Recent updates
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Which webinar tool should I use (and when)?
Updated onArticleSynchronous activities (from courses to meetings to research groups) are when people participate in the activity in real time (though the session is often recorded). They usually entail some interaction between attendees and vary in size from 1:1 to 1:+10, 000. If you want to run something in real time, chances are you're going to want to pick from one of the below online tools to support it. You'll want to keep in mind that the different tools have different strengths, and you might actually use a combination of the tools in order to achieve your goals.
This page provides an overview and feature comparison of three webinar tools currently available at U of T that support synchronous online activities in your Quercus course:
- Microsoft Teams Meetings
- Zoom Meetings
- MS Live
For more information on institutionally-supported tools at U of T, see Enterprise Video-conferencing & Video Meeting Resources.
Teaching with Technology Resources / Synchronous Online Activities (Webinars, livestreaming, etc.) / Overview of Tools
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How do I schedule a webinar in MS Teams?
Updated onArticleMicrosoft Teams Webinars is a feature available in Microsoft Teams that allows you to
- schedule your webinar
- register attendees
- run an interactive presentation
- analyze attendee data for effective follow-up
Teams Webinars are different from Teams Meetings. Webinars are structured meetings where presenters and participants have clear roles. A key difference between Webinars and Meetings is that webinars support registration and provide attendee engagement data.
This guide outlines step-by-step instructions for scheduling a Webinar in Microsoft Teams.
"How to" Technical Guides (UofT's Academic Toolbox) / Microsoft Office 365 / Microsoft Teams
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Select a video hosting/streaming service
Updated onArticleUploading your recordings to a hosting/streaming service will allow you to archive your recordings for re-use, and create links that can be easily shared with your students. If you are looking to upload and share video content to students, the three major options available to U of T faculty members are:
- YouTube (Google) - not an institutionally supported tool at U of T (see Tips to safely implement un-vetted tools in your course)
- MS Stream - part of Uof T's Microsoft 365 suite ( see Microsoft Stream FAQ)
- MyMedia - U of T Developed Solution (see our MyMedia guides)
While the tools can be used in a variety of ways, this guide provides an overview and feature comparison of these three services, focusing on their functionality in terms of video hosting (not live broadcast/streaming).
Teaching with Technology Resources / Self-Capturing (Video/Screen Captures, Filming-at-home videos, etc.) / Sharing your content with your students
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Which tool should I use for asynchronous discussions?
Updated onArticleDiscussions can be a great way to engage students in the online environment. They can be flexibly integrated into your course, offering real time (synchronous) or self-directed (asynchronous) opportunities for students to interact with the instructor and with each other, and to explore and reflect on course content.
Asynchronous discussions let students reflect on and plan their responses before posting them. Students across different time zones may also find it easier to participate in asynchronous discussions.
This page provides an overview and feature comparison of four tools currently available in U of T's Academic Toolbox that support asynchronous discussions in your Quercus course:
Teaching with Technology Resources / Online/Remote Course Design / How to engage students
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Quercus End-of-Term Checklist for Instructors
Updated onChecklistUse this 5-step list to complete some end-of-term tasks for record-keeping and to manage student or TA/course staff access to your Quercus course after the end of the course lifecycle (1 month after the session end)
For a timeline of events for Quercus course and a list of suggested tasks for each point in that timeline, review the Quercus Course Life Cyle information.
Teaching with Technology Resources / Online/Remote Course Design / How to build your course
Article also found in:
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Quercus Start-of-Term Checklist for Instructors
Updated onChecklistThis checklist helps you to quickly set up and publish your Quercus course.
For a more in-depth Course Design checklist, please review the Remote/Online Course Design Checklist before publishing your course.
Teaching with Technology Resources / Online/Remote Course Design / How to build your course
Article also found in:
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Is there a Quercus course template that I can download?
Updated onArticleDeveloping your course shell can be an exciting opportunity to organize and share information and engage with your students, but often times it can be a challenge to know where to start.
Using a predefined course shell template can help ensure that you've included recommended course components (especially for an online/remote course) and will also help build consistency among courses (which will help students more easily navigate course content).
"How to" Technical Guides (UofT's Academic Toolbox) / Quercus / Quercus Templates
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How to self-film live activities using a camera (e.g., smartphone, webcam)
Updated onArticleThis guide will provide an overview of how you could film yourself, with the support of another teaching team member, teaching assistant, or other helpful person in a physical space (e.g. classroom, lab). This mimics the FASE Lecture Capture Program in style by providing instructions on what to consider when bringing a camera into a space and filming the activity (this guide does NOT provide instructions on livestreaming or screen recording; both of those are possible but would require extra set up and planning).
This guide will review the major steps to this type of process, from planning and buying hardware, to in-class set up, and how to share the recordings with your students. This guide provides recommendations; you will need to tweak them for your specific teaching style and the type of activity you will be recording.
Teaching with Technology Resources / Self-Capturing (Video/Screen Captures, Filming-at-home videos, etc.) / Self-lecture capture of in-person teaching activities (e.g., lectures, tutorials)