What is happening? During the pandemic, the immediate need for web conferencing platforms resulted in the rapid adoption of a number of different tools to enable the University to continue, virtually, with classroom and administrative activities. In January, IST issued a survey to members of the campus community seeking feedback on web conferencing needs and functionality requirements with the goal of reducing the growing set of tools IST supports to a more sustainable offering.
Survey results: The survey received 763 responses from instructors, IT support staff, and students. Of the five web conferencing tools included in the survey, results indicated that Teams then Zoom are the top two preferred platforms, followed by WebEx, Bongo Virtual Classroom, and Adobe Connect.
Impact of the survey results: Based on the survey results, IST support for web conferencing tools will proceed as follows:
- IST will continue to provide support to campus for Teams and Zoom
- IST will continue to provide support to campus for current WebEx users
- New requests for WebEx will be redirected to Zoom or Teams, unless there is a requirement that only WebEx will meet
- WebEx usage and support may be reviewed again before the current licence agreement expires in December 2022
- Availability and support for Bongo will continue for the duration of the current license agreement, November 1, 2023. Use of Bongo will be monitored over the next year so that an informed decision regarding future use of the tool can be made.
- While the virtual classroom functionality in Bongo does not meet most web conferencing platform needs, the tool was licenced and has been used primarily for student video assignments
- Effective May 1, 2022, IST will no longer provide support for Adobe Connect
- Access to Adobe Connect (to download content) will remain until August, 1, 2022
- A comparable and recommended alternative for Adobe Connect is Zoom
- Questions about Adobe Connect and/or alternate tools may be submitted to Koorus Bookan, kbookan@uwaterloo.ca.
Benefits of this change: Reducing the number of web conferencing platforms to a smaller, sustainable offering will provide a more consistent user experience for students, faculty, and staff across campus while allowing IST to develop an efficient and effective central support model.
IST Knowledge Base support articles:
- Microsoft Teams
- Zoom
- WebEx
- Bongo Virtual Classroom
- How to download Adobe Connect recordings
- Comparison of web conferencing tools for synchronous or lecture streaming events
Questions or concerns? Please contact Pam Fluttert, fluttert@uwaterloo.ca.