How can we do a whole class meeting or a department meeting online?
The default strategy is for everyone to meet at the same time using synchronous tools like Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. However, with this strategy, attendees will need assistance learning to use the meeting tool and they will be dealing with device and connectivity issues. This strategy is also entirely dependent on one tool that requires a strong Internet connection for everyone who is attending the meeting.
To make an online meeting successful for everyone, it’s best if the format includes synchronous and asynchronous communication and doesn’t rely on a single communication tool. (See What About Synchronous Activities? for definitions of a/synchronous).
Practice the Tools
It’s important to decide whether you need one-way or two-way communication in your meeting, so that attendees know what is expected and you can prepare them to be successful.
Attendees may have joined an online meeting before in a “webinar” format, where there is one-way communication between the presenter and the audience. This format is relatively simple because it typically involves clicking a link to join an online session and adjusting your volume so you can hear the speaker.
If your attendees are expected to participate, two-way communication is required. Therefore, attendees need to learn how to use the communication tools and presentation features for two-way communication during their meeting, such as how to share content or their screen, chat, configure their webcam and/or microphone, start the recording, and find the recordings. Therefore, it is critical that participants have a low stakes opportunity to practice these skills before they participate in a meeting.
This two-way communication format requires significantly more bandwidth, so there’s also more risk with this format that you will experience audio and/or video delays.
Choose your Strategy
Here’s one model to consider for large group meetings, such as a lecture or guest speaker, where mostly one-way communication is required:
- Add the Collaborate Ultra session to your course. Set up the room for attendees to join as Participants. You may want to consider allowing them permission to chat and to turn on their microphone, but not webcam permission.
- Record the session so that users can watch the session later. See Technical Considerations for Collaborate Ultra for more information about locating recordings.
- Help your participants prepare by directing them to watch the Collaborate Ultra video tour available on the Get Started with Collaborate Ultra for Participants Set up a test session/room in your course and encourage them to enter the room and test their audio and video prior to your meeting. Encourage them to review how they can raise their hand, type in the chat, or change their status.
- Review the Moderate Sessions information from Collaborate Ultra so that you know how to communicate with your attendees, such as typing in the chat, doing a poll, and reading their status. The Session Best Practices page has many tips for moderating your session.
Here’s one model to consider for department meetings, where two-way communication will be required:
- Create a Canvas course for your department
- Create a module for each meeting
- Post the meeting agenda with clear instructions for what materials attendees should review and what activities attendees should engage in prior to the live meeting
- Post any information that attendees should review prior to the meeting, such as pre-recorded videos, PowerPoint presentations, and/or other documents
- Link to a Qualtrics form for voting on departmental curricular issues
- Create a discussion area and/or link to a collaborative OneDrive document for items that require feedback from attendees prior to the live meeting
- Add a Collaborate Ultra session to your course. Set up the room for attendees to join as Participants. You may want to consider allowing them permission to chat and to turn on their microphone and webcam.
- Record the session so that users can watch the session later. See Technical Considerations for Collaborate Ultra for more information about locating recordings.
- Help your participants prepare by directing them to watch the Collaborate Ultra video tour available on the Get Started with Collaborate Ultra for Participants Set up a test session/room in your course and encourage them to enter the room and test their audio and video prior to your meeting. Encourage them to review how they can raise their hand, type in the chat, or change their status. Host a live meeting practice session and/or practice activity.
- Hold a live meeting to complete the remaining required activities, such as review of feedback received, voting, final decisions, etc.
- Identify who will moderate the session. Review the Moderate Sessions information from Collaborate Ultra so that you know how to communicate with your attendees, such as typing in the chat, doing a poll, and reading their status. The Session Best Practices page has many tips for moderating your session.
- Review the Moderate Sessions information from Collaborate Ultra so that you know some of the different ways to communicate with your attendees, such as typing in the chat, doing a poll, and reading their status. The Session Best Practices page has many tips for moderating your session.
- Identify who will provide technical support during the session to help attendees who are reporting having trouble accessing the session or getting their audio or video to work.
Hosting your meeting activities in Canvas provides one spot people can easily check and you can remain flexible with the technology you use to support a live meeting. You can also integrate tools people are already familiar with (e.g., Qualtrics for taking votes) rather than requiring them to learn new tools.
This model provides a safety net for everyone because the meeting does not rely exclusively on synchronous meetings. Rather, this model integrates individual work and asynchronous group work.
Final Thoughts
Here are a few other issues to consider as you develop your online meeting:
- The UWEX Keep Teaching website states that Collaborate Ultra meetings of 50 or more people will likely not work well. See Technical Considerations for Collaborate Ultra for more information.
- If you need to record your meetings, see Technical Considerations for Collaborate Ultra for information about the limitations of Collaborate Ultra recordings
- There are various live meeting tools available. Check your home campus for details. To protect student and faculty information, use a tool that has been procured through UW System. If you’re evaluating other tools, you might consider time limit on meetings, time limit on recording length, limit on the number of participants, and what content is captured in the recordings.
I live in Eau Claire with my husband Chuck and my son Wesley. When I’m not chasing my son around, I enjoy reading, experimenting with kitchen gadgets, and trying new recipes.
- Design Considerations for Large Group Virtual Meetings - April 14, 2020
- Design Considerations for Small Group Virtual Meetings - April 14, 2020
- Technical Considerations for Collaborate Ultra - April 14, 2020
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