Web Tool Wednesday: Marco Polo App


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Marco Polo
Video Communication App
I'm incredibly visual when it comes to communication.  I can never read expressions and/or emotion very well from just text messages or email.  Just ask my wife… LOL.  It's much easier for me to communicate face-to-face or by video messaging on my laptop using such websites as Google Hangouts, Skype, or Appear.in.  
Currently, I have tons of communication apps on my smartphone.  I use the regular, built-in, Samsung Messages app for most of my text messaging.  I use the Remind app for communication with staff members and folks that follow our BISDwired Team.  I also use Voxer, Facebook Messenger, Band, Google’s Duo, Hangouts, and Allo, Periscope, Twitter Direct Messages, and a couple other communication apps.

Honestly, the strangest thing is that I actually use all these communication apps for various reasons…

  • I use Voxer to communicate with various colleagues throughout my PLN.  I LOVE how I can quickly use the button to record my voice for others to hear my messages (hence being a type of walkie-talkie app).  Actually, I enjoy any app where you don’t have to type out your messages, and I don’t have read every message I receive.  Again, I’m an audio/visual type of person.  Voxer is great for this reason, but I wanted to be able to video chat much easier than this.

  • For communication with my wife and BISDwired Team, I use the Google Hangouts app.  I don’t really use the video portion of this app on my phone, I use the app mostly for texting.  Compared to the generic Samsung Messages app, the Google Hangouts app makes it much easier to add/send photos, videos, and GIFs.  Thus, Google Hangouts is basically becoming my default texting app.  My favorite aspect of the Hangouts app is that I can carry the conversation over to laptop since it’s the same app.

  • The other apps listed above are great for communicating with specific people.  Duo is great as a live video communication app, basically taking the Google Hangouts app to the next level with fast two-way video communication with great speed, sound, and resolution (Probably the closest comparison to Marco-Polo, whereas Marco-Polo doesn’t have to be a live conversation).  Allo is great for communication with my 3 friends that actually use the app.  Facebook Messenger and Direct Messages on Twitter are fine for communicating with folks that use those messaging options… especially DM’s on Twitter, basically folks that don’t have my phone number but want to communicate.  I use Band for communicating with friends that play in Clash of Clans, also, same reason I use Discord.
With all these communication apps listed above, why get the Marco Polo app?
Marco Polo is a walkie-talkie video communication app.  Much like Snapchat’s video function.  What’s awesome about the app is that you can either have a live video conversation or just send a video and have the recipient watch it when they are ready.  As a visual person, this app works great for me!
I don’t have to write, or type anything.  Every message is a video saved on Marco Polo’s server.  The videos don’t even save to your phone, which is a great way to save storage.  Also, the app links to your contacts so your kids can’t just randomly have video conversations with strangers.  The other feature I really like about it is the ability to have either a one-on-one conversation or a group conversation.  

Check out the features below, and how you can integrate Marco Polo for educational purposes along with a quick tutorial on how to use Marco Polo.
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Educational Purposes
  • Create a group chat with your co-workers and/or PLN.  Highlight great things you’re doing in your classroom.
  • Create a team chat with your team members and communicate throughout the day.
  • Record yourself teaching and share with staff or colleagues on your team.
  • As an admin, use it to highlight great things happening on your campus.  Or, use it with your admin team to highlight great things happening around the campus.  
  • Use it to team teach lessons.
  • Etc.

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