Jamboard is a very versatile tool. It can be used as a blank whiteboard, or you can populate the board with text, sticky notes, graphics and images and ask students to manipulate these elements. One common use might be to have students fill in a grid with either pre-made elements or with their own texts. Here is an example:
In this activity for a German class, students are asked to identify the function of words or phrases in the orange squares and to drag each square into the rectangle at right according to the type of information in each orange square: When, how, where (time, manner, place).
The next step is to create three sentences with elements from all three rectangles in the appropriate order -- time, manner, place.
This Jamboard frame is created out of standard elements: Rectangle graphics of equal size for each of the white rectangles, orange sticky notes for each sentence element, text elements to form the labels in the rectangles and to write the instructions, as well as to initiate each sentence at the bottom of the screen. Once the screen is constructed, you can duplicate it as many times as you want, so that each student or group of students can work on their own copy.
All elements in Jamboard are moveable by default. While it is desirable for students to move the orange sticky notes to new locations, it is also possible to inadvertently move the rectangles or the text instructions out of place, thereby disrupting the grid.
As with other Google apps, Jamboard is constantly evolving, adding new features automatically. Recently, the programmers have added the capability to use an image as a background for the screen, thereby keeping the organizing structure as intended. The best way to ensure that a layout is the way you want it in Jamboard is to create it first in Jamboard and then save the layout as an image. Then import that image as an immovable background for the frame. Here’s how:
Construct a Jamboard frame as you want it to appear with all the elements that you want to remain fixed and constant:
Once the fixed elements are in place you can download a PNG image of the frame.
Click the three vertical dots at the top right of the window, just to the left of the “Share” button:
In the dropdown menu click Save frame as image.
This will download a PNG image to your downloads folder with the same name as the title of the Jamboard:
On your Jamboard you can now erase your template, returning to a clean screen.
In the Jamboard menu bar at the top left, click Clear frame:
Your design is erased. You can now upload the template as the background for the frame.
In the Jamboard menu bar, click Set background:
In the dialog box, select Upload tab and then the Browse button:
Navigate to your downloads folder and select the newly created PNG file (It will have the same name as your Jamboard’s title).
The image is now the background and cannot inadvertently be changed or moved when students move other elements. You can now add movable elements, such as sticky notes if you wish, and then duplicate the screen as many times as you need.
You can use any JPG or PNG image as a background in Jamboard. The advantage of creating your background image within Jamboard initially is that you can visualize the final layout as it will appear. Jamboard will size any image you import to fit the Jamboard screen. The resulting image may be stretched or reduced in unexpected ways. Saving a PNG image of the Jamboard frame results in an image that fits the Jamboard interface as you have laid it out.
A subsequent post will demonstrate how to create uniform sticky notes for this kind of activity. Also look for a post that incorporates actual images in a fixed Jamboard background.
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