UNIT 6: Bring Meetings Online

In this unit, you’ll learn:

• Why it’s important to plan your meetings for maximum efficiency
• How to hold more productive and efficient meetings
• How to schedule a meeting, add participants and book resources
• How to keep track of who will be attending your meeting
• Why you should use a shared Google Doc for meeting agendas, minutes and follow-up
• Which tools from the Google Apps for Education suite can help you run more productive meetings
• How you can use Google Hangouts to conduct productive online meetings
• How to invite others to a Hangout
• How to share your screen with others during a Hangout

"Oh really, Google Training Center?  That seems like a tall order," you may find yourself thinking.  You're not alone.  I'm thinking it too.  But, we've learned all of the other menu options previously, so let's dive in.  Sorry for the food analogies.  Apparently, you shouldn't blog when you're hungry.

So the first point seems like something everyone, everywhere, that ever has to have a meeting should want to know - maximum efficiency means no one is wasting their time.  Planning to save everyone time so we can get on with our crazy lives? Yes, please!  so how can we hold more productive and efficient meetings? Making sure everyone is on the same page! Literally!  If you use a Google Hangout to meet, you can phone conference through your computer (if you have a webcam) so you can see each other, but did you know you can also share what is on your computer screen?  Instead of trying to flip through a power point while watching someone in a videochat present (because that never has problems), let your monitor do the talking.  You don't have to use the whole monitor either, you can choose which parts to share.  Need to do a Round-robin presentation? Just change who your presenter is, and the Hangout will change focus.

If all of the participants are using Google Calendar, by creating a shared Calendar, it can find the free time and add the attendees for you.  Need to make sure everyone has access to the minutes without worrying about who checked their email or mailbox? Attach it to the event! Use a shared GoogleDoc as the the minutes, then everyone can add to it during the meeting, make comments, and notes...your next set of minutes flow from the agenda!  Need to meet face to face instead of in a Hangout? Need resources? Book those too while creating the event! When the event is shared, people with access can help with the responsibility of creating effective and efficient meetings. 

Sure, you can get a few people together, but certainly there is a limit to the awesome that is a Hangout? Yes.  10 people are the max...unless you are part of Google Apps for Education, then you can get 15 people together.  Maybe that isn't your entire class of students.  But it could be a sports team, a PLC, or it could be students meeting with peers in another school, in another country.  Hello, Authentic Audience! And when the Hangout closes, it banks the conversation until the next time it is needed, so if you asked some great questions at the end but had to cut it short, all is not lost!

That went quick.  And so will your meetings when you use Calendar to schedule, book resources, share Google Doc agendas, and meet in the comfort of your own room or office with up to 14 other colleagues, or double dip, and use the projector and whiteboard in the conference room to bring 14 more people to your Hangout in a PD when the money is tight. (When isn't it?)