There are a variety of education technology tools that you can use within your course. It is recommended to download and test these tools pro-actively; this not only ensures that the tool is working technically but that it provides the functionality you are looking for. This guide lists software and hardware that have been used for projects within the FASE Education Technology Office.
This guide is intended as a quick reference for recommended tools; in each section there are links to technical support guides (these provide further information on things to consider before implementation and how to incorporate them into your course).
Jump to a category for institutionally-vetted recommendations for:
It is highly recommended that you test all your tools prior to use. Some bear more experimentation than others (especially for first time use). If you'd like to schedule a support session, please contact the FASE Education Technology Office by email ([email protected]) or phone (416) 978-1234.
1. Webinars (for synchronous course activities)
Webinars are live sessions where you and your students can interact. The tools are useful to run course sessions, office hours, training sessions, seminars, etc. as they are designed to allow you to share video, audio, and screen content with an online audience. They usually also include some form of interactive tools to help facilitate engagement.
Institutionally-supported synchronous webinar tools:
- Zoom (Integrated into Quercus)
- Microsoft Teams Video (Accessible via O365 account; can schedule sessions from Outlook or Teams)
Popular but use at your own discretion:
- Microsoft Zoom (In progress; if you are interested in using Zoom, please contact your department.)
2. Screen Capture software and hardware to record video
The University of Toronto has licensed TechSmith Snagit (see "How to Record a video with SnagIt") as the institutional lecture recording solution to provide screen and audio recording.
- TechSmith SnagIt
- Yeti Microphone
- You can also use your machine's built-in recording options (This is not the recommended option, as it is possible to hear extra audio, such as trackpad clicks and instructor motions).
3. Video hosting and streaming services
Videos recorded and saved locally on your computer should be hosting via a streaming platform and then shared via URL to your Quercus course (see "Which video hosting site should you use?" to help you make a decision). Videos, due to their file size, should not be uploaded directly to Quercus.
- U of T Libraries' MyMedia
- Microsoft Stream (Also available from O365 Waffle Menu > All apps)
- YouTube (Requires Google Account - please consider the location of your students if selecting to use YouTube as it is not available in all countries.)
4. Content authoring software
In order to edit your recorded content, you need software that is a bit more powerful than Techsmith Relay (which is designed for simple trimming and rendering for upload to a video streaming service - see #1, above). Prepare for your content creation by reviewing our technical best practices for creating instructional videos
Introductory Editing Software:
- Techsmith Camtasia (you can download a free trial of Camtasia or purchase it using the educational discount pricing)
Industry-standard Editing Software:
- Adobe Creative Cloud (this is for advanced users)
Always remember to test your set up by recording a short video and reviewing it. You want to make sure that everything is recording as planned. You do not want to find out after thirty minutes of recording that your audio was not being captured.
5. Assessments (Quizzes and Assignments)
There are options for online assessment submission, evaluation, and feedback (see "Configure online submission for assignments, quizzes, and assessments" to get started). Your tool selection will depend on whether your assessment is low (formative, e.g. quizzes) or high (summative, e.g. final exam), whether your require proctoring or other plagiarism detection, and how you'd like to provide feedback to students.
Low-stakes, non-adjudicated assessment options:
- Quercus Assignment Tool (see also Canvas Instructor Guide: Assignments)
- Quercus Quiz Tool (see also Canvas Instructor Guide: Quizzes)
- Crowdmark (see "How to request access to Crowdmark")
High-stakes, adjudicated online proctoring options (see the Overview of online proctoring to get the conversation started:
- Examity (Contact [email protected] for more information)
- ProctorU (Contact [email protected] for more information)