Teachers are always looking for ways to plan, brainstorm, and organize their ideas. These activities even get better when they are collaborative. Google has released their Jamboard with this in mind. Jamboard is a touchscreen monitor, but you do not need all that expensive hardware to use the tool. You can install the app from Google Play or iOS App Store on your mobile device or just go to Chrome and use the web-based platform. The mobile version does allow for more options and tools (and is a better experience) but the web version is still a great tool. The boards you make live in your Google Drive and can even be shared with others. The best part, these can be live collaborative projects! Give the mobile version or the web version a try and start planning!
Get Started:
- If you have a mobile device, install the app:
- If you are using Google Chrome go here:
- jamboard.google.com
- You can also find the link in the Google Waffle as well as the “More” in Drive.
Jamboard Tools:
There is a lot that you can do with this tool without the expensive board. Give some of these activities a try.
- Create a new board:
- Click the + icon
- Explore the tools on the left side:
- Pen: used to draw lines and shapes with different styles (pen, marker, highlighter, brush
- Erase: can be used as an eraser or clear the entire board
- Colors: only a few to choose from, but makes choices easy!
- Sticky Note: This is where it gets cool. Add notes, resize, rotate, and drag them anywhere you want.
- Add more “Boards”:
- Do you want more room or pages to work? Add more! On the top there is a place to add more workspaces.
- Share this board with others!
- Do this just like a Google file. Click the share button (web)
Mobile vs Web Version:
There are differences between these two versions. The mobile version does everything the web version does, plus the following:
- Allow for handwriting to turn into text
- This is pretty cool. Write letters and they turn to written text if you choose the Aa button.
- Allow for drawn shapes to be cleaned up
- This takes hand-drawn images and “perfects” them into a clean drawing. This will happen if you have the shape tool turned on
- Share Drive files
- Any Drive file can be added to the board for collaboration.
- Insert pictures
- Images stored on the device as well as the camera can be inserted into the board.
Whether you are using the mobile version or the web version, you will find many uses for Jamboard. Dig in, create a board, and explore all the possibilities!
If you want these steps in a document click Here!