Synchronous video conferencing platforms
The recent COVID pandemic has caused many disruptions to face-to-face sessions which had to be shifted online on short notice. As such, lecturers had to quickly adjust existing pedagogies and adopt digital tools to enhance their students’ online learning experiences. In this regard, as part of NIE’s Teaching and Learning Continuity Plan, the Centre for Innovation in Learning (IN-Learning) curated some video conferencing platforms so that lecturers would be able to make informed decisions on choosing appropriate edtech tools for their online teaching needs. These include Zoom, Google Meet, Cisco Webex, Collaborate Ultra, Kaltura Virtual Classroom and Kaltura Capture. Simple self-help guides are also posted on the website for the lecturers’ reference.
With the myriad of digital tools, the question that teachers often then ask is ‘Which tool is the best?’ In response to this debatable topic, the Educational Technologists created a comparison chart, highlighting the different features of the tools so that users can assess which one fits their needs best. Every tool has its affordances and limitations, and hence this table will come in handy for a teacher embarking on an exciting journey of online teaching. Additionally, the team even suggested various ways of mitigating each tool’s limitations using a combination of different tools. This will provide teachers with a wider repertoire of digital tools to promote greater engagement in the online space.
Please access the video conferencing website here.
Source: IN-Learning
