• Website Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Portfolio
    • Recent
    • Archives
  • Shop
    • Catalog
    • Order

ASK Design Blog

Designer | Artist | Teacher

  •  
    • Blog Home
    • Web Design
    • Graphic Design
    • Art
      • Licensed Art
    • Links
    • Calendar
    • Contact
      • Privacy Policy
      • Cookie Policy

    Free Video Conferencing Tools for Remote Teaching

    February 27, 2019 by ProfK 14 Comments

    Updated May 2020

    Overview

    After I moved to Florida, I taught my graphic design class at Lasell College remotely for the first time. It took a lot of discussion, thought, and research into videoconferencing tools. During the previous year, I completed Lasell’s professional development course on online teaching and got my certification. Teaching online doesn’t involve regular face-to-face interactions that adhere to a traditional schedule. Students can do the classwork on their own time, from any location.

    Teaching remotely has a different structure from online teaching. The experience is a simulation of the live classroom, as if I were actually in the room with the students. What I was embarking on was entirely new for our department and school.

    videoconferencing tools at use in my classroom
    My Graphic Design 2 Class

    I needed to find a free tool that would enable me and my students to talk with each other and share our screens during “real-time”. I started exploring videoconferencing tools that I’ve used for client meetings, then researched and experimented with other options provided by our school or recommended to me. Below is my list of viable tools.

    Tools

    JoinMeLogo-254x54 - videoconferencing tools  Join.Me 

    I use Join.Me for client meetings quite frequently, and it works really well. Due to the limitations in number of participants (3) for the free program, we didn’t use it for our class.

    Cost:

    Free to $10/month to $20/month to $30/month

    Number of Participants:

    3 (free); up to 250 (paid)

    Platforms:

    Download app to: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Chromebook

    Restrictions:

    Unlimited number & length of meetings
    No time limits
    Unlimited toll & internet calls including international conference lines

    Features:

    Videoconferencing, screen-sharing, chat, take control of other participants’ desktops (only during 14-day Pro trial), internet calling, file transfer, and other tools.

     
    ZoomLogo-254x54 -videoconferencing tools  Zoom

    I have used Zoom for client meetings and webinars, and like it very much. Due to the 40-minute limit on group meetings, we didn’t use it for our class.

    Cost:

    Free to $14.99/month to $19.99/month to $49/month

    Number of Participants:

    100 (free); up to 1,000 (paid)

    Platforms:

    Download app to: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android. Cloud-based conference room solutions.

    Restrictions:

    40 minutes limit on group meetings. Unlimited 1 to 1 meetings. Unlimited number of meetings.

    Features:

    Videoconferencing, web conferencing, screen-sharing, group collaboration, chat, and additional tools.

    SkypeLogo-254x54-254x54 - videoconferencing tools  Skype

    Everyone uses Skype, right? It has a ton of features and the familiarity factor was appealing. I wasn’t very pleased with the speed and video quality, though, so we didn’t use it.

    Cost:

    Free (Skype to Skype); mobile or landline calls from Skype require Skype Credit or a subscription.

    Number of Participants:

    50

    Platforms:

    Download app to: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Xbox, Alexa

    Restrictions:

    No time limits

    Features:

    Video conferencing, audio call, screen-sharing, call recording, messaging, file sharing.

    Skype4BizLogo-254x54 - videoconferencing tools  Skype for Business

    Lasell’s communication system (Microsoft Office 365) is integrated with Skype for Business. All faculty and students thus have free access to the program. Still, it was not usable for us, because we had problems with the sound. No matter what settings I configured, I couldn’t get the audio to work on my Mac. I could hear my PC colleagues, but they couldn’t hear me.

    Cost:

    Free (with Microsoft Office 365 purchase)

    Number of Participants:

    10 to 250 depending on the license you purchase

    Platforms:

    Download app to: PC, Mac

    Restrictions:

    No time limits

    Features:

    Videoconferencing, screen-sharing

    freeconferencecall-logo-254x54 - videoconferencing tools  Free Conference Call

    I had used this application many times for conference calls and didn’t realize it had a video component until I did my research. It met all of the parameters needed for my class, so we used it. There was a small learning curve at the beginning, with an easy overall set-up. The program worked well, but we did experience delays in the audio and some occasional hangups with the video. Make sure you have plenty of bandwidth to handle the upload.

    Cost:

    Free

    Number of Participants:

    Up to 1000 participants

    Platforms:

    Web and download app to: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Chromebook

    Restrictions:

    Up to 6 hours for each call

    Features:

    Videoconferencing, screen sharing, presenter switching (enables them to share their screen), chat, drawing tools, remote control, recording with playback.

    GoogleHangouts_watermark-254x54 - videoconferencing tools  Google Hangouts

    A student recommended this tool. It is a great option that is accessed entirely online. Users do not need to download any software. There’s a small learning curve when starting out, but easy to use overall. A few weeks into the semester, we switched to Google Hangouts and stayed with it. Considered the “consumer’s” videoconferencing tool, now that Google Meet is available for free to everyone (see below).

    Cost:

    Free to all

    Number of Participants:

    Hangout Chat = 150
    Hangout Video Call = 25  
    Hangouts On Air = 10 +unlimited viewers

    Platforms:

    Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Chromebook

    Restrictions:

    No time restrictions.

    Features:

    Hangouts is one of the apps in Google’s suite of tools, so users with a Google account have immediate access. Those without Google accounts can also be invited to Hangouts by the host. Videoconferencing, screen-sharing, chat, take control of other participants’ desktops, deep integration with other Google apps (like file import). Quality of video and sound varies from high-end to very good, depending on bandwidth and time of day.

    GoogleMeet-logo  Google Meet

    Google Meet was originally a premium version of Google Hangouts included in the G-Suite package. Recently, it was re-engineered as a free product available to everyone. It is considered the “professional” videoconferencing tool. Meet supports more participants than Hangouts, and has a few additional features: a live caption, tiled layout, recording, international dial-in, noise reduction, and low light mode.

    Cost:

    Free to all.

    Number of Participants:

    Video Call = 250  
    Livestreaming = 100,000 viewers

    Platforms:

    Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Chromebook

    Restrictions:

    No time restrictions.

    Features:

    Meet is an app in Google’s suite of tools, so users with a Google account have immediate access from their Gmail. Those without Google accounts can go to https://meet.google.com/. Videoconferencing, live caption, recording, international dial-in, noise reduction, low light mode, screen-sharing, chat, easy exchange of presenter mode, deep integration with other Google apps (like Google calendar). Robust security and encryption. Quality of video and sound varies from high-end to very good, depending on bandwidth and time of day.

    Go2Mtg-254x54  GoToMeeting

    A colleague recommended this tool. It didn’t have the necessary features for us and only offered a free trial.

    Cost:

    Free trial to $14/month to $29/month to $39/month

    Number of Participants:

    50 (free trial)

    Platforms:

    Online access from Desktop and Mobile devices.

    Restrictions:

    40 minutes, unlimited number of meetings

    Features:

    Video and audio meetings, screen sharing, chat, dial in conference line, business messaging

    WebEx-254x54  WebEx Meetings

    My brother recommended this tool. They only offered a free trial at the time, so it wasn’t an option for us. But, now there is a free, personal option that looks terrific. It’s a great tool that you should check out.

    Cost:

    Free to $29.95 per host/month

    Number of Participants:

    100 (free); 200 (paid)

    Platforms:

    Web (free version); Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Blackberry (pro paid version)

    Restrictions:

    Meet as long as you want (up from 40 min. limit). Unlimited number of meetings.

    Features:

    Videoconferencing, desktop-sharing, application and file sharing, whiteboarding, remote control of other computers on the call, collaborative document management, call-in for audio. Must register for an account in order to use it.

    bigbluebutton-logo-254x54 - videoconferencing tools  Big Blue Button

    Big Blue Button is integrated with Lasell’s content-management system (Canvas), which made it very attractive. One of several videoconferencing tools that caters to the higher education community’s needs, it had a lot of the features I was looking for, but the interface was so dated and clunky that it made me cringe. There was also a noticeable delay in video streaming, which could have been due to Lasell’s configuration or bandwidth.

    Cost:

    Free (for Lasell faculty and students). Contact BigBlueButton to obtain current pricing.

    Number of Participants:

    Unknown

    Platforms:

    Cloud

    Restrictions:

    Unknown

    Features:

    Video conferencing, audio meetings, screen sharing, chat, whiteboard, and presentation features.

    RingCentral-254x54 - videoconferencing tools  Ring Central

    Our school offered this as a solution.  But, the offer came several weeks into the semester, and I didn’t have the time to test it out.

    Cost:

    Free (for Lasell faculty and students) to $19.99/month (Essentials plan) to $24.99/month to $34.99/month to $49.99/month

    Number of Participants:

    4 (Essentials) to 200 (higher plans)

    Platforms:

    Desktop and Mobile

    Restrictions:

    Number of toll-free minutes (varies with plan)

    Features:

    Video conferencing, audio meetings, screen sharing

    Conclusion

    After using Free Conference Call for the first couple of weeks, we switched to Google Hangouts and stayed with that for the remainder of the semester. There was a noticeable improvement in video quality, only occasional delays in the stream, and easy access for all in and out of the classroom. Meeting hosts must have a Google account. But, anyone can be invited to a meeting, even those without Google accounts.

    The one issue we encountered was sound quality. My initial idea was to have all of the students join the meeting individually on their computers. With everyone (except me) in the same room, audio feedback began the moment the second person joined the meeting. It grew worse as each person joined, becoming like a loud chorus of croaking frogs! It was an unbearable, horrible sound!

    We quickly learned to use only one computer. From that point onward, one student would join the meeting on the teacher’s computer console, which is configured with three large wall monitors. That solved the audio feedback problem.

    Nonetheless, I still had trouble hearing all of the students. We then bought a microphone (Blue Snowball) to place in the center of the conference table. That helped a lot. Yet, it wasn’t quite enough. We found it best to place the microphone directly in front of any student that was speaking.

    I must give a shout-out and a high-five to all of my wonderful graphic design students! They initiated the idea of me teaching remotely, patiently moved through the challenges we encountered, and were true partners in finding solutions and offering suggestions. Their design work during the semester was outstanding! I owe them a debt of gratitude.

    Related Posts

    The Snowball Effect in Florida: Upgrading to High Sierra

    Embracing Technology in the Classroom

    Top 11 Typography Books

    Howard Zinn (1922-2010): key influence in my life

    Filed Under: Business, Software Tips, Teaching Tagged With: Big Blue Button, free conference call, Google Hangouts, GoToMeeting, JoinMe, ring central, Skype, skype for business, WebExMeetings, Zoom

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Denise says

      April 1, 2019 at 1:01 pm

      Hi Anne: Thanks as always for your generous, informative info.

      Denise

    2. Call Center Software says

      November 4, 2019 at 4:26 am

      Very interesting. Good job and thanks for sharing such a good blog. You’re doing a great job. Keep it up.

    3. Carl Katzeff says

      April 3, 2020 at 1:40 pm

      WebEx, Teams and others now offer free levels.

    4. ProfK says

      April 3, 2020 at 1:50 pm

      Very cool. I’ll update my review. Thanks Carl!

    5. Rhonda Moskowitz says

      April 3, 2020 at 1:55 pm

      My real estate office had a virtual meeting this afternoon with someone from Zillow and the Zillow person used Bluejeans. I had never heard of them before.
      https://www.bluejeans.com/

      It’s the Zillow folks who spearheaded the meeting. My company uses Zoom for our internal meetings. I just looked at the web site. Their free trial is only 7 days. Then it’s either $10/month or $14/month, depending on features.

    6. Sherry Margolin says

      April 3, 2020 at 2:25 pm

      Thank you Anne – so timely! I need to organize a family reunion for a cousin’s birthday.

    7. ProfK says

      April 3, 2020 at 2:45 pm

      My pleasure!

    8. Guy Cicinelli says

      April 3, 2020 at 3:44 pm

      Thank you Anne! This is very helpful!

    9. ProfK says

      April 3, 2020 at 4:10 pm

      Glad to be of help!

    10. Josna Rege says

      April 4, 2020 at 1:45 pm

      Thank you, Anne. Can you use Facetime or Skype to talk with more than one person, though?

    11. ProfK says

      April 4, 2020 at 2:00 pm

      Great question, glad you asked.
      Skype = up to 50 participants

      Facetime = up to 32 participants (Group Facetime feature)
      “To use Group FaceTime video calls, you need iOS 12.1.4 or later, or iPadOS on one of these devices: iPhone 6s or later, iPad Pro or later, iPad Air 2 or later, iPad mini 4 or later, iPad (5th generation) or later, or iPod touch (7th generation). Earlier models of iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch that support iOS 12.1.4 can join Group FaceTime calls as audio participants.” ~Apple Support

      Here are the details:
      https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209022

    12. Josna Rege says

      April 4, 2020 at 2:10 pm

      Anne, I had no idea, thst is great, Will try it out with a friend. Thank you!

    13. richard says

      June 26, 2020 at 5:55 pm

      The importance of video conferencing in education has increased due to its feature of group chat while learning. It is exactly the digitalized version of Group Studies. The benefit of this is students can study collectively, & moreover, doubts of students can also be solved collectively

    14. Olivia Brown says

      February 7, 2022 at 11:54 am

      This is really good information!! Thanks for sharing this!!
      https://www.handyav.com/

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Affiliate Disclosure

    This website contains affiliate links, which means I may get a small commission (at no cost to you) if you use these links to make a purchase.

    Subscribe to Mailing List

    Sign up to get periodic updates on Anne's design and art adventures, and receive useful info. via her blog.
    * = required field

    We never share our email list with anyone.

    Looking for Something on this Site?

    Search the Web

    New Book Published!

    Kornegger book: Inside the Rainbow

    Art and design for book cover and interior

    Inside the Rainbow: Soul Connection in Nature, by Peggy Kornegger

    BUY THE BOOK!

    Peggy and I have completed our 3rd book together! This one is about soul connection in nature. Peggy is the writer, I'm the designer and artist. I think it's pretty darn special and hope you agree 🙂. Printed book and eBook are both available on Amazon.

     
    kornegger loseyourmind front cover
    Several of my paintings are in this book (including the cover)
    BUY THE BOOK!
     
    Check out my blog post about designing books: Self-Publishing Adventures

    Amazon Affiliate

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Photo, Video & Design Software

    Affiliate Partners

    We receive compensation when you purchase a service or product via the links on this blog.

    Web Hosting

    StudioPress
     
    Bluehost Website Hosting

    Testimonials

    I received the notecards on Friday and it was on my to do list today to email you my deep appreciation for them. They are amazing and I am so glad to have them to share. I am sure I will order more in the future. You are such a gifted artist and I thank you for sharing in a way others can use the art.

    — Shari Spokes

    Your new pastel "Lettuce Lake” is really beautiful. Very, very nice.

    — Tony from Belmont, MA

    My dear sweet sister. I can’t tell you how much I love your pictures. I so much wanted something and was so sorry that I couldn’t pick something out at your sale. On the other hand, I so much wanted something that you had chosen for me. Its been on my mind and suddenly, your beautiful pictures arrived. They are beyond beautiful and I cried when I saw them. Sending you love and my bestness.

    — Marti from Reno, NV

    Copyright

    © 2000-2023 Anne S. Katzeff. All rights reserved. Unless noted, all artwork and text are copyrighted by the artist. Images may not be reproduced, manipulated, or used in any way without Anne’s written permission.

    Categories

    Graphic Design

    • AIGA
    • Design Is History
    • Janice Moore
    • Mass. Contractors

    Web Design

    • 978 Grid System
    • A List Apart
    • Adobe Color Tools (formerly Kuler)
    • AWWWards
    • Smashing Magazine
    • underthesite
    • www schools

    Tech-Computer

    • Adobe TV
    • Orramac
    • Teknoziz

    Comments

    In an effort to reduce spam, comments are restricted. Please email Anne if you have a comment or question that you are unable to post. Thanks for understanding.


    Archives

    Typography

    • 1001fonts
    • Adobe Type
    • Adobe Web Type
    • Bitstream
    • Dafont.com
    • Emigre
    • Font converter (free)
    • Font Spring
    • Font Squirrel
    • Google Fonts
    • I Love Typography
    • identifont
    • Typeinspire
    • Typewolf
    • Typoretum

    Photography

    • Creative Commons

    Footer

    Subscribe to Mailing List

    Sign up to get periodic updates on Anne's design and art adventures, and receive useful info. via her blog.
    * = required field

    We never share our email list with anyone.

    Contact

    Website
    Email

    Subscribe to RSS Feed

  •  ASK Design Blog
  • Connect and Share

  •  
  • Legal

    Privacy Policy
    Cookie Policy

    Copyright © 2023 · Optimal Theme · Built on the WordPress Genesis Framework· Customization and design by ASK Design