How Does Jamboard Work for Education and Distance Learning?

learning collaboration

Now that the educational sector is also disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional conduct and setup for youth education are temporarily put in the backseat for now. Hence, a better alternative is being sought and the use of learning tools like Jamboard Google interactive whiteboard is seeming perfect for this role. 

Before we delve deeper into this, we need to know first what Jamboard Google is all about. We need to see first how it can help in the continuity of education of our students despite the pandemic and without having to expose them to the risk of COVID-19 with face-to-face learning?

So, first and foremost, what is Jamboard? What’s in it for us in terms of education and online learning?

Jamboard Google is an interactive whiteboard device that makes it possible for teachers to remotely collaborate and interact with their students in real-time in a whiteboard-style experience. And since the Jamboard app is considered as the G Suite core app, it follows suit that it will nicely and seamlessly integrate with the other apps on Google such as the Google Classroom. 

What makes Jamboard online distinct though and appropriate to use amid the ongoing coronavirus scare is that things here are done digitally. Therefore, both students and the instructors can go about their business without being in the same room. Thus, eliminating the risk of exposure to coronavirus, in the safety of one’s home. 

This device is essentially a digital whiteboard, and teachers can use it for any subject. It is one indispensable tool that educational institutions can take good advantage of. Both teachers and students can make their own boards, and they can also decide whether they want to share it with others and collaborate on them or not. Classes that conduct their session with a physical whiteboard, can simply broadcast the same into the big, major Jamboard.

educational learning app

You can save your created Jamboards either as a PDF or as an image file. As opposed to the usual maneuver of scrolling, you can manage to go through your boards by pages and you can view them as a slideshow.  

Since there are various ways Jamboard can be taken advantage of, it can certainly help an awful lot in enhancing learning in a variety of situations as well as in many different content areas. You can utilize it if you have teacher-led lessons, small group presentations, collaborative class interactions, and discussions, or individual planning and organization. 

The whiteboard versatility of this magnitude, alongside the ease and convenience of the process of Google platform integration, make Jamboard one of those tools that Google educators would be so keen on implementing and students are likely to enjoy using.  

But we know and understand that the experience of distance learning is far beyond comparison to what usually happens and can be absorbed while inside the four walls of a traditional classroom setup. But try, as we may, teaching tools like Jamboard interactive whiteboard devices, which can help an awful lot in keeping the ball of learning collaboration going, are crucial during times like this that we are now in the middle of a pandemic. 

Are There Any Jamboard Tutorials Available?

Jamboard is a cutting-edge technology that business entities and professional teachers alike can take advantage of during meetings and when interacting with their students in a whiteboard-style experience. It takes everything a notch higher because it works digitally and lets you get connected with other participants via a WiFi connection. It only goes to show that it works effectively without having everyone in the same place.  

Those who have tried Jamboard before and got their hands a lot on it say that it is a fun interactive app. There is a hardware element to its use too but this should not be a matter of concern because it comes with a matching free app that you can play with. The free app can be downloaded from iTunes and Google Play and can be used with an iPad or touch Chromebook.  

distance learning during COVID

Free App That is Google Jamboard

Google Jamboard in its raw form and vibe will make you see that there is not much about it that will make you feel excited but when you start to think about the handful of things that you can do in the collaborative space it offers, from bringing in web contents, drawing perfect shapes and angles, plus the Hangouts interaction you can have with each Jam, you start to marvel. It may be a piece of hardware, but it is not a prerequisite if you only want to take advantage of the free app. 

What Makes it Different From Using Google Docs?  

In the collaborative space being offered by Jamboard, one of the many things you can do there is make a custom drawing of your choice. But the system takes it a notch higher on this aspect as it comes with a shape recognition capability as well as handwriting recognition, too. 

If you will try to draw the shape of a house, Jamboard will recognize what you are trying to do and give you options on how to do it. “Did you draw a boat? or Did you draw a car?” It will either highlight an area or cut some areas down. You can choose to add several more frames. Doing so makes the space somewhat infinite in the sense that you can always add some more.  

You can also choose to save individual frames and have them as images or choose to do it on entire jams. Google Doc file is referred to as simply “doc”. But with jamboard online, things are naturally different and it is called a “jam”. A jam file can be saved in PDF format.  

When it comes to emojis, you can insert them right away, at a whim. Just imagine how teachers can get creative in this aspect when using those. They can stand as jam collaborators and aside from putting check marks on the work of their students, they can also put smiley faces on whatever elements of the jam they like.  

online class

It is relatively easy to use a Jamboard. But getting yourself familiar with this bagful of sweet shortcuts will help in making you appreciate this whiteboard interactive device even more. 

You can’t afford to skip on these useful tips 

  1. Pinching on pictures will help you to zoom in on a picture, making them look larger at your convenience.  
  2. When doing an image search, include “GIF” in your search phrase and this should help in showcasing moving images in your displayed results. 
  3. For better speed, consider using the handwriting recognition feature as opposed to using the keyboard. 
  4.  Tapping on the power button twice will remove whatever unnecessary file was accidentally shared with your board.  
  5. The palm of your hand can quickly delete anything you have on the Jamboard.  
  6. Use Auto Draw if you want to render your doodles to look much better in their raw form.   

For a more comprehensive tutorial guide on Jamboard Google, consider checking out this link.