Documentation:MECH Online Teaching/Software for Lectures

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Collaborate Ultra within Canvas course (current university standard)

We recommend using Collaborate Ultra within your Canvas course as your method for delivering synchronous content. Private to the course, all students have access.

Settings

Note that each participant will have the settings that exist when they join the session. There is no way to change the settings for those that have already joined.

There are two ways to join a Collaborate session:

Through the Collaborate tool in Canvas
Through the Guest link

We suggest reserving the guest link to allow instructors to join on two or more devices (you cannot join on two devices using the Canvas tool - this entry is linked to your Canvas identity).

Recording settings:

If you allow recordings to be downloaded, there doesn't seem to be a way for instructors to download (for their records) without allowing students to do so.

How to run two (or more) devices as an instructor:

This enables you to write on a tablet where the annotation window fills the whole screen, but still monitor the chat on a second computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Set the Guest link as "Moderator"
Log into Canvas on one device
Use the link on a second device

Be sure not to give the Guest link to students.

How to have students present their work:

You have two options:

Participants set to "Presenter". This gives all students presenter status (they can flip through uploaded slides, etc.). If you have a subset of student presenting, and can arrange it, set participants to "Presenter", have the presenting students join the session a little early (join with Presenter status), then change participant status setting to "Participant" - all subsequent students joining will not have Presenter privileges.
Set the Guest Link to "Presenter" and give this link to presenting students. (This means that second instructor devices will not be moderators (able to mute participants, etc.), unless you join early as a moderator, then change the setting.

Electronic whiteboard

Software that colleagues in MECH used to sketch and capture notes while lecturing include the following:

Microsoft OneNote

The 2016 version bundled with the UBC site license is better featured than the OneNote app that comes pre-installed with Windows 10.

Notability

Available for Apple iOS and Mac. ($2 - 12)

Collaborate Ultra (not recommended)

The electronic whiteboard in Collaborate Ultra is primitive and not recommended for teaching.

Annotating PDFs

A small sample of MECH students indicated they preferred written notes (or notes written on slides) over static slides. When possible, it is recommended to write or sketch additional content by hand on the prepared slides. Software used by colleagues to annotate slides and PDFs include:

Microsoft OneNote

Can add PDFs, images, etc., and annotate them. The 2016 version bundled with the UBC site license is better featured than the OneNote app that comes pre-installed with Windows 10.

Xodo

Available free for multiple platforms.

Slideshows

A small sample of MECH students indicated they preferred written notes (or notes written on slides) over static slides. When possible, it is recommended to write or sketch additional content by hand on the prepared slides.

Powerpoint shared screen in Collaborate (recommended)

Note, to still see the chat, set the Collaborate session Guest Link as Moderator, and join via that link on another device.

Powerpoint uploaded to Collaborate

Some challenges with annotations and correct functions in Collaborate.

PDF slides uploaded to Collaborate

Annotations disappear when the slide is changed.

Mentimeter

Create slides with Q&A function, polls, etc.

Interaction

Mentimeter

Create slides with Q&A function, polls, etc.

Kahoot

Pub trivia-like system for interactive quizzes, polls, etc.

Breakout Groups

Additional Collaborate Ultra rooms per group

Create a parallel Collaborate Ultra session (lasting the whole term) that groups can join for breakout. This eliminates the finicky break-out rooms set-up each time there is a breakout.

Breakout Groups within Collaborate Ultra

There is some instability in the breakout groups, and there are logistical challenges to using them (need to recreate group names before each breakout, can only manually assign students to groups once they have joined the Collaborate session (and re-assign if they drop out), or have them join their groups themselves (takes time, a bit buggy). If you wish to use them, a Word doc is available to edit to give specific instructions.

Link to Canvas course for editable instructions.