A replacement for Jamboard
Ever since Google repurposed their slide app for Jamboard, I’ve been a heavy user. Jambaord is a stripped down whiteboard that allows you to post sticky notes and add images to slides. It’s very simple and always worked quite well for a basic, low-ish tech way to collaborate online.
As Google is wont to do, however, the app is being discontinued, and as of October 1, it will no longer be available. Your existing Jambaords will be kept around as read-only.
I do use Miro, which works well if I am working with a group over time, and we can take the time to learn it and use it. It can be frustrating for folks with low patience for learning new tech. When we just need a quick and dirty workspace, I want something simple. Zoom has a simple whiteboard feature, which I have also used, which is like a stripped-down version of Miro with some Jamboard features. The advantage of this is that it can be opened directly inside a Zoom meeting, but of course, it doesn’t work if you are using another videoconferencing tool.
My friend Amanda Fenton, who is my go-to partner for hybrid facilitation and large-scale online engagement work, swears by Padlet for her work, and we are currently using it for some engagement work we are doing with the Squamish Nation on developing their Constitution. Padlet is easy to use, is accessible and works well on mobile. Recently, they produced an app called Padlet Sandbox that is a good replacement for Jamboard. While it still can’t export yet (a feature that is coming), and it’s not free beyond a very basic use, it is a really good replacement for Jamboard, and it looks and feels very much like Jamboard does. For people accustomed to using Jamboard, this is a good replacement. It can also accept your exported Jamboards.
Amanda has made a video tutorial exploring Sandbox and comparing it to Jamboard, which is worth watching if you are looking for something to use after October 1.
Watch Amanda’s video here, and check out her list of facilitation resources for in-person and online meetings, with a special emphasis on accessibility.
This is great – thanks Chris and Amanda! I’ve been searching for a replacement for Google Jamboard that is as easy for people to learn quickly, and as effective at utilizing text, sticky notes, and imagery. We’re going to try it out in this month’s Asia-Pacific Community Cafe and will let you know how it works.
i started with ideaflip before miro and mira were on the scene and found it fits the low tech easy access options. also super cheap!