Tools and technology

Technological innovations continue to play an increasingly important role in the education sector with the aim of improving teaching quality and facilitating learning processes. Modern video and audio technology can convey information and ideas in an appealing and impactful manner and can help to create effective collaborative teaching and learning environments.

Educational technology now comes in a wide variety of forms. Microsoft Teams is a platform for collaborative working that can be used to coordinate teaching and learning activities and facilitate communication. Many lecture theatres, classrooms and seminar rooms are now equipped with video conferencing systems that can be used for hybrid teaching events.

In recent years, the learning management system Moodle has established itself at Saarland University as the central platform for sharing and distributing teaching materials.

Technologie

MS Teams

Microsoft's MS Teams app is a chat-based, university-wide workspace that has has been available to all students and staff at Saarland University since 2020. It is a collaborative platform that combines chat, file sharing, telephone and video conferencing functionalities. The university's Teaching and Learning Centre (ZeLL) has a Moodle self-study course on Using MS Teams. Each semester, the university offers an 'Introduction to LSF, Moodle and MS Teams' as part of its onboarding initiatives for new students and new members of teaching staff.

Moodle

Moodle is an open-source learning management system that can be used free of charge by teaching staff at Saarland University. Moodle is an excellent tool for designing and managing asynchronous learning activities and for providing students with accompanying resources. In addition to allowing students to access documents, problem sheets and lecture notes, instructors can design learning units for independent study as well as interactive assignments.

Further information about the various Moodle tools available can be found in the Moodle wikis for students and for instructors.

The following how-to guides were developed together with students to help students make effective use of the available educational technology tools:

Using video conferencing systems for digital teaching

Many of the lecture theatres and seminar rooms at Saarland University are now equipped with modern video conferencing technology. These spaces can be used for hybrid teaching activities or for recording and/or streaming lectures or presentations. Hybrid learning activities are those which enable some students to be present in-person while others participate remotely by joining the activity online. For more information on planning and implementing hybrid teaching events, please go to our Blended learning web page. A list of rooms equipped with video conferencing systems is available on the LSF campus management system.

To learn more about effective hybrid teaching techniques, take a look at our how-to guides:

The Microsoft applications available at Saarland University can also help to drive digital accessibility. The following how-to guide shows you how Microsoft 365 apps can be used to improve inclusivity and equity by creating accessible documents and teaching materials.

By joining the team Digitale Lehre UdS ('Digital Teaching – Saarland University') in Microsoft Teams, you'll be able to access additional information on digital teaching and have the opportunity to discuss digital methodologies with other members of the university's teaching staff.

If you have questions or need support in using the video conferencing technology, please contact Saarland University's Conference Support Group by email at:

Mail: KonferenzHilfe[at]uni-saarland.de
Tel.: Tel. +49 (0) 681/ 302-3333 
MS Teams: UdSKonferenzhilfe

Using videos and podcasts in teaching

Moodle, MS Teams and the video sharing platform MS Stream all enable you to incorporate videos and podcasts into your teaching. You can use videos and podcasts...

  • to digitize the modules and courses you teach
  • to design the pre-class phase of flipped classroom instruction
  • to promote cognitive activation or as part of an assignment during the synchronous in-class phase
  • as complementary accompanying resources.

Given the numerous ways in which videos and podcasts can be created and used in teaching, you should first consider how and why you want to use these media in your classes and then decide on the most suitable format.

Using videos in teaching

If you would like to learn more about using videos in your teaching, join the team Digitale Lehre UdS ('Digital Teaching – Saarland University') in Microsoft Teams, where you will be able to access a number of useful how-to guides:

Creating videos for teaching

Detailed guidance on how to create different types of videos for teaching is available in the following how-to guides:

Using podcasts in teaching

Further links

Like to learn more about how to use innovative educational technologies effectively in your teaching activities? Take a look at these resources:

Project: E-learning at Saarland University

Your contacts

Dr. Sebastian Höfner

Educational Technologist
Geb. C5.5 Raum 0.03 
Tel.: 0681 302-4535 
sebastian.hoefner@uni-saarland.de 

 

Yue Zhao (M.Sc. Educational Technology)

Teaching Coach
Geb. A4 2, Zi. 2.15
Tel.: 0681 302-70430
yue.zhao(at)uni-saarland.de