Directions for Getting Our Faculty Up and Running on Google+ and Hangouts

I put together this set of directions for our faculty so that they can participate in our weekly Tech Staff Office Hours Google+ Hangout sessions this summer.

I thought the information might be useful to others as well.

(We are a GAFE school, and everyone has a school domain email address.)

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Dear Faculty,

The following directions are for those who are either:

(1) Not yet on Google+ OR
(2) On Google+ but do not have their Google+ settings configured to receive an email when an Google+ event invitation has been sent or when an event is starting.

______________________________________________

The first Tech Staff Office Hours Hangout today was fun! Eight of us attended. We all learned a lot.

You're invited to participate in our second SH Tech Staff Office Hours hangout, which will continue training in ''GOOGLE+ and Hangouts". Included: how to participate in Communities (potentially, this could be classes that you set up), and the all-important configuration of your Google+ settings to reflect how active you want to be on Google+. (https://www.google.com/settings/plus)

Here's what you need to do to get started:

(At least a day) before the hangout:

1. Sign in to your school account (this is the account to which an event invitation will be sent).

2. Sign up or sign in to Google+ https://plus.google.com/

3. If you're signing up on Google+, you will be prompted to set up your profile and configure your settings. (https://www.google.com/settings/plus)

IMPORTANT, to make sure you receive ample notification of these weekly events, including an email when the event is about to start, please check the email notification boxes of your Hangouts and Events settings (as shown below).

4. If this is your first time hanging out, you will be prompted to download a plugin https://tools.google.com/dlpage/hangoutplugin. Grant the permissions requested.

5. In Google+, go to the notification bell on the upper right of your G+ screen, next to your photo. Click on it to view the invitation to the event. Please RSVP with a Yes. :)

When the hangout is about to begin:

1. You will receive email notification that it is starting (if you configured your settings as noted above).

2. Click on the link to join that's provided in the email.

3. You can also join right at the event invitation itself by clicking on the 'Hangouts' link just below the date and time).

3. You will receive this message: 'You are about to join a video call.'

4. You can check how you will appear on the screen.

5. Click on the blue button w/ the white letters 'Join', and you'll be in!

Some of us will be on campus during the hangout, so feel free to join us physically as well, if you'd like 'extra help'. :)

Overachiever? Check out Hangouts Help from Google Support https://support.google.com/hangouts/?hl=en

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Our Office Hours hangouts are proceeding very nicely! 

(◕‿◕✿ ) 
@mauilibrarian2 
G+

See: #profdev on Twitter

Anyone Up for a Cardboard Challenge ala Caine's Arcade?

I attended Kamehameha's Kukulu Kaiaulu 2013 conference last week.  Imagine: Building Global Communities was the theme. Boy, did it start off with a bang!

The opening keynote was indeed about imagination and building global communities. Filmmaker Nirvan Mullick spoke about his creation: Caine's Arcade. The video tugged at my heart and later I watched it a second, and then a third time, and showed it to my family. So powerful.

The video was posted on April 9, 2012, and it went viral. ... See what you think (even if you're one of the millions who already viewed it, I know you won't mind watching it again).


...It fueled a world-wide movement!

Long story short:

The filmmaker set up a college scholarship fund for Caine with a goal of $25,000. The fund is now up to $233,000+ as of the publishing of this post, with matching funds from the Goldhirsch Foundation.

The video spawned the Imagination Foundation.

'For every $1 donated by the public to “Caine’s Scholarship Fund,” the Goldhirsh Foundation will donate $1 toward establishing the Imagination Foundation to support other amazing kids!'

Check out the articles galore after the video went viral, as documented in Caine's Arcade's Press page. Amazingly, this press page covers over 6 dozen high-profile articles in a very short 2-1/2 month period.

And there's a Facebook page (which I Liked).

Here's Part 2, posted on September 12, 2012, titled Caine's Arcade 2: From a Movie to a Movement. Another heart filler.



The Imagination Foundation holds an annual Cardboard Challenge for kids, wherein kids create amazing things out of cardboard. Last year, there were 270 events in 40 countries. How many events in how many countries will there be this year?

The goal is to 'engage 1 million kids in 70 countries in creative play'. Here's how to get involved.

The Cardboard Challenge will take place on October 5, 2013. Find out about hosting a Challenge here. The event could range from a classroom project to a large community event.

... I wonder if any Maui people would be interested in hosting a challenge. In fact, I'm thinking that since the world-wide Challenge takes place during our Maui Fair, it would be a grand event to offer for our children, one that celebrates their creativity. :)

One of the coolest things about this project is that the creations are from recycled materials. Cost? Practically nothing. Isn't that wonderful?

Any takers?

[Update 08/15/13: Our school's student recycling group is planning a Cardboard Challenge!]

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P. S. I got up the nerve to introduce myself to Nirvan after the presentation. Do I look as starstruck as I felt?

Nirvan Mullick, director of Caine's Arcade, Parts 1 and 2

(◕‿◕✿ ) 

@mauilibrarian2 
G+

Cross-posted in my personal blog Celebrate Maui.