Help for Instructors

Updated August 10, 2024

Google Meet set-up

Knowing how to set up your virtual session beforehand may help with any initial jitters. Being prepared ahead of time will also help you feel more comfortable and focused on the present.

Check your settings

1. When you log on to Google Meet, you can use the green room self-check to check your appearance and audio.

2. Before you join the meeting, at the bottom of your preview tile, you’ll find your peripheral devices, such as mic, speaker, and camera.

3. To change your peripheral, click the dropdown arrow and select your preferred device.

• You can also click More options vertical menu at the top right of your preview tile and then Settings and select Audio or Video .

4. To check your audio and video, at the bottom of the preview tile:

• To test your microphone, click Microphone and speak.
  • If the mic bar moves, your mic works.
• To test your speaker, click Speaker and then Test speakers .
  • If you hear a test sound, your speaker works.
• To test your camera, click Camera .
  • If you see your video in the preview tile, your camera works.

5. When ready to join the meeting, click Join now.

Change your virtual background

To help limit distractions, you may want to change your virtual background or blue your background. Here’s how to change it:

• Before you join a meeting, at the bottom of your self-view, click "Apply visual" effects .
• During a meeting, hover over to your self-view. At the center, click "Apply visual" effects .

Virtual classroom management

Again, being prepared helps you worry less about using Google Meet, so you can keep your focus on what you’re teaching. We’ve pulled together a couple of the more common Google Meet tools that can help you once the class has started.

View people in Google Meet

Google Meet automatically switches the layout in a meeting to display the most active content and participants.

You can change the number of participants you see on your screen. Your changes are automatically saved and appear in future meetings. The number of participant tiles may change depending on the size of your browser window.

Chat feature

You can use the chat box, accessed from the bottom of the screen, to send messages to students during sessions. If you’ve never used this function before, consider testing it out before session begins.

Screen sharing

Perhaps Google Meet’s most useful teaching feature, screen share lets students see what is on your computer screen. This could include a visual presentation, a website, a video, or anything else on your computer that you’re using to supplement your teaching. Google Meet also includes a built-in whiteboard as a screen share option, which can be very helpful for many online training.

To share your screen, click “Present now” at the bottom of your window, then select the option that you wish to share. It will appear as images of what tabs are open on your screen.

Remember to select the use "Share a Chrome tab" or "Share this tab" if you wish to share a video with learners.

As a best practice, ask your students to give you a thumbs up or some indication that they can see your screen. If you chose the wrong screen or it is taking a minute to load for a student with a slower internet connection, you will want to know before jumping into your training.

For more information about screen sharing, check out the following resources:

• Present during a video meeting

As you can see, there is a lot you can do with Google Meet! If you’re looking for additional Google Meet support in and out of the virtual session, be sure to check out these resources from Google Meet’s help center:

• Collaborate with a Jamboard in Google Meet
• Use picture-in-picture with Google Meet

FAQ about Google Meet

Is there a single link to Google Meet, or are they all different?

Every session has its own unique Google Meet meeting. Students must book a session before they can gain access to a virtual meeting for it.

Can I use screen sharing to play a video clip for my students during a session?

You can, but you have to take an extra step to make it work. When sharing your screen, make sure to select the use "Share a Chrome tab" or "Share this tab", before you choose which window to share from.