Google Chat is a video messaging tool developed that allows users to collaborate at a distance, instant message, video chat, and share photos, computer screens, and files. You can message a person or group in Google Chat the same way that you do in classic Hangouts, but with enhanced features. Google Chat is available in Gmail. Learn the differences between Google Chat and classic Hangouts.
Current known uses in the sector
Video overview
Pricing
Google Chat is free with a personal Google account.
Service Context and activities
Ease of use & Accessibility
Google Chat comes integrated with your Google account and is easy to use. For example, you can add Chat to your Gmail inbox and get all the features of Chat directly in Gmail. You can use Google Chat with a screen reader or keyboard shortcuts.
Mobile friendly
You can also use Google Chat on the web and on mobile with apps for Android, iOS and desktop.
Google Hangouts can be accessed online or through mobile apps available for iOS and Android.
Privacy/security features (including data security and message encryption)
Google Chat is not the most secure messaging app.
When creating a Google account, a valid name, email address, username, and password are required. It is also optional to provide a phone number to recover your account if the password is lost. Upon creation of your account, Google closely tracks your searches, bookmarks, and location services, among other data. These underlying data collection practices and Google’s sharing of your information with third parties make the use of Google tools for personal purposes unsafe.
Google Sites is a Google web application that allows users to create simple websites. Google Sites is free to use (with a paid option that offers more storage capability) and is included in
Google Sites is a Google web application that allows users to create simple websites. Google Sites is free to use (with a paid option that offers more storage capability) and is included in the Google Workspace which offers discounted rates for nonprofits (including a free tier). If you’re looking for a simple drag-and-drop web design tool for developing class websites, student project sites, or encouraging students to show their knowledge in different ways, check out Google Sites.
If you’re looking for a simple drag-and-drop web design tool for developing class websites, student project sites, or encouraging students to show their knowledge in different ways, check out Google Sites.
Google Sites can be used in Citizenship Preparation, Community Connections, Employment-related, Information and Orientation, Library Settlement Partnership, Settlement Workers in Schools, Pre-Arrival as a tool to share information with Newcomers.
Make sure you do not use a personal Google account. Your organization should have an account, or you should create a separate account that is specific and only for work-related websites or pages created on Google Sites.
Privacy/security features (including data security and message encryption)
When creating a Google account, a valid name, email address, username, and password are required. It is also optional to provide a phone number to recover your account if the password is lost. Upon creation of your account, Google closely tracks your searches, bookmarks, and location services, among other data. These underlying data collection practices and Google’s sharing of your information with third parties make the use of Google tools for personal purposes unsafe.
Canva is an online graphic/image, video, and slideshow design tool you can use to create professional-looking posters, slideshows, images, event flyers, resumes, cards, certificates, infographics, and other media.
Current known uses in the sector
Video overview
Pricing
A basic Canva account can be created by anyone for free. Canva Pro, with more options and access to functionality and resources (such as many more paid templates, images, etc.) is free for Nonprofits, with up to 10 Canva Pro users for free.
Service Context and activities
Canva can be used in Citizenship Preparation, Community Connections, Employment-related, Information and Orientation, Library Settlement Partnership, Settlement Workers in Schools as a tool to create visuals that help in your work.
Ease of use & Accessibility
Canva takes time to learn, but once mastered is easy and fairly intuitive to use. Make use of their tutorials, Design School, Design courses and other useful resources offered by Canva itself.
Mobile friendly
Canva has mobile apps you can use to create and edit your designs.
Privacy/security features (including data security and message encryption)
Canva has security features which can be reviewed here.
Thinkific can be used in Citizenship Preparation, Community Connections, Employment-related, Information and Orientation, Library Settlement Partnership, Settlement Workers in Schools as a tool to create online courses, and engage with Newcomers visually, brainstorm ideas, capture Newcomer feedback, ideas, insights, suggestions, comprehension, etc.
Canvas is a Learning Management System (LMS) created specifically for education institutions.
Current known uses in the sector
Canvas can be used in Citizenship Preparation, Community Connections, Employment-related, Information and Orientation, Library Settlement Partnership, Settlement Workers in Schools as a tool to create online courses, engage with Newcomers visually, brainstorm ideas, capture Newcomer feedback, ideas, insights, suggestions, comprehension, etc.
Google Classroom is a simple Learning Management System (LMS) designed to help students and teachers communicate, collaborate, organize and manage assignments, go paperless.
This is the only application that Google has developed specifically for students and teachers, and they want it to be your go-to assignment manager for Google Drive and beyond. Assignment creation and distribution is accomplished through Google Drive while Gmail is used to provide classroom communication. Students can be invited to classrooms through the institution’s database through a private code that can then be added in the student interface or automatically imported from a School Information Management System.
Current known uses in the sector
Use of Google Classroom in language teaching and replicating groups activities digitally. Different Google Classrooms can be created for students to join based on student needs. Students needing additional support or students needing additional challenges can join a Google Classroom class around intervention of a particular topic.
E-Portfolio: As the platform is based on Google Drive for uploading documents and assignments, it can also serve as a digital portfolio for students. Both teachers and students can create folders and documents that can be shared between each other. If the students work in groups, they can create their own shared folder. This way the group’s’ work will be available to all the members of the group, even if one or more are absent. As everything happens in the cloud, everything can be done asynchronous.
Create a Discussion on Specific Topic: In Google Classroom, you have a stream that appears by default when you login to your class. This stream can be utilized to collect student opinions by creating discussion topics and new posts.
Student collaboration on writing projects: Google Classroom doesn’t only support using e-portfolios, but with the power of Google Docs, the students can also work together in new ways on Google Docs.
Video overview
Pricing
Free with a Google Account.
Service Context and activities
Google Classroom can be used in Citizenship Preparation, Community Connections, Employment-related, Information and Orientation, Library Settlement Partnership, Settlement Workers in Schools as a tool to engage with Newcomers visually, brainstorm ideas, capture Newcomer feedback, ideas, insights, suggestions, comprehension, etc.
Make sure you do not use a personal Google account. Your organization should have an account, or you should create a separate account that is specific and only for work-related Jamboards.
Ease of use & Accessibility
Quick and convenient set up, easy to log in, easy to receive and turn in assignments. Allows for the use of screen readers for low vision users.
Google Classroom integrates with students’ and teachers’ Google Calendars. Each class created with Google Classroom creates a separate folder in the respective Google service where the student can submit work to be graded by a teacher. Communication through Gmail allows teachers to make announcements and ask questions to their students in each of their classes. Teachers can add students directly from the Google Apps directory or can provide a code that can be entered for access to the class by students.
Mobile friendly
Yes, works well on mobile devices, including smartphones.Google classroom Mobile app works with VoiceOver on iOS and TalkBack on Android.
Privacy/security features (including data security and message encryption)
When creating a Google account, a valid name, email address, username, and password are required. It is also optional to provide a phone number to recover your account if the password is lost. Upon creation of your account, Google closely tracks your searches, bookmarks, and location services, among other data. These underlying data collection practices and Google’s sharing of your information with third parties make the use of Google tools for personal purposes unsafe.
In contrast to Google’s regular services, Google Classroom does not show any ads in its interface for students, faculty, and teachers, and user data is not scanned or used for advertising purposes.
Vimeo is an online video sharing and social media platform. It is a free video sharing website that makes it easy to watch, create and upload your own videos to share with others. You can also use it to curate other people’s videos to share them with Newcomers. Videos can be embedded in your website, and you can create YouTube playlists of your own or other people’s videos to share.
Current known uses in the sector
Webinar recordings
Introductions to programs and services
Livestream, via YouTube itself or through Zoom and other livestream/video conferencing tools
Orientation, explanation, and how-to videos
Simple “talking head” videos where you share information or provide orientation
YouTube can be used in Citizenship Preparation, Community Connections, Employment-related, Information and Orientation, Library Settlement Partnership, Settlement Workers in Schools as a tool to share a variety of types of videos with Newcomers, created by you and others.
Vimeo is mobile friendly via its smartphone app or mobile web browsers on smartphones.
Privacy/security features (including data security and message encryption)
According to Vimeo, you can share videos “with an unlisted link. For added security, you can lock your videos with a password. You can also specify which websites have permissions to embed your videos… We never sell your data to third-party marketers, we protect your account with enterprise-grade security, and we let you control the privacy of your videos on and off Vimeo.”
YouTube is an online video sharing and social media platform owned by Google. It is a free video sharing website that makes it easy to watch, create and upload your own videos to share with others. You can also use it to curate other people’s videos to share them with Newcomers. Videos can be embedded in your website, and you can create YouTube playlists of your own or other people’s videos to share.
Current known uses in the sector
Webinar recordings
Introductions to programs and services
Livestream, via YouTube itself or through Zoom and other livestream/video conferencing tools
Orientation, explanation, and how-to videos
Simple “talking head” videos where you share information or provide orientation
YouTube can be used in Citizenship Preparation, Community Connections, Employment-related, Information and Orientation, Library Settlement Partnership, Settlement Workers in Schools as a tool to share a variety of types of videos with Newcomers, created by you and others.
Video overview
Pricing
YouTube is free to use, upload, and share videos and playlists.
There is no login required to view videos. However, if you want to upload videos, create a YouTube channel, and create your own Playlists and take advantage of YouTube’s advanced features, you should create an account with Google and login. YouTube also offers a paid service (YouTubeRed), which allows you to watch videos and listen to music without advertisements. YouTube also has a Nonprofit program with additional benefits.
Ease of use & Accessibility
YouTube is a simple and well-designed website. The help page (see YouTube Help Center) allows users to find an answer to their questions.
YouTube supports a pop-out button, expand/shrink button, and screen reader, TalkBack, full page zoom, high contrast settings, and chrome accessibility extensions to increase accessibility.
Mobile friendly
YouTube is mobile friendly via its smartphone app or mobile web browsers on smartphones.
Privacy/security features (including data security and message encryption)
Videos can be set to:
Public, which means the video shows up on YouTube, in YouTube and other web searches and can be viewed by anyone
Unlisted, which means that the video won’t show up in YouTube searches and someone needs the direct video link in order to view the video. These videos can still be shared and embedded on websites.
Private, which means that the video is not public or shareable in public. Only people the video is shared with can view the video.
If you do not want to allow a video to be embedded by others onto other websites you can restrict video embedding.
In order to upload videos and create playlists you must create an account on YouTube. You can sign in YouTube with your Google account. Google services ask for your personal information (e.g., name, phone, birthday, age, location,and username) and want you to make your profile publicly visible. Google uses cookies to identify your browser and device and to present appropriate ads, remember search preferences, and offer options based on user data. In addition, they also use people’s information to maintain and develop Google services, and protect both users and Google from malware and spam. See Google Privacy Policy.
Make sure you do not use a personal Google/YouTube account. Your organization should have an account, or you should create a separate account that is specific and only for work-related videos.
Multilingual capabilities
Videos can be created, shared, and viewed in any language. YouTube also allows you to create and add captions in any language to include with your videos. YouTube also uses speech recognition technology to automatically create captions, including translations, for your videos. These are generally not completely accurate and should be reviewed before encouraging Newcomers to view the translated captions.
Screencast-O-Matic allows you to create and edit screencasts/how-to videos with or without narration.
Current known uses in the sector
Screencast-O-Matic can be used in Citizenship Preparation, Community Connections, Employment-related, Information and Orientation, Library Settlement Partnership, Settlement Workers in Schools, Pre-Arrival to create visual and video information to help inform and engage with Newcomers visually.
Google Jamboard will no longer be available after December 31, 2024 across Web, iOS, Android, and Google Meet devices. Your Jam data will be available for you to export or migrate to one of our whiteboard partners, like FigJam, Lucidspark, and Miro, until that date.”
Description
Jamboard is a Google tool that allows users to creatively organize, format, and present information through text, images, shapes, and drawings. Jamboard falls under the category of virtual whiteboards – allowing users to write, draw, and erase like a traditional whiteboard, but also it features added digital functions (e.g., importing from Google Search, Google Drive, or Google Photos). Users can collaborate on the same Jamboard slide from separate devices, making this a community-centered tool. Up to 50 separate Google accounts can be added as collaborators on a single jam. A link to the jam can also be made public, which allows anyone with Internet access to view or edit it. Jamboard can enhance participation by allowing collaborators to visually portray their learning and thinking. This also helps practitioners gain knowledge on what their clients are comprehending in real-time. It is a great tool for collaboration in in-person, online, synchronous, and asynchronous settings.
Current known uses in the sector
Collaboration with participants during live video meetings and webinars
Visual collaboration with clients, one-on-one or individual
Used as part of Google Classroom suite of tools
Jamboard can be used in Citizenship Preparation, Community Connections, Employment-related, Information and Orientation, Library Settlement Partnership, Settlement Workers in Schools as a tool to engage with Newcomers visually, brainstorm ideas, capture Newcomer feedback, ideas, insights, suggestions, comprehension, etc.
Video overview
Pricing
Free with a Google Account
Ease of use & Accessibility
Jamboard can be used with a computer mouse or laptop touchpad or with your fingers on a smartphone via the mobile or web app. Unfortunately, Jamboard is not user-friendly for people who can only use a keyboard or who have limited fine motor skills, since a mouse or touchpad is required for many features. Although there aren’t many designated functions for accessibility, changing text size and color is possible and simple to adjust.
Jamboard will only allow the creator to share their jam with 50 collaborators (50 separate google accounts). If the link to the jam is set to “anyone with the link can view or edit” then an unlimited number of people can join, though not more than 50 at the same time can make edits. It is also worth noting that Jamboard has a limit of 20 frames per jam.
Mobile friendly
Yes, works well on mobile devices, including smartphones.
Privacy/security features (including data security and message encryption)
Jamboards can be shared for participants to use anonymously.
When creating a Google account, a valid name, email address, username, and password are required. It is also optional to provide a phone number to recover your account if the password is lost. Upon creation of your account, Google closely tracks your searches, bookmarks, and location services, among other data. These underlying data collection practices and Google’s sharing of your information with third parties make the use of Google tools for personal purposes unsafe.
However, Jamboard falls under Google Workspace for Education, a collection of Google tools that have added security measures for educational purposes. This includes built-in protections such as safeguarding user data and complete data transparency. Google Workspace for Education also complies with both FERPA and COPPA standards. Although Google is typically unreliable with data protection, Google Workspace for Education adds additional precautions to school-related data accounts for its suite of tools, which includes Jamboard.
Make sure you do not use a personal Google account. Your organization should have an account, or you should create a separate account that is specific and only for work-related Jamboards.
Multilingual capabilities
The interface will be in English, but this video highlights how it can be used to support multilingual participants:
