Year 13's collaborating on a MIRO using the video conference tool

Our year 13's have been working in groups to collaborate over their assessment which requires them to work in groups.  We held a google hangout to connect with the class and to let them have time to work on their MIRO boards in a separate google hangout.  I asked one group to get into to their MIRO boards and start using the chat function to connect whilst I tried to create a separate google hangout for them on my calendar.  

After I created the hangout, I went into their MIRO board and noticed that one of the group had invited me to join the chat.  I accepted the invite and low and behold, I was in a video call with the team as part of the MIRO!  I did not even know there was a video chat feature available!

Me in the chat in the middle of the MIRO

The students didn't know that I had joined the video chat at first and I funnily heard one of them say to the other 'why is Ms here?' to which I laughed out loud.  When I turned my mike on, I said 'hellloooo' and there were a few gasps.  Then I told them 'someone said why is Ms on here' to which they started to blame each other for who said it.  One finally owned up saying 'I said it Ms caused we weren't prepared and only want you to see our work when finished'. 

What I noticed was that video was a lot clearer then a google hangout and we were able to work on the MIRO whilst we live chatted. It made sense to have a live video feed going whilst we were collaborating right on the document!  The students who did not come to the hangout actually turned up to the MIRO which I was surprised at.  I wondered if they did not feel comfortable or confident so I will check in with them before our next class.  So I've decided, instead of getting the students to join a google hangout first, they will go directly to their MIRO's and work collaboratively on their projects using the awesome video tool on the MIRO.