Knowledgebase: Online Lectures
Online Lecture Tool Comparison

Article Last Updated June 2021

The University Covid Response Team is recommending that instructors who are new to delivering lectures online use either Zoom or Google Meet for any synchronous sessions they require. Update January 2021: Adobe Connect (eClassLive) has been decommissioned as of January 3rd 2021. 

The table below summarizes the capabilities and functionality of Zoom and Google Meet:

 

Feature/Function

Zoom

Google Meet

Room Capacity

300

100 (as of October 1st, 2020)

Lecture Capture

Yes

(can share to cloud or save to your computer)

No 

(as of October 1st, 2020)

Screen Share

Yes

Yes

Participant Video

Yes

Yes

Powerpoint Upload

No

No

Breakout Rooms

Yes

No

Built into eClass

Yes

No (but all students have access through @ualberta.ca account)

Whiteboard

Yes

No

Polling

Yes (simple)

No

Built-in Student Interaction (eg. raising hand, thumbs up, etc.)

Yes (simple)

No

Classroom management Tools (mute student microphones, sort students into groups)

Yes

No

Mobile Device Access

Yes

Yes

Chat

Yes

Yes

Live Captions

Yes, if you set them up

Yes

 

Notes:

- the Zoom licenses are renewed annually every March; 

- If you are instructing a class of more than 100 students there are important Google Meet changes to be aware of: Google announced that access to Meet premium features (e.g. hosting meetings up to 250 people and recording meetings to Google Drive) would be available temporarily to all G Suite and G Suite for Education customers. Beginning October 1, access to these premium features will expire for all UAlberta G Suite accounts. 

Zoom is now the recommended online lecture tool for classes of more than 100 students. 

 

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