Week in Review

New Version of Zoom Client

Faculty and Staff can go to their Managed Software Center (Mac) or Software Center (PC) and download the latest version of Zoom. Students can go to https://hellogustavus.zoom.us/ and click Download Client at the bottom of the page. The current version is 5.2.2. Here is what is new:

Multi-pin and Multi-spotlight: With host permission, users can pin up to 9 participants on their end. The host can also spotlight up to 9 participants for everyone in their meeting.
Custom Gallery View Organization: Hosts and co-hosts can now re-order the gallery view to suit their needs, and choose whether to deploy this view to participants, or allow participants to create their own custom views. Simply click and drag videos to the position you want them in gallery view, and this layout will remain in place until released.
High Fidelity Audio Mode: This option in Advanced Audio enhances “Original Audio” mode, allowing for disabling echo cancellation & post-processing, while raising audio codec quality to 48Khz, 96Kbps mono/192kbps stereo for professional audio transmission in music education and performance applications. Professional audio interface, microphone, and headphones are required.
Custom Languages for Language Interpretation: Custom languages are now supported, in addition to the default languages that are already provided. Custom languages must be configured on the Web portal by the host. Interpreters and participants accessing the custom languages will need to be on client 5.2.1 or later to use this feature.

How to effectively schedule a zoom meeting that all students can access

Make sure all your students have logged into the https://hellogustavus.zoom.us/ landing page and they have opened the Zoom client and logged in with the sign in with SSO option and then typing hellogustavus for the domain name.
Create your calendar recurring calendar event in your Gustavus Google Calendar (https://calendar.google.com) and invite your enrolled students using the course email alias.
Go to https://hellogustavus.zoom.us/, sign in, click meetings, and then click on your meeting to open. Copy the meeting link and then open your moodle course, turn editing on, then add an activity or resource. Select URL, give it a name and paste that Zoom link into the link address. Save and return to course.
Video Tutorial: https://youtu.be/1xMwvxrXWmw

How to set up pre-assigned breakout rooms in Zoom

Keep in mind that unless students have signed into both their Zoom application and through the web interface at https://hellogustavus.zoom.us/, the breakout rooms may not work perfectly.
Do not open the breakout rooms option on the bottom of the zoom window until all users have joined the live zoom session. We have noticed if you open before all users are there, anyone that joins after, is no longer in that pre-assigned breakout room.
Only hosts can use the breakout rooms options once in the Zoom session, co-host do not have that option. So, you could change host responsibilities by clicking the three dots on a participant video and making them host, but you lose your host controls. They can then grant you back host or co-host responsibilities at any time.
Video Tutorial: https://youtu.be/Ak6R_4bOd8g

Campus Wifi Update

Reported issues using Zoom and Google Meet over the campus WiFi network resulted in a thorough investigation and consultation with representatives from the manufacturer of our access points. Adjustments have been made to improve the stability and performance of these applications. The situation will continue to be monitored. If you experience any issues while connected to the College network, please report them via this form: https://gustavus.edu/networkdiagnostic

Moodle

Moodle announcements were not automatically sending an email to all your participants after a post was made. This was fixed on Monday, August 31.
Professors were not able to grade Moodle Forums but that was fixed Monday, September 7.
Enrollment changes are updated in Moodle, in most cases, the day they happen. Updates to class aliases can take at least 24 hours.

Google Meet

Google removed the ability for non-google accounts to access a Google Meet. This means that everyone that joins your meet must have a Gustavus Google account or their own personal Google account.

Supplemental Hardware

If you have submitted a request for supplemental hardware, please pick it up at the GTS Helpline in Olin 103. If you are not sure about filling out a request, please contact the Technology Helpline at helpline@gustavus.edu . If you wish to submit a new request, please do so online: https://gustavus.edu/employeetechnology2020

Other Items

Events for your courses were automatically generated and added to your Gustavus Google Calendar. There were some initial errors that resulted in RSVPs disappearing, but that has now been resolved.
Remote students who need additional technology (laptops, bandwidth, cameras) should use the Student Technology Request Form: https://gustavus.edu/2020technology
Even with some experience from last spring, starting a semester is a very different and challenging endeavor. The expectations are higher, and consequently, so is the stress level. Be kind to yourself, and just do the best that you can. Let us know if there is anything we can do to help.

Connect with Us

Live Chat: https://gustavus.edu/gts
Phone: 507-933-6111 – leave voicemail if no answer
Email: helpline@gustavus.edu
Remote screen sharing: https://sos.gac.edu