An Introductory Course in Cloud Communication for the CASD Community

Even with little formal training, it is taking no time for our teachers to investigate how to reach their students and families. Many teachers already had Google Classrooms, Schoology, Edmundo, Remind, Class Dojo, or other methods to connect with their students and families. One piece that wasn’t needed for communication was a way to have face to face conversations or instruction. Currently, with a two-week closure, the methods teachers already have in place could be sufficient. However, if CASD finds our schools closed even longer, and teachers unable to physically meet with their students, a tool to allow face to face interaction will be necessary.

Already, even with the enrichment activities posted, our teachers are exploring and figuring out ways to connect with our students on a more personal level. This expands beyond just academics. Our teachers care. A lot.

Once we learned that some of our teachers already scheduled online meetings for this week, we wanted to connect with you, our families. We are hoping by communicating an overview and introductory course to cloud-based communication platforms that you will be able to assist your child (if he or she needs it). Familiarity breeds confidence and comfort. Please know that these are new to some of us, but we played some to determine the essential information we wanted to communicate. We utilized both Google Hangouts Meet and Zoom as two platforms. 

First, a little information about Google Hangouts Meet. I really wanted to like this. I think that the Google apps overall work seamlessly with one another. Unfortunately, the platform wasn’t as easy to use as the other Google apps. It also didn’t have many features for teachers. Basically, it seemed to be Google’s version of FaceTime. I think there’s room for that, and maybe I just wasn’t able to locate the most effective tools, but with little time for a learning curve or training, I don’t think this platform is the best investment of time for teachers new to cloud-based communication. However, one feature that we did love was the transcript feature. 

Now, the Zoom platform was easy for us to create a basic meeting- which means it is very user friendly for students and teachers. As a teacher, I immediately recognized great features for a potential online classroom. It has tools for instruction and even for “classroom” management. 

One qualification that we were most interested in ensuring in our cloud-based communication tool was safety. Zoom has many control options for the “host.” The host is able to control the chat privacy options, so kids can’t privately chat with one another. The host is able to mute microphones, and record the session. The district has the students’ cameras on their Chromebooks disabled; therefore, that eliminates any potential mishaps with the video. Zoom also has a setting for closed captioning, but at this time, it is a feature we would need to use a third party software to implement, and we will seek information on how to do that.

So how do students and parents join a Zoom Meeting?

Participants can be invited two ways: invitation can be direct through email addresses/ phone numbers or by a host link to the chat.  The latter is the better option for the large participant base for a class meeting. For your convenience, view this instructional video on how to access a Zoom meeting on a CASD Chromebook:

With this initiative and any other concerns, please reach out to teachers for assistance in supporting your student(s). All of us are in this "social distancing" together. Please communicate any concerns or questions.

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A Teacher's Perspective for Teachers:

My first caution is that the camera is nearly always on. Unlike FaceTime, when you begin exploring web pages and other tools on your computer and you cannot see yourself on the screen, the camera is still on, unless you’ve disabled it. 

Aside from potentially having the kids see you when you don’t realize it, I found Zoom nonthreatening and incredibly easy to use. I was able to invite participants who joined on both phone and laptop. The features of Zoom instantly made me think a teacher created it: muting of participants, the ability for participants to raise a hand, or provide a response like a thumbs up. It provides the host control over the chatting. These features are great for active-engagement strategies or as a formative assessment tool. Another two great instructional features that Zoom offers include share and annotation options. The share option allows for presenting webpages, documents, PowerPoint, or a whiteboard as a picture in picture format or a full screen format. Teachers or students can show their work to make a more interactive experience both through the whiteboard and the annotations.

It would be advantageous for us to have a Zoom meeting in the future as a professional development activity. What we need is the chance to tap into each other’s strengths and expertise like we have in the past. Time and space to share what works for each of us to determine how to best meet our students' needs. This would be a cost savings and would prove more productive as our experiences in the classroom do position us as experts.