Various educational technologies can support and help facilitate online synchronous teaching and learning.
Software
Microsoft Teams Meetings
Teams Meetings is the official webconferencing solution for Buffalo State University. Faculty, staff, and students have access to Teams Meetings. Teams Meetings allows instructors to facilitate online synchronous class meetings with students. During class meetings, instructors can share presentations, lead students in collaborative exercises, engage them in a whole-class discussion, survey students with interactive polls, and break students into small groups for discussions and exercises.
To learn more about Microsoft Teams Meetings, including resources, training, and support, please visit Instructional Design and Distance Learning's website.
D2L Brightspace
Brightspace is the official learning management system (LMS) for Buffalo State University. Brightspace is a part of the SUNY-wide initiative (SUNY Digital Learning Environment) to provide a consistent environment for student learning across the SUNY system. Structuring your Brightspace course into weekly modules can help facilitate learning before and after the synchronous class sessions. Course materials including assignments, quizzes, external links, documents, and media can be placed in the appropriate module for each synchronous class meeting. Brightspace can help facilitate a flipped classroom approach, where students can access materials and activities asynchronously before class and synchronous class time can be used for interaction, discussion, and hands-on activities.
Resources for students and faculty are available within the IT Portal. Additional resources are also available within the Brightspace Community and on Brightspace's YouTube channel.
To learn more about Brightspace, including resources, training, and support, please visit Instructional Design and Distance Learning's website.
YuJa Enterprise Video Platform
YuJa is a platform for managing and organizing your video and media assets at Buffalo State within a secure, cloud-hosted video repository. The YuJa Enterprise Video Platform offers convenient and powerful capabilities including drag-and-drop organization, deep search-inside-video, auto-creation of LMS-linked video channels, video editing, content management capabilities, and more. This tool is available to Buffalo State faculty, staff, and students.
To learn more about YuJa, including resources, training, and support, please visit Instructional Design and Distance Learning's website.
Hardware
Webcam
A webcam (internal or external camera) may be required for online synchronous teaching and learning. Always check with your instructor to see what their camera on/off policy is.
Microphone
Ensure you have a working microphone (either built into your computer or a headset with microphone) to fully participate in online synchronous sessions.
Classroom A/V
When facilitating synchronous class sessions from a campus-based classroom, ensure you're familiar with the classroom technology essentials. To learn about classroom technology, including resources, training, and support, please visit the Classroom Technology Essentials knowledgebase article.
Backup Technology
When working with technology, it is recommended to have a backup plan in case of technical issues. Possible technical issues could include slow Internet speed, issues connecting a camera or microphone, etc. Having a backup plan for the instructor and for students can help support ongoing engagement in an online synchronous class. For example, if a student is experiencing issues with their microphone, you may ask them to use the chat as an alternative participation method. If a particular tool isn’t working, plan for other ways you can still achieve the learning goal.
To prepare for a successful synchronous class session, consider the following:
- Sending a list of materials students will need ahead of class so they can get ready ahead of time
- Put a link to your synchronous meeting room in your Brightspace course and check that the link works
- Login to your synchronous meeting room 15 minutes before class begins
- Close out of all applications on the computer that you don't plan to use
- Encourage your students to login to Microsoft Teams before class begins to ensure a seamless entry into the meeting room