Step 10: Communication Tools

Introduction

On this page, you will identify which tools are used when communicating with a professor including Zoom, Voicethread and Microsoft Teams

Zoom

Zoom is the #1 videoconferencing tool used for classes and meetings at SSW. Zoom is available at https://umaryland.zoom.us by logging in with the SSO login and your UMID. Support is offered through help@umaryland.edu or 410-706-HELP. Zoom is offered as a "Licensed" account to all SSW faculty, staff, and students, with equal access to settings, meetings and recordings. See more about Zoom. 

Voicethread

Voicethread is an asynchronous tool for presentations, communicating, and discussion. Please start by reading the student voicethread page  and then view the presentation using this link, in which you can also practice adding a brief comment. You will need to be logged into https://umaryland.voicethread.com with your UMID first, in order to add a comment.

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a group collaboration tool that provides for team communication, collaboration, persistent workplace chat, video meetings, file storage (including collaboration on files), and application integration using Office 365. This tool is perfect for student group communication. (Note that few if any classes at SSW are officially using this tool, but we mention it because you do have access and can use it to communicate with fellow students.) 

• 1. Visit office.com and click Sign in.

  2. Login using your UMID.

  3. Authenticate via Duo.

  4. Select Teams from the list of available icons. 

  5. In the search bar, type the name or email address of the person you wish to message.

  6. Type a New Message to begin an instant messaging session.

  7. You can add video and audio or create a Team with more than one person.

  8. There are loads of resources about Teams on YouTube or via Microsoft's website. If you plan to use Microsoft Teams in any capacity, we encourage you to check these resources out. 

Page Summary

On the Communication Tools page, you learned about various platforms used for interacting with professors and classmates, including Zoom, Voicethread,  and Microsoft Teams. Zoom is  the primary videoconferencing tool, providing seamless class and meeting experiences. Voicethread, an asynchronous platform, facilitates presentations and discussions, enhancing collaboration beyond real-time interactions. Microsoft Teams, offering group collaboration features, stands out for its utility in student group communication, despite its limited use in official SSW classes. You also gained insights into accessing and utilizing these tools effectively, ensuring smooth communication throughout your academic journey. 

Exercise

1. Log in to Office.com and launch Microsoft Teams.

2. Familiarize yourself with Teams and begin a chat with anyone from the IDEA Team (hint: their names are at the beginning of this tutorial).

3. After you have completed exercise 10, please go to Step 11.