Google+ is a social media platform and suite of tools that adds functionality to Gmail accounts. It allows educators to connect with communities of other educators to share ideas, resources, and ask questions. Key features include Circles for organizing contacts into groups for sharing, Communities for finding groups of like-minded people, and Hangouts for video chatting. Educators are using Google+ for both personal and professional collaboration.

1. Collaboration via
Jayme Linton
NCCS Digital Day
October 7, 2013

2. What is Google+ and why are people
using it?
● Social media platform
● Suite of tools that adds
more functionality to
your Gmail account
● Slowly becoming more
popular with educators
● More than 140
characters
● Educators are using
for personal and
professional reasons
● Share ideas and
resources
● Ask questions
● Connect with a
community of like-
minded people
● Engage in
conversations

6. Circles are...
...designed to facilitate
sharing with specific
groups of people
● ...determined by you
● ...not mutual
● ...round

7. Circles are for Sharing
Green
Yellow
Red
Blue
Family
Friends
Colleagues
Shared interest or
hobby

8. Demo
● Write a post
● Share, +1, and comment on a post
● Search with filters (hashtag, Circles)
● Add people to Circles

9. Get Googling
1. Activate Google+
2. Create your profile
3. Create Circles
4. Add people to your Circles
5. Post something and share or +1 other posts

11. Ideas for Communities
● Faculty groups
● Student clubs and
organizations
● Classes (13+)
● Communicating with
parents
● Hobby / interest
groups

13. What can Communities do for you?
● Get answers to your
questions
● Get feedback on
your ideas
● Find awesome
resources
● Connect with like-
minded people
● Converse in more
than 140 characters

14. Demo
● Browse and join Communities
● Create a Community and invite people
● Share a post with a Community

15. Get Googling
1. Browse Communities
2. Find one (or lots) to join
3. Consider creating a Community
4. Invite people to join Communities

18. Ideas for Hangouts
● Guest speaker
● Mystery hangout
● Digital pen pals
● Be there when you’
re not
● Cross-curricular
integration
● Homework help
● Peer tutoring
● Meeting for club or
other organization
● Student
presentations to a
wider audience
● Broadcast an event
or class to several
locations

19. Examples of Classroom Use
What is a
Mystery # call?

20. Three Ways to Hangout
1. Google Hangout
● Schedule in advance (through
Events) or create when
hangout is starting
● Invite specific people
2. Hangout Party
● Let your friends know you’re
free to Hangout
● Open to everyone in your
Circles or invite specific
people

21. Three Ways to Hangout
3. Hangout on Air
● Can’t schedule in advance
● Records Google Hangout
video and audio (doesn’t
record chat window)
● Viewable live on your
Google+ stream
● Uploads to YouTube when
recording is complete

22. Demo
● Create a Hangout
● Schedule a Hangout (Events)
● Set up a Hangout on Air
● Use Hangout features

23. Get Googling
1. Brainstorm uses for Hangouts
2. Schedule a Hangout
Events >> Plan a Hangout
3. Invite people to your Hangout