Synchronous Online Sessions
Synchronous live sessions are online meetings, webinars or collaborative sessions that take place in a video or audio conferencing tool.
They are especially important when learning takes place mostly online, but are also powerful in complementing face to face sessions. You can use synchronous live sessions to:
- present a topic
- discuss topics with students
- answer questions about a topic, or a course more generally
- keep in touch with students
- enable human connection with and between students when learning takes place mostly online
- increase student engagement
Students can also use them amongst themselves to collaborate on tasks.
For online or blended learning, aim to include at least one synchronous session per week with students on each unit for an interactive taught session. Make the most of synchronous lecture sessions by including engaging interactions, such as polls or chat throughout. Use engaging and meaningfull tasks before or after a session, to draw out existing knowledge and views, or consolidate and build on the material discussed, respectively. Record these live sessions to provide an asynchronous option for students who cannot attend. This will maximize inclusivity and flexibility, as students will be able to learn from the sessions, even if they couldn't join at the time.
Tools
Teams includes chat, a whiteboard, polling, hand raising, screen, application and file sharing. However the detail of how these work may vary, so you should try them out to ensure they meet your requirements before use.
Tool features
| Features | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|
| Main support website | MS Teams help |
| UoB Support materials | MS Teams for Teaching |
| Accessibility | Microsoft Teams accessibility pages |
| Chat | Yes |
| Hand raising | Yes |
| Polling | Yes |
| Breakout rooms (group work) | Yes (max 50) |
| Share white board | Yes |
| Share/download files | Yes |
| Screen sharing capabilities | Yes – in a chat or a meeting |
| Attendance tracking in Blackboard | No |
| Features | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|
| Max simultaneous webcams | 49 on screen |
| Max. no of simultaneous audio | 49 |
| Max. no participants |
1000 (standard), (breakout rooms up to 300). |
| Large event option | Yes |
| Features | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|
| Multiple moderators | Yes |
| Control features |
Chat - public or private Mute/unmute audience microphones/cameras Invitee permissions are set by organizer Waiting lobby room |
| Features | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|
| Supported browsers. Latest browser versions are recommended | Chrome, Firefox, Safari, IE Chromium |
| Browser based (no download required) | Yes |
| Mobile app available | Yes |
| Desktop app/client available | Yes (Mac, Windows, Linux (X86)) |
| Bandwidth information for audio with video. In general, when more bandwidth is available, quality and usage will increase to deliver the best experience. | Up to 2 mbps per second recommended for presenter/participant  |
| Licence status | Institutional licence for all staff and students |
| Features | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|
| Can record session | Yes |
| Recording downloadable | Yes |
| Recording format | MP4 video |
| Edit video recordings | Yes, edit in Stream |
| Automated Live Captions | Yes |
| Manual closed captioning | Yes (captioner role) |
Teaching spaces
If you need to video conference in a teaching space, you can use your own computer, or a video conferencing room (Surface Hub or Logitech Meetup enabled).
In teaching spaces, audio from microphones or from computers is channeled to speakers in the room and to the Re/Play recorder. It is not designed to be channeled back into computers, which would be required for video conferencing. There are also no cameras in most teaching spaces, apart from a few required by maths-based subjects that use chalkboards. Microsoft Teams is not installed on teaching PCs, as without audio or video they would not work (and might popup messages during teaching).