4 Best Video-Conferencing Plugins for Moodle 2020

Kiran

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Yes, it’s been kinda rough for some learners amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Sad but true!

But let’s all be positive.. We’re all in the same boat

The only way to resolve this is to reshape education approaches! So, this is your chance to make the most of Moodle and put innovative e-learning solutions in practice. 

One of them being video-conferencing based learning.

Have you explored this method yet?  Yes? wise step!

No? We will help you 🙂

How video-conferencing can help at the moment?

Video-conferencing is a great way to connect with your Moodle audience live and in-person. No barriers at all! 

So, right now, apart from being cheap and convenient, it is a lot safer and the most effective too.

Video-conferencing gives you the option to:

• Conduct flipped classrooms wherein students could watch the recorded video sessions as per their own schedule – helps with improving exposure and learning-on-the-go
• Create virtual field trips in order to bring the world to the classrooms – no physical tour or extra expenses to incur
• Have real-time, face-to-face discussions or review sessions with teachers, instructors and subject matter experts – enhances clarity 
• Implement collaborative as well as blended learning – provides flexibility
• Allows for Self-paced learning and remote-based problem-solving – No  learning barriers 

All you need is a decent internet connection and you’re good to go!

So, all in hopes of easing this transition – We have some of the best video-conferencing plugins for Moodle, listed out for you!

Best Video Conferencing plugins for Moodle

#1 Zoom

Zoom is one of the most cost-effective and feature-rich plugins for Moodle. It is quick and easy to use with a great interface. With Zoom, you can be at two different meetings simultaneously. 

Zoom Rooms is another important feature to look out for. This is to facilitate discussions in smaller groups before taking it up with a large number of people via video conferencing.

Key features:

• High-quality audio and video calling – no buffering and automatic adjustment
• Record and review option for calls for future reference
• Easy screen sharing with 2-way annotation for more interaction
• Breakout Room for specific instructions to a select group of students
• Waiting room feature for overlapping meetings
• Improvement of call quality from admin dashboard itself

Pros:

• Free version is enough for smaller companies and educational institutions
• Effortless event scheduling
• Easy conference calls with 10+ parties
• Supports 100 attendees at a time, 25 on each screen
• Can easily stream meetings/webinars to Facebook
• User friendly interface

Cons:

• Paid version too expensive
• Inconsistencies in mobile and desktop versions, low-end devices
• Security issues reported (Zoom bombing)
• Works well only with high-speed internet
• Inappropriate behaviour/comments on chat can’t be moderated/deleted

 Pricing:

#2 Adobe Connect

Adobe Connect is a robust virtual training tool apt for video-conferencing and collaborative learning on Moodle. It provides integration of an external conference line in addition to VOIP. 

Moreover, it supports uninterrupted access to add-ons like clocks, timers, interactive word clouds, random participant selectors, etc. Therefore, it is an ideal option for meetings and creating webinars. However, it could be a little on the expensive side but great on the learner engagement front.

Key features:

• Supreme recording functionality with the feature to put markers on recordings
• Send recorded webinars link to those who could not attend the webinar 
• Off-loading ‘of recordings in case you want to host it somewhere else
• Provides flexibility to organize different types of meetings
• Live Polls and easy sharing of videos and handouts

Pros:

• Supports whiteboard feature for easy creation of a collaborative environment
• Highly customizable – personalize multiple virtual classrooms with specific branding
• Reusable room layouts with appropriate pod and content 
• Pod types supported – surveys, file shares, Q&A, whiteboard, etc.
• Supports screen sharing in multiple ways

Cons:

• Higher licensing costs relatively
• Not as user friendly as its alternatives
• Can get a little glitchy sometimes
• No virtual background option
• Audio/mic troubleshooting issues

Pricing:

#3 BigBlueButton 

BigBlueButton is the most popular of all the Moodle-based videoconferencing plugins. It is open-source video-conferencing software, great for Moodlers on budget. It is a good plugin to start out with. For teachers and instructors, a little technical understanding of Java and Flash may be required as some BigBlueButton elements use them. 

Key features:

• BigBlueButton activity can be integrated into Moodle courses
• Whiteboard feature to highlight important things (whiteboard-style presentations) 
• Supports screen sharing and use of microphones or webcam interchangeably
• Recording sessions and storing them online

*It is an open-source software

Pros:

• Broadcasting classes on Moodle to be watched/rewatched in person or from home 
• Breakout rooms wherein you can listen without entering the room
• On Windows, it allows for sharing a specific region of your desktop and placing the window within that region. However, you can’t choose a specific window

Cons:

• Not very customizable
• Setup issues reported
• A few technical difficulties and no noise cancellation
• The break-out room is limited to 10 groups only
• Videos can freeze or distort occasionally

#4 BigMarker

BigMarker is a cloud-based webinar tool. It is the first plugin that can integrate Twitter chat into a webinar. It has an extensive library of webinars for learners with recorded webinars of experts and thought leaders

Key features:

• Supports HD audio, video, screen sharing, recording, and video-conferencing
• Allows for promoting and monetizing your content/webinars, building a community
• Intuitive interface with a prompt feature to start recording webinars in case you forget
• Easy to use with support for multiple integrations
• Suitable for training and internal communications

Pros:

• Can add up to 1000 attendees to a webinar
• Multiple integrations supported
• Easy to use

Cons:

• No option to stream webinars to social media platforms
• Clunky backend
• Costly to improve scalability

Pricing:

All things Considered

It’s best not to lose hope. Learning should not stop, come what may!  So, we encourage you to continue imparting top-quality online education with the plugins mentioned above. 

Video-conferencing is convenient, effective and good for people on a budget. Not to forget, it’s even more engaging than textual content.

Let’s remind ourselves that in the midst of a pandemic, adaptability matters. So, we need to embrace the idea of learning anywhere-anytime to make sure learning goes on seamlessly. There are many inspiring examples across the globe and you as educators might want to follow suit. 

Keep learning and innovating  🙂

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.