Over the past year, Google Meet has become an essential part of people worldwide. Whether you’re using Google Meet for teaching, learning, or working, this remains an easy and reliable way to stay connected. If you’re a student who is still getting used to remote learning, this article will provide you with information about basic things and tips to stay engaged.
Remote Education and Introduction to Google Meet
When students can’t learn face to face, they have to improvise, and there are many options to do that. Remote education is also known as distance learning, where students and teachers can’t physically meet. This approach comes with many benefits, but many students have yet to become accustomed to this method.
That’s why there are convenient tools such as Google Meet to help you with remote learning. As its name suggests, Google Meet creates virtual ‘meeting space’ for classrooms and teachers. Its most essential feature is that it integrates with Google Classroom, where teachers and students share their assignments, class activities, meeting codes, or important announcements.
Join a Class Through Google Meet
Joining a class through Google Meet is extremely easy; only a few simple steps to follow. First things first, you must have a personal Gmail account. Teachers can create their classes with a meeting link, invitation, or nickname. Depending on how they made the meeting, you might have to ask to join first.
When you go to meet.google.com, you have to click Join or Start a Meeting. Then, there’s the ‘Enter a code or link’ space which you have to fill in with the link or nickname that your teacher has sent and click continue. After that, you can choose whether you want to show your face right away or if you want to mute your voice. Once you personalize everything, you are ready to join the meeting.
Basic things you need to remember
Before you enter the meeting, there are some basic things to remember that will help you stay more focused:
- Although this is a ‘live’ lesson, you need to be punctual and be on time when the class starts.
- Find a comfortable spot to sit on.
- Keep your device steady and charged.
- Take a look at any materials that the teacher might have posted in Google Classroom before the class.
- Make sure you are in a quiet room so as not to get distracted.
- Participate and chat responsibly.
Ways to Join a Class
There are three ways to join a class in Google Meet: a class link, code, or email invite. There are certain things to know about each method so that everything goes smoothly. Your teacher is responsible for setting up the meeting and notifying you through email or Google Classroom.
Join with a class link
When teachers don’t have enough time to schedule a meeting beforehand, they can share an impromptu class link in Google Classroom, text, or email. You can join the class in two steps:
- Click the meeting link sent to you
- Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup
If you’re not part of the calendar invite, you must request to join the meeting, which the teacher should accept.
Join with a class code
A class code is shared on Google Classroom by your teacher. Again, there are some steps to follow to join the class with a code:
- Open the Google Classroom website to sign in.
- Then, click on the “+” sign on the right corner of the screen.
- Click “Join Class.”
- After that, enter the code sent by your teacher.
- Lastly, click “Join.”
Join with an email invite
More often, teachers send out class invites through emails. They can schedule them beforehand or at the time when the class is supposed to be held. Either way, joining with an email invite is super easy. You can open the email sent to you by the teacher and click “Join,” or you can also join from Google Classroom. The latter has a class card, which you can use to click “Join.” It’s that easy.
Tips to Staying Engaged in Google Classroom
Staying engaged in an online class can be more complicated than staying engaged in a face-to-face class. There are many more distractions, especially if you’re still getting used to remote learning. But, fear not! We have a few tips up our sleeves to help you stay focused and engaged during classes.
Stay focused
Staying focused means doing some things before the class even starts. Find a comfortable spot that doesn’t have many distracting things around. Make sure you have time to do your routine, wake up, and have breakfast. It’s also essential to take down some notes beforehand. Wearing headphones is another way to minimize distractions around you.
Be interactive
Staying engaged in an online class can have various forms. Giving thumbs up when someone else is talking is one way of interacting. You should be able to participate in the lesson by clicking on the logo with “hands” or writing in the “chat” section. Taking notes during a lecture is also helpful for interacting and giving opinions.
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Keep your camera on
Anything that keeps your camera on is necessary. Sometimes your environment may not be as quiet as you would like, and that’s okay. However, it’s best to keep your camera on because that shows that you’re participating in the class. If you’re not feeling your background, you could always wholly or slightly blur the background or upload your own.
Turn off your microphone unless you’re talking
Before entering the meet, you should mute your microphone because it may cause unnecessary echoes or noise. You don’t have to keep your microphone on unless you’re speaking, and you should always mute your device again when you’re done. Also, don’t turn on your microphone without your teacher asking you to talk; that’s disrespectful. The rules still apply, even though you’re not in your school.
Ask questions
Contributing to your online classes is always essential. If you feel like the teacher or your peers said something that you didn’t understand, you should ask questions. You could raise your hand by clicking on the ‘hands’ icon or writing your question on the “chat.” If anything, this shows your teacher that you were attentive during class.
Troubles to Join a Class: What to Expect
If you’re having trouble joining a class, a few issues might be happening. You might expect an error message like: “You can’t join this video call” or “You are not allowed to join this video call.” Here’s what you can do to fix this:
- Check if you’re blocked – You can check the list of blocked contacts at: https://myaccount.google.com/blocklist.
- Update Browser – Check for updates
- Update time and date settings
- You are not logged in with your student account
- Refresh the page or restart your device
Final Thoughts
The most important thing to remember when using Google Meet is to be patient, especially if you’re new at this. It’s quick and convenient to use, and you can personalize it with a visual effect if you don’t feel comfortable showing your background. Remember that even though you’re not in a face-to-face environment, the school rules still apply to online classes for all students. Make sure to respect everyone in the meeting and enjoy this new experience.