Today we will discuss the best virtual meeting platforms for large groups and how to choose one. Have you ever been part of a group and wanted to hold a meeting? What did you do? Meet in a conference room and bother everyone to get there. Some just did it on email or even tried to set up a call. You can see how this could be time consuming and disruptive.
There’s a reason remote teaching is often called “skype teaching”. Almost everyone already has a Skype account and for those who don’t, it’s easy to set up. For a while, Skype fell behind in quality and features, but recent updates have improved the service substantially. Video conferencing is now easy and reliable and it works just as well on a smartphone as it does on a laptop.
You can also now create groups and schedule calls. However, because there is no way of organizing contacts, it can sometimes be tricky to know who is who. However, once students are added to the call, you can use that same call again and again for every class.
Team Viewer
After you download and install Team Viewer, you can start a call and invite users by email, a link, or meeting ID. The same ID or link can also be used for multiple sessions meaning the student can use the same instructions again and again for every class.
The program allows participants to write directly on the screen, and even shift control of the screen being shared to different participants. This is especially helpful if your students are having any technical difficulties as you can take control of their computer cursor to help them.
If you have never used Team Viewer before, it can be a little confusing at first, and if students are connecting from their smartphones, screen sharing works but not the camera. It also doesn’t look as great as some of the other apps on this list. If you don’t mind those issues though, this is definitely the app to use.
Google Hangouts
Google has in the past had a hard time delivering a focused, stable product for video conferencing. With Google Talk and Google+ in the past and Google Hangouts Meet, Google Hangouts Chat, and Google Duo newly introduced, keeping track of all the changes can be a headache. Google also has a habit of making products that look very intuitive and easy to use but leave you a little lost and scratching your head as you attempt anything beyond the core features. It also only works in the Chrome browser.
That said, with an intuitive design, Google Calendar and email integration, no app to download, and an easy signup process for anyone who doesn’t already have a Google account, Hangouts is a solid choice.
Zoom
Zoom is another remote conferencing service that’s quite popular. The free version limits calls to 40min, so for longer calls you need to pay or close the call and start it up again. For new users, getting set up can also be a bit confusing: you have to click a button to activate audio which some users don’t see and have trouble figuring out.
Zoom’s paid plan has unique and powerful features like webinars and video breakout rooms which allow you to split your class into groups for pairwork and groupwork. Paid or free, Zoom is well designed and intuitively laid out. Zoom is probably not the best option unless you’re looking for these cool paid features. However, if you have the budget and are willing to learn how to use the extra features, Zoom will likely give your students the best educational experience.
Slack
If you already use Slack for managing your administrators and teachers, you may want to consider using it for students as well. Slack’s paid plan has an intuitive video conferencing tool with screen sharing and an option to write on the screen. Guests limited to one group/channel are free but you can only have 10 per paid user. Adding students to channels also means it will be much easier to message them with questions, updates, and important information at any time.
Even if you don’t use Slack for video conferencing, it’s helpful (and free) for managing and messaging teachers and students. It’s also an effective tool for letting students know what’s going on and giving them the appropriate links to the class.
FreeConferenceCall.com
FreeConferenceCall.com is a conferencing and collaboration tool which allows the users to connect locally and globally using any device. You can sign up for free at FreeConferenceCall.com and create an account to access all the features provided by the application. FreeConferenceCall.com is compatible across all the devices and operating systems. You can download and install a desktop app for Windows, Linux or macOS based on your system requirements. Check the official website to get the download link for the application. Android and iOS mobile users can download the mobile app of Free Conference Call available at Google Play and Apple Store. You can also host or join an online meeting using Web Viewer(i.e. participating via web browser). Only Chromebook supports all the host functionality of Web Viewer without any download.
To host an online meeting through video conferencing, first launch your desktop application or log in to your FreeConferenceCall.com Web Viewer(Only Chromebook). As a host you can create a meeting and share the details like date & time, dial-in number, online meeting link, online meeting id and access code present in your account info page to your participants. With the help of online meeting id, the participants can join the meeting at the scheduled time by launching their desktop application or a Web Viewer.
Free Conference Call is secure and flexible. It also supports audio conferencing using domestic or local in-country dial-in numbers or VoIP. Through online meeting scheduled at FreeConferenceCall.com, you can conduct group video calling with a web camera and share screen, slides, documents, spreadsheets, etc. It also helps the host to access call controls and set mute for other participants in the joined list. Through this application, you can also host an unlimited number of meetings.
Meeting Participants: 1000(maximum)
Meeting length: No time limits for group meetings
Features:
- Audio and Video Conferencing
- Screen Sharing and Studio presentation
- Drawing Tools
- Chat Facility during video calls
- Recording and playback
- Generates call detail report
- Integration with apps such as Dropbox, Evernote and Slack
- Can use Google Calendar Extension or Outlook Calendar Plug-in to schedule a meeting
Webex Mettings
Webex Meetings is the most engaging, inclusive and intelligent video conferencing solution for the modern workforce Make meetings more interactive and engaging • Reduce disruptions with background noise removal and voice enhancement • Enable audiences to share their reactions with animated emojis and gesture recognition • Improve audience engagement with next-gen dynamic polling and Q&A by Slido • Customize the stage layout to focus on the content and people that matters most Make meeting… Show MoreRead Webex Meetings Reviews
Conclusion
Attending a meeting with a large group of people can be difficult. Especially if the group is spread across several cities and countries. In this article, we’ll analyze different virtual meeting platforms so you can choose the best option for your business.