This was an interesting treasure hunt. I started the quest believing that Google Hangout was the best option because it was free and (let's be honest) because it was the only option that I'd actually heard of before. I looked at a few of the sites and composed this table, just to help me make sense of all of the information: For the first four options, it was easy to fill in the table because they were reviewed on a few websites, so it was easy to compile the information. The last option is the most intriguing, yet I wasn't able to fill out the table as easily as the others. There are a few reasons for this, the biggest is that the software is marketed to schools and districts and not individuals. For this reason, I would have to guess that it is expensive, so they want you to fall in love with the software and then hit you with the price tag, which I would be willing to bet is hefty. With that being said, it was the most full-featured of the software programs that I compared. From an education perspective, it seems like Blackboard would be the obvious choice, if budget wasn't an option and the teachers weren't footing the bill for the software. If I wanted to cobble together a synchronous learning platform to accompany my current flipped classroom, I would probably use Google Hangout even though GoToMeeting had excellent reviews. There are a couple reasons I would choose Google Hangout for my current classes:
Overall, in an ideal world, Blackboard Collaborate seems like the best option. It seems like it can do many more tasks than simply provide a place for synchronous learning. However, I would be willing to bet it is pricey. If students and teachers are responsible for footing the bill, Google Hangout would have to do. |