Using Hangouts Meet/Chat for lessons

[MrWu]

Hi all

 

I have been tasked, due to schools potentially closing, to setup and train staff to use Google Hangouts to run lessons online.

 

We have Google Classroom but wondered whether anyone are planning to use or are using this already?

 

Thanks!

Edited March 10, 2020 by Zoom7000

[Zoom7000]

I'm putting together a webinar series discussing distance learning with G Suite as part of the Google Educator Group (@GEG_UK). We should hopefully have some sessions going next week!

 

In the meantime, I'd advise checking out this recorded webinar that the Google for Education team ran last week on how schools can get prepared for distance learning.

 

I'd also check out this Wakelet from Clay Smith which has a great collection of resources on distance learning and coronavirus related resources.

Edited March 10, 2020 by Zoom7000

[jthompson]

We use Classroom but have Hangouts disabled for students. I'm not going to recommend that we rush to enabling Meet for everybody since that may come at the expense of safeguarding if not worked through carefully enough.

[MrWu]

I'm putting together a webinar series discussing distance learning with G Suite as part of the Google Educator Group (@GEG_UK). We should hopefully have some sessions going next week!

 

In the meantime, I'd advise checking out this recorded webinar that the Google for Education team ran last week on how schools can get prepared for distance learning.

 

I'd also check out this Wakelet from Clay Smith which has a great collection of resources on distance learning and coronavirus related resources.

 

Thanks ! Looking through now and registered ..

[MrWu]

We use Classroom but have Hangouts disabled for students. I'm not going to recommend that we rush to enabling Meet for everybody since that may come at the expense of safeguarding if not worked through carefully enough.

 

Yes, One of the potentail issues I have been tasked to look into... is this the case of staff teaching / students learning in their own home environment and data privacy ?

[paulkerton]

Yes, One of the potentail issues I have been tasked to look into... is this the case of staff teaching / students learning in their own home environment and data privacy ?

Safeguarding whilst using Hangouts Meet is a concern for us too.

Once Google roll out the full version of Hangouts Meet for everyone, staff will be able to use a Hangout to deliver a live stream, rather than a Hangout directly with students.

That way, they can instruct live, use Classroom for student feedback and not have interruptions in the Hangout, or the potential of "the teacher did this" accusations... Especially if its recording too.

[jthompson]

Yes, One of the potentail issues I have been tasked to look into... is this the case of staff teaching / students learning in their own home environment and data privacy ?

 

What teacher would want to be in a meeting with 30 live audio and video feeds from pupils' bedrooms? If the teacher then gets kicked out, the meeting will continue on and pupils can invite other pupils in.

It would be a safeguarding omnishambles, enabled by the school's systems.

[paulkerton]

What teacher would want to be in a meeting with 30 live audio and video feeds from pupils' bedrooms? If the teacher then gets kicked out, the meeting will continue on and pupils can invite other pupils in.

It would be a safeguarding omnishambles, enabled by the school's systems.

Absolutely, which is why Meet for staff with the option to live stream and/or record would be far more sensible, possibly with the caveat that two staff members must be on streams at all times.

[Zoom7000]

What teacher would want to be in a meeting with 30 live audio and video feeds from pupils' bedrooms? If the teacher then gets kicked out, the meeting will continue on and pupils can invite other pupils in.

It would be a safeguarding omnishambles, enabled by the school's systems.

 

When using Hangouts Meet, only the organiser (which should be the teacher) of the meeting can invite other people into the meeting. If someone tries to join using the URL the organiser would have to allow them in. You can't just join without permission unless you have been invited.

 

Also, the invite expires after the meeting time has elapsed. Hence, if students who had been invited try to join thereafter, it won't let them in.

 

You can also lock down so that only staff can initiate Hangouts:

 

In Apps > G Suite > Settings for Google Hangouts > Meet settings, turn "Let users place video and voice calls" OFF.

 

This way, staff can create meetings, and students can join, but students can't create their own meetings.

 

Also, Hangouts Meet can be set up with retention policies in Google Vault. So a Super Admin can do the necessary investigation if needs be.

 

I think we need to appreciate that there are unprecedented scenarios and not everything is gonna be ideal. Most schools are trying to do the best of not so ideal scenario.

[paulkerton]

When using Hangouts Meet, only the organiser (which should be the teacher) of the meeting can invite other people into the meeting. If someone tries to join using the URL the organiser would have to allow them in. You can't just join without permission unless you have been invited.

Also, the invite expires after the meeting time has elapsed. Hence, if students who had been invited try to join thereafter, it won't let them in.

You can also lock down so that only staff can initiate Hangouts:

In Apps > G Suite > Settings for Google Hangouts > Meet settings, turn "Let users place video and voice calls" OFF.

This way, staff can create meetings, and students can join, but students can't create their own meetings.

Also, Hangouts Meet can be set up with retention policies in Google Vault. So a Super Admin can do the necessary investigation if needs be.

I think we need to appreciate that there are unprecedented scenarios and not everything is gonna be ideal. Most schools are trying to do the best of not so ideal scenario.

 

I agree with that last sentiment absolutely Abid.

It's just a shame that a guest can kick an organiser out, which really doesn't help! Basically its a shame that the features needed for organisers to control the meeting weren't ready before this occurred.

Do the retention policies mean that all Meets are recorded and retained, or as I read it - only the ones that are recorded?

Edited March 10, 2020 by paulkerton

[jthompson]

In my testing I've not been able to prevent students adding new attendees, even though they can't create new meetings. I may need to test it again tomorrow to see whether that actually is the case, or whether it's that the UI continues to show options that ultimately won't work for them.

 

Regardless, I doubt management would green light it.

Edited March 10, 2020 by jthompson

[robjduk]

There is an option to allow you to stream meetings rather than invite users in.

[jthompson]

Indeed, but my advice would be to have Hangouts disabled for students so that they can't be added to meetings by accident. They can still view a live stream if they have Hangouts disabled.

 

Am I right in thinking that the recording and streaming options are part of the paid tier of G Suite which is being made available by Google to all G Suite customers only until July? Reading Google's COVID-19 announcement, it's not clear whether it's the options themselves that are being made available or whether it's just the max participants that has changed. I suspect the former, but it's not unambiguous.

[Jaan]

I had high hopes for this.... but the fact a "student" can kick the organiser out of the meeting/stream and cast their own screens is worrying. We cant use it because of this.

[paulkerton]

I had high hopes for this.... but the fact a "student" can kick the organiser out of the meeting/stream and cast their own screens is worrying. We cant use it because of this.

Use the Livestream function that you're being given access to until July 1st (currently)

One to many, without the many getting involved. Can't kick em etc.

[Jaan]

Although i can see the "recording meeting" and "use phone audio". I'm unable to see stream. Maybe i've missed something in the admin panel?

[paulkerton]

Although i can see the "recording meeting" and "use phone audio". I'm unable to see stream. Maybe i've missed something in the admin panel?

 

Schedule a Meet in your Calendar.

Then open the Calendar entry up.

Drop the arrow down where it says "Join Hangout Meet"

"Add Livestream"

[fiza]

Anyone found a delay in the live stream? We did a test today and I was live streaming from one room and then during the live stream I left the room and went to where others were watching it and I could see myself still sat in front of the Chromebook that was live streaming. I then saw myself get up and leave the room on one Chromebook and then a couple of seconds later on the other. Very surreal!!!

[Zoom7000]

Anyone found a delay in the live stream? We did a test today and I was live streaming from one room and then during the live stream I left the room and went to where others were watching it and I could see myself still sat in front of the Chromebook that was live streaming. I then saw myself get up and leave the room on one Chromebook and then a couple of seconds later on the other. Very surreal!!!

 

Yes, there is a delay. I noticed it yesterday doing some similar tests.

[paulkerton]

Anyone found a delay in the live stream? We did a test today and I was live streaming from one room and then during the live stream I left the room and went to where others were watching it and I could see myself still sat in front of the Chromebook that was live streaming. I then saw myself get up and leave the room on one Chromebook and then a couple of seconds later on the other. Very surreal!!!

 

It's inevitable. Even live TV has a small delay. It's being re-encoded for streaming purposes, so that is going to introduce a delay.

[sarahstacey]

Hi,

We are hoping to use Google Meet.

I've changed the settings so pupils cannot invite others but I'm a little concerned about what I am reading.

So just so I'm straight, pupils can kick the teacher out and carry on without them?

It would be better to livestream so teachers cannot see pupils?

Thanks for any help

[robjduk]

If the teacher sets it up through calendar and more options they can choose to stream it only. There is a setting in admin to allow streaming.

[saggu]

We are using the hangout meeting.Not the chat

[caffrey]

Looks like Google are doing something

 

https://gsuiteupdates.googleblog.com/2020/03/hangouts-meet-edu-updates.html

[jthompson]

Hi,

We are hoping to use Google Meet.

I've changed the settings so pupils cannot invite others but I'm a little concerned about what I am reading.

So just so I'm straight, pupils can kick the teacher out and carry on without them?

It would be better to livestream so teachers cannot see pupils?

Thanks for any help

 

FYI, if you're planning to just use livestreaming, you can actually leave Hangouts disabled for students if needed. With Hangouts disabled, they can still watch the live streams.

 

Glad to see Google are tweaking things for Edu, but I suspect we'll have committed to a certain way of working before those tweaks arrive.