Why we use Google Hangouts On Air

As I mentioned in the welcome post, finding an alternative to the previous Morning Show broadcasted through a cable channel was no longer an option at the start of the 2014-15 school year. We had five classrooms that were not able to watch on the previously used method of broadcasting though a cable channel. In addition, we had fifteen new teachers, many of which were in their first year. I needed something that was simple to access and play.
Once we decided to go online with the Morning Show, we investigated many options. I enlisted the help of +Jennifer Arey, our school's instructional technology resource teacher, and we considered everything that would come up in a Google search. Here was our criteria:

• Simple - teachers needed to be able to go to the same place everyday and press play. Those who were setting it up needed to be able to get the show started quickly each morning without a lot of behind the scenes work. 
• Live - we did not feel that a pre-recorded show was the product we wanted. In addition, recording and editing each episode then uploading it to YouTube seemed like a lot to keep up with. 
• Dynamic - we wanted flexibility and the ability to change and adjust as needed.
• Confidential -we wanted all students to be able to participate and to be able to maintain their confidentiality in the process
• Preserves instructional time - in most cases, involving students in the morning announcements requires the student to leave the classroom and go to a different location in the school. We wanted students to be able to stay in their classrooms to get their morning routine started while still being able to participate. 
• Quality - we needed a broadcast that was going to be clear and audible.

What we found was Google Hangouts On Air (HOA.) It met all of our criteria and then some!

• Simple - teachers go to the same Google Site each day and press play. That's it!
• Live - the HOA records in YouTube. There is a slight delay (about 30 seconds to one minute), but classrooms can watch as the show is being recorded. 
• Dynamic - staff and students can watch the show later. The YouTube feature is fantastic! You can watch live or the recording later. We have staff who may be busy during the 9 a.m. broadcast, but they watch  during lunch or after school. Many report going home and showing their families. There have been days where schedules do not permit a live show or a participant cannot be in the building. You can record anytime from anywhere. I've recorded the show by myself from home. I've also recorded the show on-time, but from the School Board Office and involved others that are back at the school. When we recently presented at the Virginia Society for Technology in Education conference, I even did the Morning Show during the presentation!
• Confidential - through the use of the Google Site and the privacy settings in both Google+ and YouTube, we feel confident that those who we want to see the show can and those who we do not want to see the show cannot. 
• Preserves instructional time - students and teachers participate from their classrooms. With a few simple instructions and a little initial support, anyone can do it!
• Quality - the quality with HOA has been a bit inconsistent. We have figured out some basic and affordable equipment purchases that we made to help improve the quality of the HOA.

As you will see in the examples we provide, it's not always perfect but it works for us and has been a fun journey. In subsequent posts, we will take you through the process we use to set up our school's morning announcements using HOA, Google+, Google Sites and YouTube. Thanks for reading!