- Webinar software must enable:
- Easy participant engagement (meeting link).
- In addition to the web interface, the presence of a computer and smart device application is recommended.
- Tools for meeting management (muting participants, managing the floor).
- Screen and document sharing.
- A white board if possible.
- The University of Tartu successfully uses BigBlueButton, Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
- Special features of BigBlueButton (BBB):
- Allows you to share live video, audio, slides, computer screen, use chat room, white board, poll and breakout rooms.
- Connected to the e-course software Moodle.
- Getting started with BBB is very easy. Every member of the university family can use it for free either through Moodle or directly from button.ut.ee. See also Webinar guide at SISU@UT.
- The web browser has limitations. Google Chrome is the best for using BBB, followed by Firefox and Opera. On an Apple phone, use Safari. There may be issues with audio quality and screen sharing with other web browsers. With Internet Explorer, BBB and save does not work.
- Microsoft Teams features:
- Allows you to share live video, audio, slides, computer screen, use chat room, white board, poll and breakout rooms.
- Not connected to Moodle (development project in progress).
- Deploying Teams is of medium complexity.
- Not intended directly for webinars, but rather for holding meetings.
- More than 17,000 members of the university family have a license to use Teams and can be included in the seminar through the application's address book.
- Each lecturer can initiate seminars himself.
- The recording will be automatically available to the participants via Microsoft Teams after the end of the seminar.
- In order to expand the circle of viewers, they must be made available via Stream, Panopto or another UT digital content environment.
- See also FAQ - Using Teams
- Zoom features:
- Allows you to share real-time video, audio, slides, computer screen, chat room and private rooms.
- No polls and whiteboard functionality.
- Not connected to Moodle.
- Zoom deployment is of medium complexity.
- Using the software is easy.
- The software is paid. It is not practical to acquire a separate license for each teacher.
- The seminar is coordinated centrally, which reduces flexibility and efficiency in planning the seminar.
- The recordings arrive in the Zoom cloud or on the organizer's computer.
- In order to expand the circle of viewers, they must be made available via Stream, Panopto or another UT digital content environment.
- Zoom has a "Gallery view" function, where you can see video images of up to 49 participants at once.
- Check Zoom guide.
- Teams Live Event - Well suited for lectures and conferences with a large number of participants:
- Allows up to 10,000 people to participate.
- Easy production and automatic video recording in Teams.
See also Teams Live Event - Video conferencing for large audiences |