• Using Gmail

    Using the chat facility on Gmail - Wednesday 12/8/09.

    Setting up to chat on Gmail, took some organising. Firstly, I had to resurrect my Gmail account and remember my user name and password. That done, I downloaded the software required by Gmail in order to enable chatting to take place. This was important, as without it Gmail is only an email facility like many others. After that was completed contacts had to be added to the list. I actually invited a few people and then realised that Ken invited everyone into the group chat for us.  Quite a few people turned up to chat. I know a couple of people had technical difficulties getting onto the chat side of Gmail.

    Once invited into the group chat we were up and running and the chat was quite thick and fast.  I chatted with a couple of people and then Ken called me for a video chat. Even though I have used some of these technologies before, I am not all that comfortable with video chat. It certainly gives a more personal feel to distance education - putting faces to names etc. Ken and I chatted for about half an hour about various topics such as, location, work setting, general ITC510 stuff etc. Then we both hung up from our video chat and joined the group chat for a while.

    The group chat continued for another 15 minutes or so and the log of the chat is included here.

    This is now a group chat. Add another person.
     Thomas Banks (tbanks02@gmail.com) has joined.
     Ash Johnston (short89stack@gmail.com) has joined.
     Denise De Paoli has joined.
     Lisa Kendell (lkendell52@gmail.com) has joined.
     Ken Eustace has joined.
     Jeanie Axton (jeanieaxton@gmail.com) has joined.
     Margie Bacchetto (margaretb1266@gmail.com) has joined.
     janice todd (jaybtodd@gmail.com) has joined.

     Thomas Banks:  anyone wanna give the video/voice a shot with me?
     Ash Johnston:  Jeanie, did you get any giant Chab a chubs?
     Thomas Banks:  wow that felt like an odd proposition
     Lisa Kendell:  OK I’m in the group chat
     Denise De Paoli:  you sound like my students, always chewing something and wired for sound!

     Andrew Wight (andrew.wight@gmail.com) has joined.

     Thomas Banks:  Cool, I like how we’re filling out
     Jeanie Axton:  didnt see them but that would be fun talked to them about changing the ingredient in their choc has anyone noticed??
     Ash Johnston:  Thomas i am willing although my mic is broked…

     sarah eade has joined.

     Ash Johnston:  i only eat the fruity ones
     Lisa Kendell:  I can’t see what I’m typing, but I can see yours
     janice todd:  OK I am here at last

     me:  this is a bit weird

     sarah eade:  Hi, i’m here but have no idea how I got here!!!
     Ash Johnston:  hullo!
     Ken Eustace:  I think that is all…phew!!
     Thomas Banks:  Ash and I have now sighted one and other, do we pass the subject now
     Ash Johnston:  i think so >.> have also spotted a Jeanie around these parts
     Lisa Kendell:  Well done guys. Didn’t hve time to set up a picture, maybe next time?

     me:  hey sarah and i had a brief chat too

     Denise De Paoli:  Great to chat with you all, so where’s the party at next time?

     me:  lol this is a bit mind boggling

     Lisa Kendell:  Mind blogging

     me:  definitely

     Denise De Paoli:  Yeah much more comfortable than texting. See you next time
     Sent at 8:37 PM on Wednesday
     Ash Johnston:  Ken is going to invite us to another window shortly
     Denise De Paoli:  ok i’ll hang around for just one more dance lol
     Jeanie Axton:  me 2
     sarah eade:  Hello, I lost you all but am back
     Denise De Paoli:  can i request Blak eyed peas?
     Ash Johnston:  no please >.>old school 80’s XD
     Thomas Banks:  oh god no
     Denise De Paoli:  bring on beastie boys then
     Thomas Banks:  no black eyed peas
     sarah eade:  Hey Lesley I see you found it too
     Ash Johnston:  yes, beastie boys = ok
     Thomas Banks:  I mean, with all due respect, no black eyed peas
     Margie Bacchetto:  No black eyed peas or beastie boys
     Denise De Paoli:  hey how you you put smilies on they’re cool!
     janice todd:  I am starting to appreciate LC_Moo. Has anyone but me tried it before?
     Thomas Banks:  nope
     Jeanie Axton:  nope 2
     Lisa Kendell:  I’ve used a moodle site is that the same. Sorry for ignorance.
     Denise De Paoli:  Gee tough crowd um what about Kings of Leon then let me ask our DJ

     Ken Eustace:  having video chat with lesley

     Denise De Paoli:  definitely have to get a camera
     Jeanie Axton:  Can vide thing only be done one at a time??
     Thomas Banks:  looks like it at the moment :\
     janice todd:  I had a vid chat with Ken but I was frozen - he wasn’t - and a nasty lag
     sarah eade:  I had video chat with Lesley
     Denise De Paoli:  Hey Lisa I will be learning about MOODLE as we will set it up at my school. Does it work well with you?
     Lisa Kendell:  I have only used it to access information. My boss’s wife is developing a moodle site for tafe as sh teaches there.
     Jeanie Axton:  I would like to know more about it?
     Denise De Paoli:  I can see one day all subjects will be offered online, just like what we’re doing now, i may be teaching from home
     Ash Johnston:  i used moodle with ken in a previous subject
     Lisa Kendell:  From what I gather it acts as a ‘bucket’ where files can be loaded into as well as chat/blog function
     sarah eade:  I had never heard of moodle until this subject. What is it?
     Denise De Paoli:  good so what i learn now i wil use in moodle.

     Sent at 8:47 PM on Wednesday

     janice todd:  Sorry for ignorance - is moodle a bit like Interact?

     Ken Eustace:  lesley and I had a good video chat.   Anyone else?
     Ash Johnston:  yep. Thomas and I chatted and Jeanie and I chatted
     Jeanie Axton:  Lisa I didnt get you email re info could you please resend or do a reply on forum Thks
     sarah eade:  I video chatted with Lesley too

     me:  Have been talking to Ken on a video chat
     Denise De Paoli:  Was it like Skype
     me:  a little, yes
     sarah eade:  The video chat thing is a bit weird isn’t it?
     Thomas Banks:  I have to say I prefer skype

     me:  very strange

     Ash Johnston:  slightly spooky yes
     Lisa Kendell:  Moodle is more like a website where files can be uploaded. It an be password protected and you can have blogs etc available.
     janice todd:  Thanks Lisa

     Sent at 8:51 PM on Wednesday

     Thomas Banks:  hrm I just realized spicks and specks is over sad beans well almost
     Lisa Kendell:  Sydney boys high uses moodle if you want to take a look
     Denise De Paoli:  I love my generation the tv show that is
     Ash Johnston:  hehe its not bad is it
     Jeanie Axton:  I like packed to the Rafters!!
     sarah eade:  I like spicks and specks too. I had telly on mute for video link, which hasn’t really worked!
     Ash Johnston:  if its not too rude to ask, which genaration are you?
     Denise De Paoli:  im a 1974 model and still running well
     Thomas Banks:  GNW, Generation and Spicks&Specks are all the tv I watch in a week
     sarah eade:  I haven’t really watched my generation, but I like packed to rafters too
     Thomas Banks:  Gen Y
     Ash Johnston:  i’m also gen Y…. meaning i should be an expert at this. Must have missed a gene or something
     sarah eade:  Gen X
     Thomas Banks:  I think us Y’s are a minority in this subject
     Lisa Kendell:  I’m a 1964 model, difficult to pigeon hole into a generation as I’m the end of one (baby boomer) and beginning of another X. Maybe I’m a baby X
     Ash Johnston:  hehe i like that
     janice todd:  You guys make me feel so old that I’ve just realised it’s past my bedtime - so goodnight everyone!
     Jeanie Axton:  Im 63 with you Lisa!

     Ken Eustace:  Baby boomer here too.

     me:  1958 here

     Jeanie Axton:  baby boomers unite!
     janice todd:  Have a glass of wine Ken
     Jeanie Axton:  Do you like Red?

     Ken Eustace:  Eh Holden was another 1964 model

     Thomas Banks:  I love a good red

     Ken Eustace: 

     Lisa Kendell:  Tokyo Olympics 1964
     Jeanie Axton:  majella shiraz from coonawarra
     Ken Eustace:  No Jnaice that was in the MOO days!
     janice todd:  So true
     Ash Johnston:  *pretends to understand convo*
     Thomas Banks:  So Ash, how about them Power Rangers, pretty mighty huh?

     Ken Eustace:  I am old enough to just like caht as text and audio so I can drink beer in my Pyjamas and still run a class!

     Ash Johnston:  Mighty AND morphin’
     Margie Bacchetto:  I noticed you were drinking beer
     Denise De Paoli:  lol
     Thomas Banks: 
     Lisa Kendell:  My kids are gen Y, so I know about power rangers, Pokemon, Transformers, Dragon Ball Z etc
     Jeanie Axton:  same
     Denise De Paoli:  can’t beat astro boy!
     Thomas Banks:  you can, with the right blunt instrument
     Ash Johnston:  they are making a movie version of him
     Jeanie Axton:  I loved adam ant remember him?
     sarah eade:  I love 80s music and remember Adam Ant on Countdown
     Denise De Paoli:  he was squashed wasn’t he?
     Ash Johnston:  i do not know of said ant
     Lisa Kendell:  Watched latest ‘Life On mars’ episode where she goes back to the 80’s. First thing she sees is a Adam Ant poster.
     Jeanie Axton:  no i mean the cartoon but I remember the countdown one 2
    What about Kimba the white lion?
     Lisa Kendell:  Do you mean Atom Ant?
     Jeanie Axton:  Yes  atom Ant sorry!!
     Margie Bacchetto:  i used to love Kimba the white lion!

     Ken Eustace:  I still do!

     Lisa Kendell:  I’m a batfink fan personally - my wings are like a shield of steel - classic
     Jeanie Axton:  It made me cry when he looked  at the moon and thought of his parents!!!
     Lisa Kendell:  I can’t believe tey butchered Kimba’s theme song in the recent remakes.

     janice todd has left.

     Jeanie Axton:  And lassie wasnt he special!!!
     Ash Johnston:  i liked bananaman

     Ken Eustace:  Time for me to go.

     Lisa Kendell:  And superted
     Jeanie Axton:  Yea

     Ken Eustace:  Lesley and I finished our video chat.

     Denise De Paoli:  Danger mouse
     Jeanie Axton:  Skippy!!!
     Thomas Banks:  Secret Squirrel?

     me:  skippy!!

     Jeanie Axton:  Mrs Fizzz from the magic school bus
     sarah eade:  Can’t beat daffyduck and elma fudd
     Lisa Kendell:  Hong Kong fooey

     Ken Eustace:  It seems the beta version has some interface issues… I go for Morocco mole!

     Jeanie Axton: 
     sarah eade:  Mr Squiggle
     Jeanie Axton:  The flowerpot men

     me:  Bill and Ben

     Lisa Kendell:  Magic Roundabout
     Jeanie Axton:  Zebeddee

     me:  H R puffenstuff

     Ken Eustace:  I am a big Daffy Duck fan… resembles my teaching style or haven’t you noticed!

     me:  lol

     Lisa Kendell:  Time for tea….. said Zebedee

     Ken Eustace:  Its a living!

     Denise De Paoli:  Voltron
     sarah eade: 
     Jeanie Axton:  Time for bed said Zebedee

     me:  romper room??

     Jeanie Axton:  Clifford the big red dog

     me:  starting to slow up now!!

     Lisa Kendell:  Had the biggest laugh when it was on. Christmas and kids doing nativity drawings. Teacher asks who man in green shirt is and kid says Round John Virgin

     me:  lol

     Jeanie Axton:  The grinch tin tin
     Lisa Kendell:  I loved Shintaro and the ninja’s s a kid

     me:  i have an 8yr old who is addicted to Get Smart

     Lisa Kendell:  Missed me by that much
     Jeanie Axton:  love the phone in his shoe1

     me:  and loving it

     sarah eade:  The Tv show or movie

     me:  the tv show

     Lisa Kendell:  cone of silence

     me:  he has them on DVD  fang

     Denise De Paoli has left.

     Ken Eustace:  BTW don’t forget to report your findings tonighton the forum or in your OLR blog.

     Lisa Kendell:  I’m going to take Zebedee’s advice after a long day and say its time for tea. Night all.

     me:  night lisa

     Jeanie Axton:  Boooinnnngggg

     Lisa Kendell has left.

     Jeanie Axton:  Bye all

     Margie Bacchetto has left.

     Jeanie Axton has left.

     me:  night all

     sarah eade:  Nite

     Ken Eustace:  Bye all

     Ash Johnston:  see you all later!

     

    Video Chat with Ken Eustace.

    ken.eustace:  Invite coming soon.

    You need to fgind the window. You are in already.

     Sent at 8:37 PM on Wednesday

     me:  what do i do here?

     Sent at 8:39 PM on Wednesday

     ken.eustace:  Hang on

     Sent at 8:46 PM on Wednesday

     You ended the video chat with ken.eustace at 9:05 PM. 

    I also made a couple of screen dumps of how my screen looked during the chat session.
    Unfortunately, I didn’t create a screen dump whilst in the video chat with Ken. Basically, a new section opened at the top of the chat with Ken which showed Ken’s video in most of the window and a smaller screen with what my camera was showing. 

    Gmail screenshot

    Gmail screenshot

    This image shows the chat screen in Gmail. On the right there are two smaller screens. On the left is the chat window that opened for my chat to Ken. On the right is the general group chat screen. A closer view is shown below -

    Gmail Screenshot

    Gmail Screenshot

    I can see collaborative possibilities for Gmail but it seems a little cumbersome in the setting up and getting organised. Video chat is available but it is only available in a one-to-one situation and this limits its use somewhat. It is dificult to keep up any group “chatting” when in a one-to-one video chat so it is easy to lose track of any conversation threads in a group chat.  An interesting experience.



    47 Trackbacks / Pingbacks

     Leave a reply