Web-Video Conferencing
Web-Video conferencing provides the ability to connect with an individual, small groups or hundreds of people around the world.
Supported Tools/ Potential Use: Smith College supports two options to meet these needs, Zoom and Google Meet.
Zoom - Is Smith's primary enterprise web-video conferencing solution.
Because of its flexibility and support for almost any platform, Zoom is used for one-on-one through large group meetings and webinars. You do not need to log in to participate in a Zoom conference. For hosting a conference all Smith students, faculty and staff have a zoom account.
Possible uses would include: guest lectures, instructors traveling but still wanting to hold class, multi-campus classes, academic projects, collaborative research, student projects, small group meetings, interviews, prospect meetings, standing meetings, ad-hoc meetings, webinars, large group meetings, conference calls and on-line education initiatives.
Google Meet (formerly know as Google Hangouts)
Google Meet can be used for one-on-one or small group web conferences run on your local computer.
Possible uses would include: collaborative research, student projects, small group meetings, Interviews, standing meetings, small ad-hoc meetings, where all participants have Google accounts.
Equipment Needs: Laptops will have both a microphone and camera built in. There are other options for the classroom or meeting spaces.
For each connection/participant your equipment needs will vary based on the number of people in your group.
One to 3 people:
- Your laptop with a built in camera and microphone
- Headset may improve audio quality
- Jabra mic/speaker can also be used for improved audio
Classes or meeting less than <20*
- Wide angle webcam on tripod
- Jabra mic/speaker can be used for improved audio
Classes or meeting greater than >20*
- In room installed camera
- HD web/video conferencing kit
Test your connection:
Test for:
- Can you hear the sound?
- Does your microphone pick you up?
- Are you well lit, with a good camera angle?
- We recommend plugging in power and ethernet.
Google Meet test site
* Equipment for a web-video conference can be requested with a two week notice via email to classhelp@smith.edu or purchased through the Computer Store.
