How Do I have a Class Discussion?
If you want to meet with students to deliver your lecture or to have a discussion, you’ll need to use a web-conferencing tool to meet online. However, if you want a way to have ongoing discussions, there are different tools that you can use like Moodle Forums.
In addition to our Microsoft O365 campus tools (Teams), campus users may also use Zoom to schedule an online meeting. If you’re using Zoom, be sure to create a free Basic account using your potsdam.edu email. Doing so will allow you to schedule meetings with up to 100 participants and the normal 40-minute meeting limit will be temporarily lifted by Zoom for potsdam.edu accounts.
To review some of the advantages/disadvantages of each tool, see the Class sessions page. With the recent upgrade to Potsdam’s Microsoft O365 account, Teams now provide dial-in phone access for all online meetings. Please be aware that a PIN is not necessary to dial-in (disregard notices).
How do I...
Outlook: The easiest way to schedule a meeting in Teams is to schedule a meeting in O365 Outlook calendar using a web browser.
Zoom: Sign in to Zoom using a web browser to create a meeting. Then, send the meeting link to participants.
Teams: The easiest way to join a scheduled meeting is to select the Join Meeting link in your Outlook calendar.
Zoom: Sign in to Zoom using a web browser or use the Join Meeting link sent to your email.
In addition to keeping your computer and web browser updated, be sure to download, install, and test using your web conferencing app before you meet with your students.
Whenever possible, use a desktop computer or laptop directly connected to a network (instead of wifi) for the best performance.
- Schedule your meetings in advance and notify your students.
- Login to your meeting 5-10 minutes prior to the start time to make sure everything is working and to start recording the session.
- Use a USB headset and webcam, whenever possible, and ask participants to mute their microphones to minimize meeting noise.
Practice using web conferencing tools like Record Meeting, Screen Share, Chat, Make Presenter, and Whiteboard before you meet with your students.
Outlook: When you set up a Teams meeting in Outlook, all invited participants will get an email with links (dial-in number) to join the meeting.
Zoom: When you create a Zoom meeting, copy the meeting link (dial-in NOT available) and either post the link in Moodle or create a calendar meeting in Outlook and place the “Join meeting” link in the description.
Moodle: You can post any meeting link in Moodle (using URL, Forums, Page, etc.).
Zoom/Teams- With a webcam (and/or a headset), you can record your meeting and also your screen when you use the Screen Share feature.
Relay- You can use Relay to record anything that’s on your screen. That means you should be able to use it to record any online meeting (Zoom/Teams).
Zoom/Teams- Use the Share Screen feature to share your PowerPoint, Desktop, or specific window (e.g. only sharing your browser). The Screen Share button is next to the microphone icon on the main meeting panel.
Zoom/Teams- You can select a built-in whiteboard when you select the Screen Share option.
OneNote/PowerPoint- If your participants login to O365 and use the same OneNote/PowerPoint, everyone can work and see the whiteboard. You can also share your screen to display the “whiteboard” during the meeting so it can be recorded.
Zoom/Teams- You can change the status of any participant to Presenter. Student presenter may need to use a computer (not a smartphone/tablet) or use the full version of Teams to present.
OneNote/PowerPoint/etc.- If a student participant can’t share their screen, they can still present IF the student shares the O365 document with you and you use Share Screen during the meeting to display it to others.
OneNote/PowerPoint- If your participants login to O365 and use the same document (Word, OneNote, PowerPoint, etc.), everyone can work on the document together. Use Share Screen during the meeting to display it to everyone on the meeting.
It is best to share files before the meeting through Moodle and/or Teams/OneDrive.
Zoom/Teams- Look for the file/browse/attachment option in the Screen Share feature of your web conferencing tool. Not all file formats can be directly shared. Links to uploaded files can also be typed or copied into Chat.
Zoom/Teams- You can select the built-in Chat window to communicate by text with participants. For students that don’t have a webcam or microphone, this will be the only way that they can communicate with you.
Moodle: The Forum activity is specially designed to facilitate asynchronous (not at the same time) discussions.
Teams: Using Chat or Channel posts you can have synchronous or asynchronous conversations.
Relay/Stream- Both video platforms have tools to leave time-stamped comments within a video. Relay’s tools are more robust, also allowing for the drawing of simple shapes and arrows. Regardless, these tools can be used for asynchronous discussion.
Relay/Stream- Both video platforms have tools to leave time-stamped comments within a video. Relay’s tools are more robust, also allowing for the drawing of simple shapes and arrows. Regardless, these tools can be used for asynchronous discussion.