Group projects are intended to hone leadership skills and provide opportunities for students to work together. As technology removes barriers to collaboration, group projects are playing a more important role in the way students learn.
Personal obligations, such as extra-curricular activities, part-time jobs and long commutes to campus, can make it difficult for students to coordinate times to get together outside of the classroom.
Discussions at EDUCAUSE 2012 revealed that colleges are increasingly adopting tools to expand collaboration, with video conferencing leading the way. Video conferencing allows students to connect with their peers and their instructors anytime, anywhere.
While Skype, ooVoo, and GoToMeeting may be the “go-to” choices for video-conferencing, we found five budget-friendly (read free) video-conferencing solutions that not only require little or no installation but also allow students to interact online in a variety of ways for group projects.
PLIGUS

Pligus is a free video-conferencing program that does not require any installation. This multiplatform program runs on Windows, Mac and Linux and allows up to 10 people to interact using their webcams and microphones at the same time. An additional 20 people are able to chat with a group and view their broadcasting. Gustavo Scanferla and Pedro Nunes founded the Brazilian-based company in 2009.
Notable Features:
- Screen Sharing: Allows group members to share presentations and videos with one another.
- Shared Text: Groups can edit the same document while communicating via audio and video. The text can then be printed or downloaded.
- Draw Together: Allows users to upload images for group members to view and draw together in real time.
MEETINGS.IO

Meetings.io is a browser-based video-conferencing program that allows for up to five people at a time to create public or private group conference rooms. The program officially launched in April 2012 and is compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux. VentureBeat reported that the company grew to 100,000 users in its first two months of operation.
Notable Features:
- Screen Sharing: Share all or part of your screen with the rest of your group.
- Profile Page: Create a personal profile page to conduct regular meetings or hangouts. Each profile is personalized with a URL and style, allowing for users to invite group members to meet them in their “room.”
- Notepad: Enables group members to take private, personal notes during a meeting.
- Live Group Chat: Group members can share links to presentations, photos, entire web pages and other online resources.
- Conference Calling: Call mobile, landline and international destinations from your meeting room. Everyone in the group can communicate with the person on the other end of the phone line.
ZOOM.US

Zoom.us is an HD/High-quality, full-screen video-conferencing program founded by leaders and engineers from Cisco and WebEx. Group members can log in with an e-mail address, Google profile or Facebook ID. The program allows for up to 15 users to join a group from any device. The program requires a quick install to each device it is used on. Meetings can be scheduled via e-mail, SMS or IM or through a video meeting ID.
Notable Features:
- Screen Sharing: Users can share either a full desktop or a specific window with group members.
- Chats: Users can either chat in private or as part of a group.
- Invite your contacts: Users can invite their e-mail, SMS, Google or Facebook contacts to join a group.
GOOGLE HANGOUT

Google Hangout is an application created as part of Google+. Hangouts are a good option for student groups, since Gmail is the e-mail host of choice for many colleges. In fact, according to eduGuru, 50.4 percent of all users on Google+ are between the ages of 18 and 24, and over 20 percent of all Google+ users list “student” as their occupation. Up to 10 people can join a hangout from their computers or through the Google+ mobile app. No software is necessary to participate in a Google Hangout; all you need is a Google+ account.
Notable Features:
- Screen Sharing: Group members can share part or all of their screens with one another.
- Collaborate in Google Docs: Groups can view presentations and diagrams together in Google Docs, now known as Google Drive.
- Public Hangouts: Hangouts can be streamed publicly on a user’s Google+ profile, YouTube channel and website.
- Circles: Users can create circles for their group and send group-specific hangout and messaging requests.
MEETINGBURNER

MeetingBurner is a cloud-based, online meeting platform. The program allows for users to create accounts in order to host meetings and webinars. MeetingBurner is compatible with both Macs and PCs. The free plan allows up to 10 people at a time to participate. MeetingBurner also offers an app designed for both iPhone and iPad. However, users cannot host meetings from the mobile app.
Notable Features:
- Instant Screen Sharing: Users can share their screen with other group members.
- Audio Conferencing: Groups can communicate via telephone, computer or Skype.
- Automated Email Reminders: Users can send reminders to group members prior to a meeting or webinar.
Source: https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2012/11/5-video-conferencing-tools-student-group-projects
Hey there, You’ve done an excellent job. I’ll definitely digg it and personally recommend to my friends. I am sure they’ll be benefited from this site.|
I have read so many articles or reviews concerning the blogger lovers but this paragraph is truly
a fastidious article, keep it up.
Hi, I think your website could be having browser compatibility problems.
Whenever I take a look at your site in Safari, it looks fine however,
when opening in IE, it’s got some overlapping issues. I simply wanted to provide you with
a quick heads up! Aside from that, wonderful site!
I savour, lead to I discovered exactly what I was having a look for. You have ended my 4 day lengthy hunt! God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye|
Now I am going to do my breakfast, when having my breakfast coming again to read other news.
Definitely believe that which you said. Your favorite justification seemed to be on the internet the simplest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed while people consider worries that they plainly do not know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the whole thing without having side effect , people can take a signal. Will probably be back to get more. Thanks|
I all the time emailed this web site post page to all my associates, as if like to read it next my contacts will too.|
I really like what you guys are usually up too. This sort of clever work and coverage! Keep up the amazing works guys I’ve included you guys to my own blogroll.|
Hola! I’ve been reading your weblog for a while now and finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from Houston Texas! Just wanted to mention keep up the excellent work!|
I do believe all the ideas you have introduced in your post. They’re very convincing and will certainly work. Still, the posts are very short for novices. May just you please extend them a little from subsequent time? Thanks for the post.|
There’s definately a lot to learn about this topic. I like all the points you have made.|
This paragraph will help the internet people for creating new weblog or even a blog from start to end.|
There are definitely lots of details like that to take into consideration. That is a nice point to bring up. I provide the thoughts above as general inspiration but clearly there are questions just like the one you carry up where a very powerful factor might be working in honest good faith. I don?t know if finest practices have emerged around issues like that, however I am positive that your job is clearly identified as a good game. Each girls and boys really feel the impact of only a second抯 pleasure, for the remainder of their lives.
There are actually a whole lot of particulars like that to take into consideration. That is a great point to carry up. I provide the thoughts above as general inspiration but clearly there are questions like the one you deliver up the place crucial thing shall be working in sincere good faith. I don?t know if greatest practices have emerged around things like that, but I am certain that your job is clearly identified as a fair game. Each girls and boys feel the impression of only a moment抯 pleasure, for the rest of their lives.
Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point. You clearly know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence on just posting videos to your weblog when you could be giving us something informative to read?|
This web site can be a stroll-by for the entire information you wanted about this and didn抰 know who to ask. Glimpse here, and you抣l definitely uncover it.
That is the appropriate blog for anyone who desires to seek out out about this topic. You notice so much its almost arduous to argue with you (not that I truly would want匟aHa). You undoubtedly put a new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Great stuff, just nice!
Excellent site you have got here.. It’s hard to find high-quality writing like yours nowadays. I seriously appreciate people like you! Take care!!|
I was curious if you ever considered changing the page layout of your website? Its very well written; I love what youve got to say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having one or two pictures. Maybe you could space it out better?|
Spot on with this write-up, I truly assume this website wants rather more consideration. I抣l probably be again to read rather more, thanks for that info.
Awesome blog! Do you have any hints for aspiring writers? I’m hoping to start my own site soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you suggest starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many options out there that I’m totally overwhelmed .. Any suggestions? Bless you!|
Hello, Neat post. There is a problem along with your site in web explorer, may check this? IE nonetheless is the marketplace chief and a big component of other people will miss your wonderful writing because of this problem.|