#24.From Jamboard to FigJam: Navigating the Shift

This blogpost may be of interest to Google Jamboard users looking for the most efficient way to migrate and re-invent boards from Jamboard into Figjam.


Over the last few years Google Jamboard has been a staple tool for educators, allowing for collaborative and interactive learning activities. However, the announced discontinuation in Autumn 2024 leaves many of us Jamboard heavy-users in search of a comparable alternative. The consensus amongst educators seems to be that Figma’s FigJam emerges as the best solution. So if, like me, you are looking to migrate from Jamboard to Figma's Figjam, this blogpost and video show one possible process to speed things up.


The Challenge:

For educators extensively utilizing Google Jamboard, the transition poses practical concerns. The transfer of numerous interactive boards, each a repository of valuable instructional material, is not merely a technical task but a preservation of educational assets.

Why does everyone recommend FigJam?

FigJam provides a dynamic, real-time collaboration platform, with features like cursor chat, shapes, connectors, and stamps, catering to diverse instructional needs. Its user-friendly interface and diverse toolkit make it an ideal choice for educators seeking to replicate the interactive, engaging learning experiences afforded by Jamboard.

Migrating to FigJam: Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Catalog Your Jamboards: Start by listing and categorizing all your Jamboards based on their usage, complexity, and content.

2. Create New FigJam Files: For each Jamboard, create a corresponding FigJam file. Organize them effectively within Figma projects for easy access.

3. Capture and Import Content: Screenshot each frame of your Jamboard, importing them into FigJam as reference backgrounds. Extract texts, images, and other elements, uploading them separately to recreate interactive components.

4. Utilize Templates and Components: Identify common elements across your Jamboards and create reusable templates and components in FigJam. This step will significantly streamline the recreation process, ensuring consistency and saving time.

5. Recreate Interactivity: Leverage FigJam’s tools to rebuild the interactive elements of your Jamboards, such as connections between objects and clickable components.

6. Optimize and Refine: Use this migration as an opportunity to optimize your boards. Remove redundant elements, refine layouts, and enhance the overall structure and content, adapting to FigJam’s capabilities.

7. Review and Test: Once all elements are in place, review the boards for accuracy and functionality. Test the interactive components and make necessary adjustments.

8. Document Your Process: Maintain a record of changes, optimizations, and any new structures developed during the migration. This documentation will serve as a handy reference for future board creations.


The video here gives a quick visualisation of this process:




And finally, be sure to start early if you have lots of Jamboards you use often. Begin the migration process well in advance to avoid last-minute rushes come October 2024.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

#22. Introducing Chat GPT to Young Learners through Storytelling Activities

Image
 This blogpost may be of interest to educators who are looking to introduce the concept and powers of Chat GPT to Young Learners in a fun, interactive way. For this example we will be using Books by AI , which is currently in its Beta phase. This is a platform that allows you to create and modify books (or the text at least) through inputting prompts.  Before we start with the activity example for this blogpost, let's quickly touch upon the ethics of students using AI and specifically Large Language Models chatbots (LLMs). There are good arguments for both allowing and not allowing students access to AI tools to supplement and support learning. Personally, I think if there are productivity tools such as Chat GPT, which are now being used and will be used in daily life and work in the future, then it's probably a good idea to introduce students to these tools and try and get them using them in a productive and responsible way. No doubt some students will be unable to responsibly
Read more

#17 Google Workspace Marketplace: An interesting and useful place to visit during downtimes

Image
It's June. The summer holidays are almost upon us. As educators, the summer months can be both exciting and daunting. With the end of school year activities behind us, it's time to think about how we'll spend our summer holidays. Of course, we will be on the beach. However, if you really do want to keep one eye on work, one way to make sure your break is potentially productive and interesting is by taking a look at Google Workspace Marketplace. The summer holidays is a great time to casually browse a platform like this as you may randomly find some useful tools which you will incorporate into the next academic year. So, if you are using Google Workspace products such as Slides, Docs, Gmail and all the rest, and you aren't familiar with Google Workspace Marketplace, what is it? Google Workspace Marketplace provides an extensive list of educational apps, add-ons and extensions that are designed for teachers, trainers or any other type of educator looking for new ways to
Read more

#20. The (AI) Power of Stories

Image
Reading & Writing Activities for Young Learners with AI-powered Tools This blogpost might be of interest to educators who want to develop collaborative reading activities which can utilise individual reading, guided reading, shared reading while incorporating speaking and writing activities. We all know the story about stories: Stories are a great way to help students learn so many things, not just literacy but morals, ideas, concepts etc. However, in terms of literacy we know the studies have been done repeatedly and in many places in recent decades with the general conclusion that students who read more do better at school over time. For any educator working with young learners in an ELA, EFL/ESL environment, the use of stories is crucial in engaging students and aiding that literacy development. However, with young learners now frequently using tablets and phones - and therefore being more image-focused than text-focused these days - there is a feeling amongst many educators tha
Read more