Skype for Business as Virtual Classroom tool?

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Skype for Business as Virtual Classroom tool?

Posted by Jeff Kortenbosch on April 23, 2018 at 1:53pm in Delivery and Technology & platforms

Hej all,

I'm looking for some best practices when it comes to using Skype for Business as a Virtual Classroom platform.

As far as I know I cannot prepare polls and whiteboards and such but can do them on-the-fly.

There are no breakout rooms so how would you manage that? Setup other Skype sessions to put people in? Do you prepare those before the session or create them in the moment?

Any other Do's and don'ts you'd be able to share are most welcome!

Jeff

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Replies

Paul Norrington April 23, 2018 at 3:45pm
Hi Jeff.

I've run about 30 virtual classroom sessions in Skype for Business this year. There are some challenges but I have to admit it's growing on me!

Preparing polls and whiteboards. Depending on the account set-up, it should be possible to access the meeting link early and create polls, whiteboards, upload slides etc. There's a couple of meeting links that I've been re-using many times, and the content from the previous use is still there when I go back into the meeting. Certainly worth a go.

Breakout rooms. Yes, not built in. One workaround, exactly as you suggest - schedule parallel Skype meetings beforehand, all with their own unique link. Just share the link to a plenary session in the invitation, but once in, share the links to alternative Skype rooms (breakouts) in chat. In jumping across the original Skype window should stay open, but audio is put on hold. A bit clunky, but one benefit is that if you have rooms discussing different topics people can jump into which ever room they like (depending on where their energy is).

DO:
- set up a test meeting to check all features work if you are using a different company Skype account to your own, or if it's a new account for the learners.
- agree a workaround for "raise hand" eg "?" in chat.
- check out all the options for using whiteboards (this feature works better than Adober Connect, WebEx, in my opinion.)
DON'T
- Have everyone as a presenter. Sometimes this is the default.
- must be others, but can't think of any right now :-)
Hope thatr helps.

Paul

PS I'm doing a quick Skype for Business test with Jo Cook on 9th May (4pm uk time). You'd be welcome to join in the fun!
- Jo Cook > Paul Norrington May 11, 2018 at 4:21pm
  
  Hi Paul,
  
  Thanks so much for showing me Skype for Business this week. There were lots of features that were a lot better than they used to be, I was pretty impressed.
  
  Thanks again,
  
  Jo
  - Paul Norrington > Jo Cook May 14, 2018 at 8:53am
    
    Always a pleaseure, Jo. Yes, S4B ceertainly has something to offer, especially for in-house sessions for organisations you use it regularly anyway.
Karen Lough April 24, 2018 at 1:14pm

Hi Jeff, you might want to consider using other online collaborative apps and solutions to support you - things like padlet instead of the whiteboard function or Kahoot for surveys and quizzes. Most can be used in conjuntion with Skype and have desktop functionality as well as apps.

The Padagogy Wheel is a great reference tool to use when looking for ideas of which apps to use.

Padlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world

From your hobby to your career, your class notes to your final exam, your mood board to your runway show, padlets help you organise your life.
- Paul Norrington > Karen Lough April 30, 2018 at 10:50am
  
  Not seen the wheel before, Karen. Brilliant! Planning to try Klaxoon some time too.
  
  Klaxoon - The Meeting Revolution
  
  Klaxoon is a platform that develops collective intelligence and engagement everywhere people work together. With Klaxoon, you’re going to love meetin…
Lorraine Minister April 30, 2018 at 9:48am

Hi Jeff

Having a backup computer (or two) is very useful to not be operating blind as you can then see participants view. Having a producer would be awesome, unfortunately I didn't have the luxury.

I've found if I upload polls and Powerpoints etc they will delete if too early (haven't figured when exactly is too early) but have been fine with uploading a day before and hours before with them still being there.

I've used timers by screen sharing to manage time and bringing people back 'into' the classroom - e.g. https://www.online-stopwatch.com/classroom-timers/

Lorraine

Classroom Timers - Fun Timers

A range of fun timers! Great for the classroom, or meetings. Bookmark some new educational materials today! All Free, all for download.
- Jeff Kortenbosch > Lorraine Minister April 30, 2018 at 12:19pm
  
  Really like that idea!
- Paul Norrington > Lorraine Minister April 30, 2018 at 3:16pm
  
  These are great, sometimes I use the Windows 10 free app "Alarms and Clocks" which has a countdown timer, but it doesn't look as "jazzy". I always stick to 5 mins breaks. Just long enough.
Jeff Kortenbosch April 30, 2018 at 12:16pm

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Trying to run multiple skype sessions at once. I'm in the main meeting that I did not plan but Oddly my two breakout sessions (that I did plan) go on hold every time I switch between them and take the other OFF hold...

Is it a setting thing?

Jeff
- Paul Norrington > Jeff Kortenbosch April 30, 2018 at 3:12pm
  
  Hi Jeff. I just scheduled 3 concurrent Skype meetings and can have all three windows open. The audio is only live in the last one i joined, but I can go back and "resume call" in any of the other meetings as needed. Is that what you are seeing? Is there a problem it causes you in it working that way?