FAQ

Which digital environments should I use to conduct e-learning?

We recommend using TalTech Moodle in combination with Microsoft Teams. Both environments are accessible for the faculty and students of the university with Uni-ID. MS Teams enables conducting video lectures by sharing a slide show or the screen of your device with the audience. The platform also has a chat function between all parties. In Moodle courses, we recommend adding a link or code for the students, i.e. an invitation to join the right group in MS Teams.

Can I use environments other than Moodle and Teams?

Yes, if the situation requires it, but please note that it is much easier for students to get used to e-learning if teachers use the same environments that can be accessed with Uni-ID and that do not require the creation of additional accounts.

I have never used Moodle before, what should I do?

You should start by requesting that a course page is opened for your subject. Please see the ‘How to get a Moodle course page’ section in the FAQ. To learn how to use Moodle, we recommend you familiarise yourself with the resources offered by the Moodle Basics course and the Moodle tutorials on YouTube.

How to get a Moodle course page?

To get a new Moodle course, please use the MOIS integration in Moodle.

In special cases, when it is not possible to create the subject-teacher pairs at the institute, send a request for a new course to moodle@taltech.ee, containing the following information:

• Course code, title, language

• Name of the lecturer(s)

• Institute

For students to join the course, you must provide them with a link to the course and a self-enrolment key which we will send you by e-mail after we have created a page for your course. 

Where should I start if I have never used MS Teams?

Start experimenting! Go to teams.microsoft.com/start, log in with Uni-ID, and create your first group. Invite your friends and colleagues to join your video call to test the solution.

There are two main ways to stream live in Teams: Meetings and Live events.

You can access both by pressing Calendar in the left menu and then selecting Schedule Meeting or Live Event from the top right menu. It is wise to use Meeting if your stream will have a small number of participants, e.g. if you are planning to hold a seminar where it is important that all participants can share their video and audio. Use the Live event to broadcast your lecture to a larger audience online. Then, share the link to the event with your audience, e.g. at a Moodle course. You can record both Meetings and Live events and later share a link to the video.

How can I invite students to MS Teams?

Here are some tutorials to show you how to create a Microsoft Teams account, how to create a link to Microsoft Teams for Moodle, and how to invite students to your Microsoft Teams group. 

Can Linux users also use Moodle and MS Teams? 

Yes. Read more at https://bit.ly/2J4X2HH

More suggestions for Linux users

In general, Linux works well with:

• Jitsi Meet - https://jitsi.org/jitsi-meet/ - also on IT College server - https://meet.itcollege.ee/

• Google Hangouts - https://hangouts.google.com/

They are easy and convenient to use and do not require any special setup and are easy to share with participants.

For screen capture:

• SimpleScreenRecorder - https://www.maartenbaert.be/simplescreenrecorder/

• more choices - https://alternativeto.net/list/1088/screen-recorders-linux-

OBS Studio - Too complicated and has no pause and resume options - you must stop and make a new recording. It's the same with YouTube Live - it was once as easy as Google Hangouts and also used Hangouts software, but now it's more professional and uses rtmp: //

What options are available for communicating with students?

We recommend interacting with students through MS Teams; Moodle Forum and Moodle Chat are also good options. Naturally, e-mail communication is also an option, but it could be difficult if there are many students.

What options are available for communicating with other lecturers?

We have created a Teams group for lecturers called ‘Example course in Teams for TalTech lecturers’ to share e-learning experiences. You can join the group here https://bit.ly/3aZView

What should I do if I am unable to conduct video lectures on my own?

Lectures can be recorded and broadcast live on campus. To find an appropriate room available at a suitable time, please contact the multimedia specialists at the Educational Technology Centre.

Joonas Kokamägi joonas.kokamagi@taltech.ee, tel 620 3609

We will provide technical support for the first recording. Recording and streaming on the premises of the university also provide better options for capturing what is written on a blackboard and displaying documents with a document camera.

Where can I find information on remote working? (use of e-mail, file storage, VPN connection, etc.) 

More information and suggestions for remote working at TalTech can be found on IT Helpdesk site

Whom should I contact if I have any questions?

Please contact the IT Helpdesk for any technical issues you may encounter when using Teams or Moodle. If you need help with carrying out teaching assignments in MS Teams or Moodle, contact the Educational Technology Centre.