Campus Connections

Zoom Pro Desktop Conferencing

We use Zoom to connect students and professors from Dover campus and Newark campus in our History 316 Civic Engagement class at the University of Delaware.

All current UD faculty, staff, and students with a @udel.edu email address have access to Zoom Pro at no cost, including training and full support.

Zoom meetings can hold up to 300 participants each, coupled with screen sharing, annotation, white boards, breakout rooms, text chat, recording, telephone audio connections, and a number of other features.

Terry Campus, Dover, Delaware - UD Associate in Arts Program (AAP)

Dover Classroom

History 316 students in the AAP in Dover, meet in a rented classroom in a building owned by Delaware State Technical College. The room has a computer and data projector, but no video conferencing equipment. We purchased a Logitech Group Video Conferencing kit which must be set up and removed after each class. This is time consuming and the frequent dismantling of the equipment causes damage to the fragile connections. While Newark students enjoy state-of-the-art AV studios and technicians, Dover students have a camera on a tripod, a speaker and microphone on a desk, and trip over wires.

Two Dover students connect with a Newark student using Zoom on a laptop.

A few Dover students do not have laptops and use their mobile devices for breakout sessions. You can see 3 people on his screen.

Pictured here are two Dover students joined by three Newark students (on screen). The TA (right side) is monitoring the Zoom chat in case technical issues arise.

Main Campus, Newark, Delaware - University of Delaware

Newark Classroom

Studio C is a seminar style lecture and video conference facility equipped with 26 seats and thirteen 15″ XGA TFT monitors. The studio also features a multiple camera system that can capture student responses on video, making it ideal for discussion or collaboration, all centrally controlled from a master control room staffed with ITV professionals.

Studio C is available for use as a video conference facility to connect with one or more remote sites anywhere in the world using standards based protocols over IP (H.323) for connectivity through a Polycom VSX-8000 codec. It also features Zoom and Skype desktop conferencing capabilities.

Students enjoy small group discussions during the Thursday breakout sessions.

Guest speakers can join small breakout groups.

We use earbud microphones and audio splitters to eliminate feedback. Our TA sanitizes the equipment after each use.

Guest speakers discuss issues with both campuses.

Group-led Discussions Each Tuesday

In preparation for the students visiting the community schools our professors place the UD students into groups of 4-5 students. Each group must lead a discussion based on the week's readings. The students need to work together and plan how best to lead the discussion as a team across two campuses.

Breakout Groups Each Thursday

Each Thursday, mixed groups from both campuses meet via Zoom breakout groups. The students compare and contrast readings, connecting historical documents with current issues and initiatives through jigsaw activities, google docs and discussions with guest speakers from our local community who often are featured in the readings.

Zoom Meeting Instructions

Technical Difficulties

Notice the sound quality differences between campuses. Newark holds class in a state-of-the-art video conferencing studio controlled by IT professionals. Dover holds class in a rented classroom. The room has a computer and data projector, but the video conferencing equipment is portable and must be set up and removed after each class.

In previous years inadequate wifi system in Dover created major problems for both Dover and Newark students. Most often, Dover students were unable to connect to Zoom for breakout sessions and even to our Google drive to access our docs and slide presentations during class. This issue has since been resolved making for more effective collaborations.

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