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Zoombombing – What can you do to further protect yourself?
STEP ONE
To quickly get your transition underway, we suggest taking the following steps. The Lassonde Team is here to support you by answering your questions and providing support for your online course delivery.
STEP TWO
Lassonde suggests these strategies when planning for various tasks related to teaching online in an emergency situation. The Lassonde Team provides technical solutions and supports to your teaching tasks.
STEP THREE
Lassonde IT supports your online teaching through software, hardware, studio space, and staff assistance. Contact us for support or ask us about choosing the technology that works for you and your students.
STEP FOUR
Lassonde Learn Team has put together training resources to help you Get On-Line Fast (GOLF).
Echo360
Zoom
Moodle
Flipped Classroom
STEP FIVE
The Lassonde Learning team has put together some resources to support you in rethinking assessment, including virtual exams.
STEP ONE: GETTING STARTED
To Start
- Be kind to yourself and your students – everyone is stressed and anxious, so focus on what is important.
- Acknowledge that what you’re about to do online won’t be as good as what you had prepared, or what you could do with more time – that’s ok, we’re just trying to do what we can do under the circumstances.
- This is not about best practice, and this is not about recreating your classrooms, lecture theatres and other experiences – this is the best we can do with little time and planning.
- Prioritize what is needed
- What do your students really need to learn and do for the rest of the semester? Don’t try to do everything you planned, just do what is absolutely necessary
- Communication is essential
- Students will be receiving a lot of information from the university and the broader media, so make sure that any communication about your course is clear, succinct and focused
- Make sure you have ways that students can ask you questions about the course and materials
- If you don’t know something they ask (like how long the online delivery will be happening or what will happen with exams etc), be honest but indicate that the university and School is actively working on these issues.
- Set clear expectations
- Make it clear to students what to do each week and how much time they should be spending on different activities
- In an online mode, you need to be more specific and upfront about how you expect students to act
- Plan the semester
- You will need to plan learning activities for the rest of the semester in more detail than you may have otherwise
- Consider sharing this with your students as soon as possible, rather than releasing plans or information week by week
- Digital equity
- Don’t assume your students have access to powerful devices (computers, laptops etc) and fast unlimited internet
- Check with your students what they have, and for those who are worried engage them in suggesting other strategies that may work
- Students with special needs or accommodations
- If you have students in your course that already have accommodations or access plans, consider how these could be adapted to an online environment
- Reach out to the relevant groups in the School and at York to ask for advice
- Navigation in your Moodle course site
- If you haven’t already, think about how you can better support your students to navigate their Moodle course site
- Use clear labels for different activities and resources, and consider a cover page that describes where to find what on the site
- Use the front announcement page as an important way of communicating to your students
- Plan your learning activities
- In an online learning mode, you need to plan much more what you want your students to do, and how you can continue to engage them in active learning
- The feedback you can get in a lecture isn’t available online (you can’t see your students), so think about how you are building in opportunities to ask questions and get feedback
- Plan how you can get active engagement – don’t just deliver content, but pause regularly and ask your students questions to answer by themselves, or work out the rest of a problem etc. Make sure your expectations for them doing this actively are clear.
- Delivery – Asynchronous Activities
- Smaller, shorter duration activities or delivery are recommended – ideally no more than 10 – 15 minutes at a time
- If you are uploading your own content, consider how a student may be viewing it (smartphone, tablet etc) and make sure that it is readable and clear. This is especially important for slides or other written material.
- Rather than creating your own digital content, consider curating some existing online open access resources along with some of your own. There are many sites that have video content that is free to use for engineering & science classes
- Delivery – Synchronous Activities
- Make sure the times you expect students to be online is clearly communicated
- Don’t just try to deliver an entire 2 – 3 hour lecture online in one block, and instead either try to create some short videos to upload, or condense the important points into a couple of 30 min sessions
- Make sure you record the session so your students can watch it back later – you are trying to support your students as much as you can through this process
- If you are worried about technology or how the delivery is going, select one or two students who are attending who can notify you if the technology is not working, rather than everyone (or no one) letting you know
- Engaging your students
- A sudden shift to an online environment can be incredibly isolating for students, so consider how to engage with your students and how you can support them to engage with each other
- Consider uploading a short video at the beginning of each week of yourself talking to a webcam about what is happening that week.
- If you haven’t already, consider setting up an online forum or discussion board for students, and check regularly what discussions are happening
- Think about ways to encourage your students to encourage each other to engage in the course.
- There are many technologies and approaches that are available to support you in this transition.
- You should try to select ones that are familiar to you and your students to minimize disruption to your teaching during a stressful time.
- Step 2 and 3 will provide some advice on what approaches you could take to teach and engage your students, and some of the technologies that are available for you to use.
- Remember that the Lassonde Learn team is here to help.
STEP TWO: STRATEGIES
Online Teaching Strategies
- There are various strategies that you can use to teach and engage with your students in an online environment.
- It will help in your planning if you consider them as a sequence of Deliver – Apply – Engage activities.
- Below are different strategies you could use, based on how much time you have, how you had planned to interact with your students, your familiarity and ability to learn and use various technologies and your teaching style.
Ways of delivering material and content to your students online
Upload your lecture slides and any other notes or materials you have to your Moodle and or Echo360 site.
Record your voice or video over your normal lecture slides using Echo360 Universal Capture Software and upload to your course in Echo360.
Conduct a (shorter) remote lecture to your students, and record it for those not able to virtually attend using Zoom and upload to Echo360.
Create a series of short modules in Moodle instead of a longer lecture (max 10 mins each), using slides, video and other open access resources using Echo360, YouTube and other platforms.
Curate 3rd party videos, content and other open access resources for students to use.
Ways of supporting your students to apply what they are learning online
Provide students questions and annotated answer sheets (explaining the thinking behind the answers) on Moodle to work though by themselves.
Provide students questions with videos of you working through the solutions, captured using Echo360.
Conduct a remote tutorial to your students, and record it for those not able to virtually attend using Echo360 or Zoom.
Create online quizzes in Moodle for your students – use multiple choice answers to provide instant feedback.
Ways of engaging students, answering questions and giving feedback
Set up discussion boards on Moodle to support student interaction with you and each other. Encourage screenshots of student work to discuss as well as text based discussions and responses. Monitor these boards regularly.
Encourage students to continue to support each other work together through student-selected social media programs
Virtual Office Hours – Host remote online discussions for students to ask questions using zoom, and record these sessions with Echo360.
For more information, please refer to YorkU Teaching Commons Course Continuity page.
STEP THREE: RESOURCES
Teaching and Working Anywhere
- A variety of technology tools are available for you to teach online whether you choose to deliver it synchronously via web conferencing applications like Zoom or asynchronously by pre-recording your lectures using Echo360.
- It is possible to record your synchronous teaching activities and then share the recordings with any students who were unable to attend.
- Lassonde IT does not share faculty created content without their owner’s permission.
Asynchronous delivery through pre-recorded video lectures:
- Echo360 – Echo360 is a software that can be used for video and screen capturing your lecture videos. This software is helpful whether you want to record your video/voice over class PowerPoint or PDF, use whiteboard to annotate, talk through a software demo or an exercise problem, or upload videos that you may have produced before.Echo360 can also be used to engage students with Q&A, Polling and student’s marking slides as confusion.Refer to these resources for using Echo360 Lecture Capture.
Step 1. Record your lecture at your office, home or Lassonde Studio using Echo360 Universal Capture software.
Step 2. Upload your lecture slides (if any) to Echo360 Class, add polls and other activities.
Step 3. Review Q&A and confusion marked slides and student engagement analytics.
Step 4. Record and upload any supplemental material.
Protect your meeting from Zoombombing – Click Here
Synchronous delivery through web conferencing applications:
- Zoom – Zoom web conferencing application is available to all YorkU faculty and staff. Zoom online resources may also be found here.
- Echo360 – Echo360 can also be used for a Live Class. Lassonde IT can help in setting up the platform.
Step 1. Start your pre-scheduled Zoom Meeting.
Step 2. Click the Record button to start recording of session. (to make it available in Echo360 for students who missed the class or rewind the class experience and engagement.)
Step 3. Click Share Screen button and select the screen you want to share like , the Desktop, Whiteboard or an individual application.
Step 4. Upon completion of class, End meeting and wait until the recording is saved.
Step 5. Upload recording to Echo360 for students to Rewind Class and engage in Q&A.
What is Zoombombing?
Zoombombing is when an unauthorized person or stranger joins a Zoom meeting/chat session and cause disorder by saying offensive things and even photobombing your meeting by sharing inappropriate images.
What can you do to protect yourself?
As the meeting creator and host, you have access to settings and features you can use to further protect yourself and your meeting participants from Zoombombing. Here’s a quick list of recommendations:
- Use a password. Zoom has changed the default setting, but you still have the option for over-riding the default in your own meetings. We recommend you always use a meeting password, and edit the meetings you’ve already created to add a password.
- Do not use your Personal Meeting ID (PMI) or Personal Link for classes or meetings. Every Zoom account has a Personal Meeting ID (PMI) and Personal Link. This is a “permanent” link that routes directly to you. We recommend you treat your PMI and Personal Link like you do your house – invite sparingly, and schedule new meetings for classes and meetings. Learn more about Personal Meeting ID and Personal Link here: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362843-Personal-meeting-ID-PMI-and-personal-link.
- Lock the meeting – when appropriate. When everyone you expect to join your meeting is present, you have the ability to lock the meeting, which prevents anyone else from joining. Read more about this setting, and other ways you can manage meeting participants, here: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115005759423.
- Resist enabling “join before host.” When you create a meeting, you have the ability to enable an option called “join before host.” This allows other people to join your meeting before you start it. We recommend using this option carefully. Read more about this here: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/202828525-Join-Before-Host.
- Use a “waiting room” – when appropriate. When you create a meeting, you have the ability to enable an option called “waiting room.” This option places ALL participants, except for hosts, into a waiting room; hosts can admit people waiting in the waiting room either individually or all at once. People waiting in the waiting room do not see each other and cannot interact with others in the waiting room or in the meeting. This is ideal for things like Virtual Office Hours and Advising Sessions. Read more about the waiting room here:https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115000332726-Waiting-Room.
- Disable file transfer. Zoom has the ability to transfer files to all participants, using the chat window. We suggest you turn it off for your meetings unless you know you will use it. Read more about this feature and how to disable it here: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/209605493-In-Meeting-File-Transfer.
- Disable automatically turning on host and participant cameras when scheduling meeting. When you create a meeting, you have the option of enabling or disabling meeting participants’ cameras automatically turning on when joining the meeting. We recommend you disable this feature. Participants can still choose to turn their own cameras on.
- Learn more about managing participants. Disruption doesn’t always happen by uninvited participants – sometimes, even the people you’ve invited into a meeting can become disruptive. As the host of a meeting, you have many options available to you for managing meeting participants, such as turning off participants’ cameras, muting all participants, putting participants on hold, and removing participants from the meeting. We suggest you take the time now to familiarize yourself with all the management features available to you, and practice before you have to use them. Read more about these features here: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115005759423-Managing-participants-in-a-meeting.
Please let us know if you would like assistance with following these recommendations, or have other questions about the Zoom service. We’re happy to help in any way we can.
Software Requirements:
- Secure Remote Access – Install YorkU VPN Software (Pulse Secure)
For more information: https://vpn.yorku.ca - Remote Desktop Clients (RDP)
Download and install
Logging in to the Engineering Remote Lab system
- If you are connecting from off-campus, connect with the YorkU VPN first.
- Visit https://remotelab.lassonde.yorku.ca
- Select your desired pool from the left side pane with the list of accessible labs.
- From the pool of your choice, select an available machine to connect to by clicking ‘Connect‘
- Follow the on screen instructions and begin your download
- Connect To Remote Lab – Once the .rdp file is generated save the file on your computer and open it with Remote Desktop Client. (RemoteLabReservation.rdp).
click to connect.
Ensure you have already connected to campus VPN.
When entering your Passport York credentials, if you are unable to log in after filling in your username and password, try putting YORKU\ in front of your username and login again.
Utilizing MATLAB Online & all MATLAB cloud based tools during Pandemic:
Everyone has access to MATLAB Online, MATLAB Drive, MATLAB Mobile, and MATLAB Grader, all cloud based tools for instruction.
MATLAB Online – https://www.mathworks.com/products/matlab-online.html
MATLAB Drive – https://www.mathworks.com/products/matlab-drive.html?s_tid=srchtitle
MATLAB Mobile – https://www.mathworks.com/products/matlab-mobile.html?s_tid=srchtitle
MATLAB Grader – https://www.mathworks.com/products/matlab-grader.html?s_tid=srchtitle
All of these can be accessed via your MathWorks/York Portal here:
https://www.mathworks.com/academia/tah-portal/york-university-40713236.html
If you are unfamiliar with MATLAB Online, this short Onramp (Teaching with MATLAB) will help you get up to speed on using these resources: https://www.mathworks.com/learn/teaching-with-matlab.html
In the event that routine work or academic functions are disrupted due to prolonged campus or building closures, you may find it necessary to work from off campus. We provide a variety of services to connect you with colleagues and students remotely so that work can continue uninterrupted.
In preparation, you should make sure you have tested your access to the following equipment at home:
- Laptop or desktop computer
- Microphone – this may be built into your laptop or computer, or you may use an external device such as a USB microphone or headset. If you’re looking to purchase a microphone, Zoom has the following recommendations.
- Webcam – a camera may already be built into your laptop, but you can also use an external USB camera for video conferencing. If you’re looking to purchase a camera, Zoom has the following recommendations.
Working Remotely
From HR – Talent Acquisition & Development – The Employee’s Guide to Working Remotely is a collection of learning resources for employees working remotely and collaborating with their teams virtually.
Employee’s Guide to Working Remotely (PDF)
Technical Learning Webinars for Remote Workers
Talent Acquisition & Development, in collaboration with University Information Technology, is hosting two webinars on technologies for remote work: one on Zoom video conferencing, and one on Microsoft Teams & OneDrive for teamwork and file sharing. Each session will be offered multiple times, and no registration is required.
https://yulink-new.yorku.ca/group/yulink/working-remotely
Meet & Chat Online
Microsoft Teams combines modern online meeting technology with persistent chat (similar to Slack), file storage, and collaboration. The full functionality of teams is available to faculty and staff, but anyone you invite can join a Teams meeting. To get started you can log in to Microsoft Teams from your web browser or download the Teams app from Microsoft.
Access Your YorkU Phone/Voicemail
Did you know that you can answer your desk phone from your cell phone or even your home computer? With our remote phone options, you will be able to send and receive all the calls that you would normally make or take on your desk phone from anywhere!
There are a few different ways you can access your desk phone’s calls and voicemail from home. We recommend using the mobile app if you can, it’s the easiest to set up and use.
Before you begin
You will need to submit a remote desk phone activation request. Once you’ve submitted your request, our wonderful Telecom team will send you your username and password which you can use to set up remote access to your desk phone.
These instructions are for York Faculty and Staff to use their personal desk phones remotely. If you are part of a call centre, please contact telecomm@yorku.ca.
More Info: http://computing.yorku.ca/offcampus/
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Due to current capacity limitations, please only connect to the VPN when using a service that requires VPN and be sure to disconnect from the VPN when you are no longer using that service.
Please note that most YorkU and cloud resources, such as Office 365, SmartBuy, HRSelfService, eReports don’t require the use of VPN.
Services that do require the use of VPN include: Shared drives, and to connect remotely to an on campus computer using RDP for Windows or ARD/VNC for Apple.
Please use https://myapps.yorku.ca to access most of the services as well as shared drive files without VPN.
YorkU’s Virtual Private Network (VPN) creates a “tunnel” between your computer and the campus network that identifies you as a member of the York University community when you are not connected directly to the campus network, allowing you access to restricted networked resources. Most YorkU and cloud resources don’t require connecting to the VPN. If you need to access resources that require connecting to VPN, please visit https://vpn.yorku.ca for installing the VPN on your computer.
Store Files in the Cloud
When you save your files in YorkU OneDrive for Business, you can always access the latest version of your files no matter where you’re located as long as you’re connected to the internet.
Professional Development
LinkedIn Learning
Remote Working: Setting Yourself and Your Teams Up for Success
Optimize working remotely, whether you’re new to remote work or not, and whether you’re leading a team or part of a team involving distributed team members. Discover how to be productive and stay connected when working from home or other remote environments.
- Learn how to effectively work remotely.
- Gain tips for adjusting to changes in your work environment.
- Explore virtual communication tools for staying connected.
Learning path details
- 13 hours of expert-created content
- 16 items of learning content
Immersive Synchronous or Asynchronous delivery
When using the rooms, check the following to make sure that your recording/lecture are captured correctly:
- Touch the touch Crestron screen to wake it up;
- Press “Podium Computer” followed by “Projector A (or ALL, depending on the room).
You must do this even if you are not planning on using the projectors as this routes the PC signal to the display (monitor), the audio from the mic to the PC, and the audio from the PC to the classroom speakers.If the Projectors are distracting to you or causing whiteboard glare, press the “Projector Off” or “image Mute” buttons on the Cresrtron screen - Verify that the correct Input and output devices are set on Zoom (or Echo360)
Ensure that the Microphone/Input device is set to “Line In” and the Speaker/Output is set to “Crestron..” – the option “same as system” should also work but there is no guarantee of this as the system default may be set to some other device.
- Under Zoom video settings, ensure the settings are as below:
- Make sure that “AVer TR311HN” is selected.
- Aspect ratio is set to 16:9 (Widescreen) is checked off.
- For better picture quality, make sure that “Enable HD” is checked off.
After making all of these changes, make sure that your video is still visible in the preview window after you close the settings window.
- If you cannot hear the microphone in the room, verify that it is not muted on the receiver (body pack) or on the Crestron touchscreen (press the ‘Microphone” button on the main screen and make sure the mute button isn’t enabled. Blue=disabled Green=enabled.)
If the mute is enabled, you will not hear the mic and it will not be recorded.
