APPEAL

If you know how to use any of the systems mentioned below and are willing to help, please contact us on pc@amu.cz. We will list you as a contact person for the given application who can assist other pedagogues.


Online meetings (Meeting/Webinar)


Microsoft Teams

  • AMU has licences and a connection to the school directory
  • can do video calls (small group of people) or video conferences with a concurrent chat, automatic subtitle generation (English only)
  • share the whole screen, the window of a selected application or even a specific tab in a browser
  • option to create permanent groups (teams)
  • teams of the “Zadání” type are intended for purposes of supporting instruction (something like Google Classroom)
  • file sharing within teams
  • use via client or web interface
  • videoconferencing directly from the browser (i.e. without installing the teams client) is only supported by Edge and Chrome

How to do it:

  1. Enter the address teams.microsoft.com into your browser.
  2. The login name is in the form username@st.amu.cz; this applies to everyone – students and employees alike.
  3. The password is the standard one; the one that you use to connect to the network, i.e. KOS and the intranet (not your email password!).
  4. We recommend that you use the Chrome or Microsoft Edge browsers (or download and install the MS Teams application).

A few tips:

  • Prior to the conference, create a team (or use an existing team).
  • You can invite participants (users of the AMU network) to join the team – just type the beginning of a name and then select from the list of people with matching names.
  • Inform the participants by email of the time of the video conference with sufficient advance notice so that they have time to try out MS Teams.
  • If you would like to invite participants from outside the AMU network, start the video conference with the camera icon below the edit field at the bottom of the screen, select “Sejit se hned” (“Start meeting now”) and an icon depicting two connected ovals will appear on the right next to the “Pozvat uživatele” (“Invite users”) window. By clicking on it, an invitation to the conference is copied to your mailbox, which you can send via email to anyone.

For help with MS Teams, you can contact the AMU Computer Centre.

The following users will share their experience with you: Marek Frič, Tomáš Příkrý, Miroslav Gábor

 

 


Other options outside the AMU environment

AMU employees have conducted basic testing, but the AMU Computer Centre is not able to provide support for using these platforms.

Google Meet (Hangout)

An application integrated into the Google personal environment. Fast, functional.

  • can share the entire screen or a selected window (cannot share a specific tab in a browser), chat in side panel, automatic generation of subtitles (for English only)
  • possible to adjust settings of the microphones of other users
  • Google Edu Blog: Google tools help schools impacted by COVID-19

For help: Filip Malý, Jaroslav Poláček

Webex

A robust application for planning meetings and webinars with the option to register participants in advance.

  • in addition to creating an account (“Start for Free”), you must also install Cisco Webex Meetings (just one more click)
  • sharing of the whole screen only (not possible to share just a selected application or browser tab)
  • can control the microphones of other users, draw on the screen (annotation, although not recommended on a sensitive graphic tablet), participants can “raise their hands” or record the meeting

For help: Jakub Ivanov, Daniela Jobertová

Jitsi Meet

An application for fast meetings and webinars, does not require creating an account and contains extra functionalities.

  • fully supports the Chrome browser (requires installation of the Jitsi Meeting extension),
  • can send a live stream to YouTube, record the meeting, share not just the screen but also a specific window or even a specific browser tab, can turn off all microphones, chat in side panel, participants can “raise their hands”
  • supports video quality settings

For help: Tomáš Langer

GoBrunch

A very simple free online service supporting meetings and webinars that works with playful pictures of conference rooms and classrooms, where you can place your profile picture after logging in.

  • a very simple free online service supporting meetings as well as webinars
  • works with playful pictures of conference rooms and classrooms, where one can place one’s profile picture after logging in
  • can share a screen or application window (without the option to share a specific browser tab), record a PowerPoint or PDF file right into the conference even without sharing a screen, display a queue of questions from audience members, control microphones, chat in side panel, record a webinar, add files to the conference
  • each participant must set shared screens to the desired size (can delay the process slightly)

For help: Tomáš Langer

ZOOM

  • Supports video conferencing, chat and other functionalities similar to those of Skype. Allows up to 100 participants free of charge, but only for a duration of up to 40 minutes. The application does not have a Czech-language interface.
  • Longer video conferences are supported by the licenced version.

WhatsApp

 

For help: Miroslav Gábor

 

Video conferences

  • Supports all devices (Windows, Mac, iPhone (iOS), Android).
  • Free
  • Can connect up to 300 participants.
  • Supports screen sharing.
  • Supports authentication via a user’s Google account.

For help: Petra Soukupová

 

 


Screen recording and preparing recorded lectures

or if you want to record a lecture to accompany a PowerPoint presentation, or intersperse recordings of yourself…

Snagit

Snagit is a program for recording video from a screen which also supports advanced work with screenshots. Publication of videos is based on connecting to your accounts, e.g. on YouTube or DropBox.

  • installed software (works even without an internet connection) for recording video from a screen or internal camera, and procuring screenshots (stills of the screen)
  • free version currently available (until 30 June after completing a questionnaire, thereafter c. USD 30 for an EDU licence): https://discover.techsmith.com/remote-techsmith/
  • unlimited video duration & number of videos
  • can connect to other services and export a recorded video at the touch of a button to e.g. YouTube, Google Drive, DropBox or OneDrive, from where videos can be shared with students
  • an archive of recorded videos and procured screenshots is stored locally on the computer in the Editor, which serves as a library
  • also contains an editor that can do basic video cropping (the tools for graphic editing of images are very advanced and enable one to insert bubbles, arrows and texts) 

For help: Tomáš Langer

Loom

Loom is a fully online service for recording videos where the videos are stored on Loom and published through it with the option to download them to your computer.

  • online service (internet connection required) which enables the screen to be recorded in a browser; has an installed add-on which enables recording of any application window
  • the Pro version is permanently available for educational purposes: Free Screen & Video Recording Software (during a 30-day trial the email address domain will be verified as belonging to a university; it is necessary to log in using a school email address Loom Pro Free for Students and Teachers – Loom)
  • unlimited video duration; in the Pro version the number of videos is unlimited as well and there is an option to adjust the video quality (in the basic version items recorded on the full screen are slightly blurry)
  • an archive of recorded videos is stored in an online library which can be organised into folders; from the library, videos and folders can be shared with students; videos can be downloaded from the library to a local computer
  • also contains an editor capable of performing basic video cropping

For help: Tomáš Langer

 

 


Learning management systems

These are smart depositories for learning materials which enable you to assign tasks to students and to evaluate them. They contain homework vaults, discussion forums, automated tests and other features.

Google Classroom

Google Classroom is available to everyone with an AMU school Google account and makes it possible to put together a real online course quickly.

  • Using a simple interface, you can structure topics, materials, insert tasks, questions or quizzes (based on the well-known Google Forms platform).
  • You can add students to the course using their Google account, and therefore all activity in the course is authenticated. It is a stable solution tailor-made for instruction.
  • You can create a school Google account upon request if you don’t already have one.

For help: Tomáš Langer

Moodle

Moodle is a full-format e-learning system, although it requires training for the pedagogue. The advantage is its interconnectedness with AMU accounts, so that anyone can log into it using their standard school login (network, KOS).

  • In the minimum version, a course in Moodle can serve as a depository for learning materials with short introductory texts and homework vaults for assignments.

Support for using Moodle is provided by Dr. Radim Chvála, to whom you may direct a request to create a course and for a basic introduction to the system (radim.chvala@amu.cz).

For help: Klára Bicanová, Tereza Sieglová, Ladislav Beneš

 

 


Other repositories

Google Drive

The most trivial method of creating an online depository for learning materials is to set one of your Google Drive folders to be accessible via a shareable link (read-only).

  • Accessible to anyone with a Google account (need not be a school Google account).
  • Then just send students the link to the folder. If you want to expand the number of people who contribute to the folder then you can share it with them through their Google accounts with the ability to edit. Then they will be able to upload additional materials despite the fact that the folder will remain accessible as read-only from outside.
  • Clickable guide to creating and sharing files with students (after launching, don’t forget to read the commentary on the right): http://ior.ad/6Uyx

For help: Tomáš Langer, Tereza Sieglová, Jaroslav Poláček


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