You’re about to embark on an exciting journey to master the use of Jamboard, an interactive, collaborative whiteboard system developed by Google. Known for creating an engaging digital environment for studies, brainstorming, and presentations, Jamboard is your next step to seamless online interactions. The forthcoming article decodes its multiple functions, from simple sketching to import-export files, turning you into a proficient Jamboard user in no time. Hold on to your hat because digital collaboration has never been this dynamic!
Understanding Jamboard
Jamboard is a project of Google’s that brings the benefits of whiteboarding into the digital era. The focus is on creative brains, allowing you to sketch your thoughts anytime, anywhere. You can even turn the whole brainstorming session into a work of art.
What is Jamboard
Jamboard boils down to a multi-touch display where you can bring your ideas to life. You can write, draw, use sticky notes, and even add content directly from the web while you brainstorm together in real-time with coworkers or students around the world. It’s like having a large tablet on your wall – it’s really a whiteboard for the 21st century.
Features of Jamboard
Jamboard lets you write and draw anything using your finger or a stylus, just like you use traditional whiteboards. But it also offers many advanced features including intelligent handwriting recognition, shape recognition, sticky notes, inserting content from the web, and auto-saving your every stroke to Google Drive.
Benefits of using Jamboard
Jamboard is not only a whiteboard, but it is also an effective tool for real-time collaboration. Anyone who is invited can join the jam and sketch their thoughts together, regardless of their location. This makes it more interactive than just video conferencing. Also, Jamboard’s auto-save feature makes losing all of your work a fear of the past.
Setting up Jamboard
Setting up Jamboard is a cinch. You can run Jamboard either on a dedicated device (Jamboard hardware), or virtually any device that runs Chrome or has the Jamboard app installed.
System requirements for Jamboard
The Jamboard app is compatible with many devices and systems: Android, iOS, and Google’s Chrome browser. The physical Jamboard device runs a custom version of the Android operating system.
Logging into your Google account
Jamboard integrates with the rest of Google’s suite of apps, which means you can save and access jams on Google Drive. But it also means you’ll have to log in with a Google account to use Jamboard.
Downloading and installing the Jamboard app
The Jamboard app can be downloaded from the Play Store for Android and the App Store for iOS. If you’re on a computer or Chromebook, you can use Jamboard directly on your web browser without the need of downloading any software.
Creating a New Jam Session
Creating a new jam session is straightforward. When you create a jam, it’s like creating a virtual room where brains can meet and ideas can mingle.
How to start a new jam
To start a new jam, click the “+” sign on the bottom-right on the Jamboard startup screen. The Jamboard screen will then clear up, leaving you with a blank whiteboard to let your creations begin.
Naming and saving your Jam
To rename your jam, click on the name bar at the top of the screen. Type the name and click on ‘rename’. And don’t worry about saving your work – it’s done automatically!
Adding and managing participants
In the top-right corner, click on the ‘share’ button. Type in the Google accounts of people you want to invite. You can define their permissions – whether they can only view, or also edit the jam.
Using the Jamboard Toolbox
Jamboard has a virtual toolbox that gives you the tools to turn your ideas into visible – and colorful – concepts.
Understanding the tools and options
From the left of the screen, you can select your tool of choice – a pen, a marker, a highlighter, or a brush. You can also pick the color of your tool. You can write or draw anything you want, and if you make a mistake, use the eraser to correct it. You can also clear the whole screen with the ‘clear frame’ option.
How to select and use a tool
Selecting a tool is as simple as clicking on it. You can then start drawing immediately. The size of lines you draw will vary with the speed of your pen or finger.
Switching between tools
To switch tools, just click on another tool. Your last used color will still be the active color for the new tool.
Understanding and Using Frames
Jamboard uses a concept called a ‘frame’ that is similar to slides in a PowerPoint presentation or pages in a book.
What are frames
Frames are essentially individual whiteboards or pages. Each frame can be used to represent a different idea or a part of your overall session.
Adding and deleting frames
It’s possible to add more frames to your jam by clicking on the right arrow beneath the toolbar. This will take you to the next empty frame. To delete a frame, simply click on the trash can icon.
Moving and arranging frames
If you want to move a frame to a different position, click on the ‘frames’ icon on the top of the screen. Here you can rearrange your frames by dragging and dropping them to their new position.
Adding Content to Your Jam
You can add more than just your drawings to your jam. Jamboard lets you add text, images, and more.
How to add text
Click on the ‘T’ button on the left toolbar to add text. You can then type in your text, select your font size and color, and then click ‘save’.
How to import images and documents
You can import images by clicking on the ‘image’ button on the left toolbar. This lets you browse your device’s gallery, take a picture or select an image from Google image search. You can also import entire Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides documents into your jam.
How to draw or write using digital pen
To draw or write, select the pen, marker, highlighter or brush from the left toolbar and start drawing or writing. It’s as simple as that!
Sharing and Collaborating on Jamboard
Jamboard really shines when you start jamming with others. You can share your jam session with specific people or with everyone in your organization.
How to share a jam session
To share your jam, click on the ‘share’ button in the top-right corner of the screen. From here, type in the email address of the person you want to share with, and they’ll receive an invitation to join your jam.
Collaborating in real time
Every person who is invited to a jam can edit the jam in real-time, meaning they can add their own sketches or edit what others did.
Managing permissions and privacy settings
Once you’ve shared a jam, you can manage the level of access each person has, such as whether they can only view the jam or if they have permissions to also edit it. You can also stop sharing the jam completely.
Presenting with Jamboard
Once you’ve finished your jam, you can present it to others inside or outside your organization.
How to present your jam session
In Jamboard, each frame can be presented. Just navigate to the frame you want to present and click on the ‘present now’ button on the top-right of the screen. This will start presenting the current frame.
Using Jamboard with Google Meet
Jamboard is integrated with Google Meet which makes it easy to present your jam in a meeting. In a Google Meet call, click on the ‘Present’ icon and select your jam.
Broadcasting your jam to a larger audience
Besides presenting your jam to a select group of people, you can also broadcast it to a larger audience. Just click on the ‘Present on another screen’ icon on the top-right of the screen, which will provide you with a link that you can distribute to your audience – they’ll be able to watch your presentation as you navigate through it.
Managing and Organizing Jams
Just like in Google Drive, you can manage your jams in Jamboard – rename them, move them, delete them, etc.
Accessing your saved jams
To access your saved jams, simply go to the Jamboard app or website, and you’ll find all of your jams on the home screen.
Organizing jams into folders
You can put your jams into folders just like any other document in Google Drive. This can be done from the Google Drive website or app.
Deleting or archiving jams
Deleting a jam completely removes it from your jam collection. Archiving a jam keeps it in your collection, but it won’t show up in your main list of jams. You can archive a jam by clicking on the three dots next to it and selecting ‘Move to Archive’. To delete a jam, click on the three dots and select ‘Delete Forever’.
Troubleshooting Common Jamboard Issues
Jamboard is an awesome tool, but sometimes, things can go wrong. Here’s what you can do in those cases.
What to do when Jamboard is not working
If Jamboard is not working, the first step is to close and reopen the Jamboard app or refresh the page if you’re using it in a web browser. If it’s still not working, try restarting your device.
How to report an issue
If you’re facing a persistent issue, you can report it to the Jamboard support team. In the Jamboard app, click on the “?” button, then select your problem from the list and click ‘send feedback’.
Seeking help from the Jamboard community
Google has a vibrant community of Jamboard users who are more than happy to help others. Check out the online forums or message boards for advice and solutions to common problems.
Overall, Jamboard is a versatile tool that will enhance the way you communicate with your team or organize your thoughts. So, grab your stylus or finger and get ready to jam!
