessary to have at least a basic understanding of how Google+, and even Google+ Hangouts, before jumping into Google+ Hangouts on Air. And third, I became aware of the importance of having the most current operating system running on computer participating in the Hangouts on Air. This was a principal reason for the one unsuccessful attempt. Overall, with these small hurdles addressed, it is possible that learners become proficient at executing, broadcasting, recording and uploading Google+ Hangouts on Air.
Madidi.info is a learning hub and sharing community providing educational resources and raising awareness of Bolivia’s Madidi National Park, the most biologically diverse place on the planet. The staff and volunteers of Madidi.info are spread geographically throughout the globe, posing communication and collaboration challenges. Google+ Hangouts on Air provides free video-conferencing for up to ten people that can be broadcast, recorded and posted to Youtube.
KEYWORDS
google, Google+, Google+ Hangouts, Google+ Hangouts on Air
OBJECTIVES
• Demonstrate the ability to execute a Google+ Hangouts on Air, broadcasting live on both Google+ and Youtube. • Produce video recordings of live-broadcast Google+ Hangouts on Air and upload them to YouTube.
MATERIALS
• Google Account • Knowledge of Google+ • Computer • High-speed Internet • Web Cam • Microphone
• Instructor and learners will log in to Google+ at plus.google.com. • The instructor and the students will add each other into a Google+ Circle. • Learners will join a Hangout started by the instructor. • The instructor will review the fundamentals of Hangouts on Air. • The hangout will be live-broadcast, automatically recording and uploading to YouTube. • The students and instructor will log in to YouTube to confirm the hangout has been uploaded.
ASSESSMENT
Learners will be assessed on their ability to successfully execute a Google+ Hangout on Air, live-broadcast on Youtube and Google+, record it, and upload it to YouTube. See attached rubric.
SOCIAL PARTICIPATION
Instruction will take place in-person as a group, where social interaction is local. Learners will work collaboratively to understand and execute the tool, conduct the hangout, create the final product and upload it to YouTube. Learners will then able to socially interact with the geographically dispersed global audience that can now view the final product online.
TECHNOLOGY
Google+ is a social network that includes Hangouts, free video-conferencing for up to 10 people, and Hangouts on Air, broadcasting and recording of Google+ Hangouts. https://plus.google.com/
REFLECTION
Soon after the lesson is complete, learners will be required to reflect in writing by thinking about the learning experience, then evaluating and communicating the process. The instructor and learners will then meet to collaboratively reflect and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the instructor’s implementation of the lesson. The instructor will use this feedback to improve future implementation.
AUDIENCE
Madidi.info staff and volunteers.
MAKING CONNECTIONS
The learner will make connections with: • Previous knowledge: Learners will be familiar with the Google interface and have experience with social networking and communication tools like Facebook and Skype. • Relevance: Learners will find the content relevant in facilitating more efficient communication and collaboration, breaking down cultural barriers and facilitating cross-cultural interaction. • Audience: Learners will be empowered to communicate face-to-face in real-time with both a local and global audience.
The eventual goal is to produce a recording of a Google+ Hangouts on Air session. During this first lesson, our objective is that every student is able to conduct a Google+ Hangout. In order to demonstrate that has been accomplished, each student will produce a screenshot of the Hangout in session.
The learning process will proceed through the following steps:
The instructor and the students will add each other into a circle.
The students will join a hangout created by the instructor.
The instructor will explain the features of Google+ Hangouts.
This hangout will be ended.
Each student will initiate their own Hangout.
Students will take screenshots to document their accomplishment.
Here is an example of a screenshot of a hangout. In this example, I set up two computers, a MacBook and a Chromebook, with different Google account. Each computer showed a different perspective of me at my desk.
As I reflect on this process, I am confident that by using it, we can accomplish the goal of having every student be able to execute their own Google+ Hangout. That said, I believe that I would add some pre-course video learning. Google (and others) have produced high quality, effective instructional videos. A well-curated selection of this learning material could be required viewing by each student before meeting as a group.
One of our principal objectives here at Madidi.info is to help connect local students, here in Rurrenabaque, to the global education community. Technological advances now provide solutions for executing cross-cultural educational interactions online. Google+recently introduced Google+ Hangouts, which offers free video-conferencing for up to 10 people. Since I regularly use many of the Google tools, I am very familiar with the Google interface and their way of thinking. Therefore, Google+ Hangouts was the obvious choice for connecting classrooms on a global basic. But would it really work?
In order to decide for myself whether Google+ Hangouts was the right solution for connecting globally, I tried it out for myself. By setting up two computeres, a MacBook and a Chromebook, with different Google accounts, I was able to “hangout” between them. This is my analysis of the features of Google+ Hangouts:
Usability: The tool is extremely usable. It is always clear how to move on to the next step, depending on what you want that to be. It should be noted that the usability is significantly related to the quality of the Internet connection. Hangouts is not particularly usable at low Internet connection speeds.
Navigation: In typical Google fashion, the navigation is clear and straightforward. It seems more and more, Google navigation is getting more consistent throughout their online sites.
Reliability: Google+ Hangouts is extremely reliable, if there is a reliable Internet connection with a high enough speed. When the Internet connection is too slow, the tool is not functional.
Content: The Hangouts website is rich in text and multimedia content that adequately prepares for proper use of the tool.
Appropriate audience: The audience that uses Hangouts is very appropriate, since they are tech-savvy, forward thinkers, often with some extra affinity to Google.
Privacy options: These are variable but can be set to be as private as appropriate.
Cost: Free
Support: The information-rich online support forums provide significant support for using the tool. There seems to be an extensive community interested in helping each other make sure it works for them.
The learning experience was smooth and efficient, likely since I was so familiar with the Google interface. It was also very helpful to set up two different computers with two different Google accounts. This offered greater possibilities for troubleshooting tools and systems before trying with other people.
Google recently announced the release of their open source project Course Builder. I first became aware of Course Builder through an article at Educator Studio (educatorstudio.com). According to the article,
“Course Builder [is] an open-source application that lets you build online courses for free. For K-12 teachers, this means you can use Course Builder to build an online course for your school or a quick how-to tutorial for a class assignment.”
When I first learned of Course Builder, I set up Google Alerts to learn more. By doing so, I was made aware of especially insightful online articles on Wired UK, GigaOM , EnGadgetand PC Magazine.
One of the most insightful learning resources was the Course Builder Intro Video (below). In this video, Peter Norvig, Google’s Director of Research, provides an overview of Course Builder software, as well as Google’s overall online education strategy. Of particular note was this comment:
“Course Builder is our experimental first step in the world of online education. We hope you will use it to create your own online courses, whether they’re for 10 students or 100,000 students.”
I also found the Course Builderwebsite to be particularly rich in material to facilitate my learning process. “Course Builder contains software and instructions,” according to their website, “for presenting your course material, which can include lessons, student activities, and assessments. It also contains instructions for using other Google products to create a course community and to evaluate the effectiveness of your course.”
Having gained a superficial understanding of Course Builder, I turned to the two-part Course Builder Hangouts on Air to learn more. In these videos (below), Peter Norvig, Google’s Director of Research, shares his wisdom among a group of guests.
My analysis of Course Builder is as follows:
Usability: The site is technically very advanced and needs high Internet speed. While it may not represent a quick and easy solution for course building, over time and with practice it is sure to become a very efficient tool.
Navigation: The site is easy to navigate. It has the “look and feel” of Google Sites, of which I am familiar.
Content: The site is rich is useful content. It is very comprehensive in providing the necessary resources to the user.
Appropriate audience. The Course Builder audience appropriately includes students, instructors, administrators, all under the global free and open source movement.
Support. There is a strong community building around the Discussion Forumwhere questions can be asked and lesson plans posted.
Cost. Free
Unfortunately, I was not able to work through the process to create a finished product. Course Builder was too technically challenging and required too high of bandwidth for me to reach the goal of a finished product. I believe that my lack of previous teaching experience and lesson plan development also hindered my ability to make efficient progress.
Planning and implementing the RILS has been an insightful and informative experience. I implemented the RILS with two learners, one successfully and the other not successfully. Throughout this experience, I learned many lessons, many of which are the reasons for the unsuccessful effort with one learner.
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