Online Learning and Understanding Bandwidth

As students, faculty, and staff increasingly use applications that are resource intensive (e.g., Zoom, Blackboard), they may encounter a variety of frustrating performance issues. In many cases, the causes of performance issues are often on the user side, making it very problematic for our team to diagnose and resolve them. Now that UHCL has Blackboard, Collaborate, and Zoom running from off site, in the cloud, the application vendors monitor system performance and automatically adjust when they see problems and to accommodate increased use. Because those systems should now always be operating at optimal performance speeds, we try to assist users reporting performance problems in diagnosing and resolving potential causes on their devices, home networks, and with their internet service providers (ISPs). One buzzword that invariably arises in these efforts is "bandwidth." In this article, we'll explain bandwidth and offer suggestions that may improve performance.

At a very simplistic level, bandwidth refers to how much information can be transmitted at any one time over an internet connection. Generally speaking, the greater the bandwidth of your internet connection, the faster that information can be moved to and from your device. As Fisher (2020) indicates in his article, bandwidth may be visualized as being analogous to your home water supply. When only one member of the household is using the water, the flow should be steady and strong. Each additional user (or device, in the case of internet use) draws off some of the incoming water, making the flow weaker for everyone in the house. Thus, "assuming the water pipe to a home (the bandwidth) remains the same size, as the home's faucets and showers are turned on (data downloads to the devices), the water pressure at each point (the perceived "speed" at each device) will reduce—again, because there's only so much water (bandwidth) available to the home (your network)." Fisher's article provides additional excellent images and information to better explain bandwidth and how to ensure that you have sufficient bandwidth for your internet needs, such as web conferencing and Blackboard. We have extracted the following tips and recommendations from several online resources, all of which are referenced at the end of this blog post:

• Check your Internet bandwidth using an online speed test, such as http://www.speedtest.net. Such speed tests can vary in accuracy, but they should provide you with a fair representation of your current download and upload speeds. Although some sources cite 2Mbps as the minimum upload and download speed needed for online teaching and learning, web conferencing applications and online testing function with fewer technical issues at speeds of 5Mbps and higher.
• If possible, plug your computer directly into your router to maximize performance, or move your device as near to the router as possible.
• You may also want to consider upgrading to a new router and/or adding a wifi extender to improve your wifi signal strength.
• When using resource-intensive applications, such as Blackboard, Zoom, and Collaborate, users should shut off all other applications and background processes so that their devices are functioning at peak efficiency.
• Consider how many other people and devices share your internet with you and, for critical online meetings, tests, and similar activities, ask others to limit their video and music streaming, online gaming, and other internet activity during your work.
• During web meetings, organizers/hosts should try to limit the number of simultaneous open microphones and cameras as much as possible, ensuring that participants leave their mics OFF until called upon to share with the group. Have users switch on their cameras only when necessary, as multiple cameras that are on at once can greatly increase how much data is being uploaded/downloaded.

We encourage you to review the references listed below for additional information, tips, and recommendations to improve your online teaching and learning experience!

References

Blackboard, Inc. (2019, July 26). Collaborate Ultra Experience - Best Practices for Application Sharing. Retrieved from https://blackboard.secure.force.com/publickbarticleview?id=kA739000000028q

Fisher, T. (2020, February 26). What is bandwidth? Lifewire. Retrieved from https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-bandwidth-2625809

University of Southern California (2020). WiFi and mobile hotspot tips. Keep Teaching. Retrieved from https://keepteaching.usc.edu/tools/wifi-and-mobile-hotspot-tips/

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (2020, May 7). How to manage slower internet and low bandwidth. Retrieved from https://kb.uwlax.edu/page.php?id=99645

Wieck, L. P. (2020, March 9). An euitable transition to online learning - Flexibility, low bandwidth, cell phones, and more. Pedagogy Playground: Innovative Teaching in Higher Ed. Retrieved from https://pedagogyplayground.com/inclusive-pedagogy/an-equitable-transition-to-online-learning-flexibility-low-bandwidth-cell-phones-and-more/

First Look: Echo360 and Lecture Capture

What is Echo360?

Echo360 is a robust video creation and video management system that will enable faculty to create and post to Blackboard lecture videos, record and live stream face-to-face class meetings, and incorporate student interactivity within presentations. With Echo360, faculty will be able to create their own instructional videos or video lectures from their campus or personal computers or from within the classroom. Sessions can also be live streamed while being recorded, which would enable faculty teaching face-to-face to live stream and record their in-class lectures from within UHCL classrooms. Echo360 enables the recording and live streaming of two simultaneous video channels, meaning that instructors will be able to use/display information from the computer workstation, document camera, and/or the camera on the computer or in the back of the classroom.

We will begin offering informational/preview sessions about Echo360 to faculty in the first week of July. In the meantime, feel free to visit the following links to learn more about Echo360 and to begin thinking about how you may want to use it this fall:

• Recording and Streaming
• Video Management
• Video Learning and Engagement
• Analytics

UCT is currently working to ensure that all UHCL classrooms are equipped to include both cameras and microphones to support capture and streaming. However, none of the cameras will follow the instructor as they move away from the instructor workstation. Initially, some classrooms will have a back-of-room camera that will provide a view of the front of the classroom, but they will not track faculty movement or zoom in on the white board. Some classrooms will be limited to using only the built in camera on the computer or monitor itself. As UCT acquires Echo360 and the hardware needed for the classrooms, we will provide more information about how each classroom is equipped.

Will there be training for Echo360?

Absolutely! Once the purchase of Echo360 is finalized, the Instructional Design and Technology team will begin offering training sessions as soon as we can get it installed and ready for use. Those instructors who are interested in pre-recording lecture videos before Echo360 is available can already work with a member of the instructional design team to learn how to leverage Zoom, Collaborate, or PowerPoint for doing so. Videos created in these, or other, tools can be deployed to Blackboard via Echo360 once it is available, so faculty would not need to recreate any MP4s created prior to Echo360.