Live classrooms

Adobe Connect is our primary live classroom system at the ACU.

Live classrooms (sometimes referred to as virtual classrooms, webinars or web-conferencing) allows real time communications in which multiple users can simultaneously interact with each other via the internet to conduct meetings and seminars, lead discussions, run presentations and demonstrations, and perform other functions.

Live classrooms allow students and teaching staff to communicate synchronously using features such as screen sharing, text chat, interactive whiteboards, application sharing, instant polling, emoticons, and breakout rooms.

There are many reasons for adopting the technology in your teaching in either blended or online units, including:

enhanced interaction
synchronous learning
engage actively from multiple locations
increased social presence
enhanced student learning
record meetings.

Adobe Connect meeting rooms can be managed by using either the Adobe Connect LTI activity inside LEO, or created manually in the Adobe Connect web manager and added to LEO units as text links. There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches, which are outlined in the table below.

Once a Live Classroom is in session, the actions of running the session is the same whichever method is chosen.

Adobe Connect LTI activity	Adobe Connect web manager
Adobe Connect meeting rooms are created and managed inside LEO units using the Adobe Connect External Tool activity, and accessed by students using the same activity link.	Adobe Connect meeting rooms are created separately to LEO units using the webconf.acu.edu.au system, then accessed by students using a link you provide manually in the unit.
Benefits: single link in unit to all meeting rooms access to all recordings through LEO students are automatically synced with the live classroom (granted access) students can create their own online study rooms without lecturer intervention.	Benefits: same URL link can be used in multiple units same URL link can be used over multiple teaching periods (no need to create new rooms) ability to invite and add guest speakers links to meetings and recordings provided at discretion of the lecturer in charge.
Challenges: late student enrolments need to be re-synced students may be able to watch recordings of other lecturers' content must be setup again in new units.	Challenges: creates multiple links in your unit students are not automatically enrolled Adobe Connect links needs to be made public for students to access.
Resources: Making sure you and your computer is ready for Adobe Connect meetings (Participants and Hosts) How to create an Adobe Connect LTI activity in a LEO unit How to manage the Adobe Connect LTI activity in a LEO unit Starting and running a live classroom with the Adobe Connect LTI activity How to access Adobe Connect LTI recordings How students can create and use their own online study rooms	Resources: Making sure you and your computer is ready for Adobe Connect meetings (Participants and Hosts) How to access Adobe Connect directly How to create a new meeting room in the Adobe Connect web manager How to access recordings in the Adobe Connect web manager How to add Adobe Connect links to your unit

Useful tips

You faculty, department or institution may have certain rules and guidelines as to how online classes are to be conducted by tutors using Adobe Connect.

To learn more about requesting Adobe Connect please first contact your Faculty eLearning representative, or contact eLearning.LTC@acu.edu.au.

Resources

Florence, M., and Parker, M. (2014). Use of synchronous virtual classrooms: why, who and how?, in MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, v.10, no 2. Retrieved from: http://jolt.merlot.org/vol10no2/martin_0614.pdf [Accessed 13 July 2016].

Olsen, J., and McCracken, F. E., J (2015). Is it worth the effort? The impact of incorporating synchronous lecturers into an online course, in Online Learning Journal, v.19, no 2. Retrieved from: http://olj.onlinelearningconsortium.org/index.php/olj/article/view/499 [Accessed 7 July 2016].

Page last updated: 2019-04-12

Short url: https://staff.acu.edu.au/1085065