The following is the transcript for the “Overview of Google Hangouts” video that consultants could watch at any time during Synchronous Online Training. To protect consultant and student privacy, the video cannot be shared publicly at this time.

Video Transcript

Hi, everyone! This video will give you a brief overview of how to use Google Hangouts. First, we will talk about the multiple ways you can get to a Google Hangout and then we will discuss how to use the technology once you are there.

There are multiple ways to get to a Google Hangout video call. When students schedule synchronous appointments, I create a Google Hangout space ahead of time and add it to a Google Calendar invitation. So you and your student can just navigate to Google Calendar, find your appointment, and select “Join Hangouts Meet.” Because this video call was pre-created, you will first go to a “joining” screen and need to click “join meeting” to enter the Google Hangout. This screen will also tell you if your student is already in the space.

If your student is having trouble finding their Google Calendar invitation, you can copy the URL at the top of the page and send it to them via email or chat.

Another way you can enter Google Hangouts is by calling the student directly. This can be helpful if the student is still having difficult getting into Hangouts. You can do this in two ways. You can select “Hangouts” conversations in the bottom left and then click the plus sign to search for your student’s name. After you click on their name, a chat box will come up and you can select the camcorder in the top left to call them directly.

Yet another option is to select the box of cubes in the upper right and select “Hangouts.” From here, you can search for your student and again, select the camcorder in the top left of their chat box.

Once you are inside Google Hangouts, you will want to double-check that your video and audio are on. If they are off, the buttons at the bottom will be colored red. If you need to change your default camera or microphone, click the three dots in the bottom right corner and select “settings.” From here you can change your defaults and test whether they are working.

If your student is in the Hangout with you, their video will show in the middle of the screen and they will be listed in the right margin. If your audio or your student’s audio isn’t working, you can communicate via chat by clicking the chat bubble in the upper right corner. If your student is having difficulty using Google Hangouts or doesn’t have access to a camera, you can talk to them via phone through Google Hangouts. Go to “Meeting Details” in the bottom left and select “Add Someone by Phone.” Type in their phone number and then click the “call” button.

In most cases, you will be viewing the student’s work in Google Docs, and you can set up your windows side by side to view both the Google Doc and the student at the same time.

If your student is working on a project that doesn’t work well with Google Docs, you can view their work via the screensharing feature. Tell the student to email their project to hwconline@MiamiOH.edu. Then open the project on your computer and click “present now” in the bottom right corner of Google Hangouts. You can choose whether to present just the window containing the student’s project or your entire computer screen. The bottom right corner will now say “you are presenting.” The student can see what is on your screen and can see any changes you make in real-time. The student can also share their screen at the same time. This way, you can both see where you are located in the document and use tools for visual communication, such as selecting or highlighting text. To stop screensharing, click the “presenting” button in the bottom right corner and select “stop presenting.”

To exit the Google Hangout, close the whole tab with the “X” at the top, or click the red phone at the bottom of the Hangout.

Thanks for watching!