Communication & Collaboration
💬 Let's Interact!
These tools help faculty and students connect, collaborate, and share ideas. Use them to create interactive discussions, virtual teamwork, or real-time class engagement. 🟢 Indicates a free version available.
💬Zoom
Purpose: Real-time video meetings and virtual office hours.
Best for: Synchronous lectures, guest speakers, and group projects.
Pro Tip: Record sessions to the cloud for students who miss class. If you have connected your Zoom meetings to Echo the link to the video will automatically be added to your Echo Course list of videos in Moodle
Access: 🟢Available via institutional license
💬Padlet
Purpose: Collaborative digital bulletin boards for sharing ideas, images, and links.
Best for: Brainstorming, peer feedback, reflection activities.
Pro Tip: Use “Shelf” layout for organizing posts by week or topic.
Integration: 🟢 Embed Padlet boards directly in Moodle using an iframe or link.
💬Mira Whiteboard
Purpose: Online whiteboard and visual collaboration tool.
Best for: Group brainstorming, mind mapping, and planning activities. Annotate, draw, and record voice and screen to create video tutorials or interactive lessons.
Pro Tip: Use templates for concept mapping or workflow design during live sessions or dynamic video lessons, explaining complex concepts, and providing detailed, personalized feedback with audio and visual cues..
🧰 Similar Tools: Explain Everything; Whiteboard.fi (by Kahoot!
💡 Faculty Tips
- Blend synchronous and asynchronous tools for flexibility — for example, use Zoom for live sessions and Padlet for follow-up reflection.
- Include clear expectations for tool use in your syllabus (e.g., when students should check Teams messages).
- Always test accessibility and mobile usability before requiring a tool for coursework.