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/
