TU Subscription Based Engagement Tools

Explore this interactive to uncover strategies for integrating these tools into your instruction, or reach out to FACET@towson.edu for a personalized consultation.

TU Tool Purpose
Forms
  • Provides both real-time and asynchronous alternatives for users. 

  • Useful tool for data collection, surveys, polls, and assessments. 

  • Seamlessly integrates with PowerPoint, providing educators with a dynamic tool for creating interactive and engaging lecture experiences. 

  • Incorporates branched questioning options, enabling tailored learning paths for personalized education and gamification. 

Microsoft Whiteboard
  • Provides both real-time and asynchronous alternatives for users. 

  • Useful tool for creating visually organized boards which include elements such as freehand drawings, sticky notes, text, shapes, images, and media. 

  • Allows users to brainstorm and collaboratively structure ideas in a visually appealing and organized manner. 

PowerPoint Online
  • Provides both real-time and asynchronous alternatives for users. 

  • Allows multiple users to edit the same presentation simultaneously. 

  • Useful tool for collaborative brainstorming and visual ideation. 

  • Users can also leave comments and create tasks, allowing for efficient co-authoring. 

  • Offers the capability to create screencast recordings, empowering users to capture and share presentations as a video. 

  • PowerPoint seamlessly integrates with Blackboard, facilitating easy embedding and granting permissions for collaborative editing with students 

Stream
  • Microsoft’s video hosting platform integrated into TU's M365/SharePoint environment. 

  • Includes versatile content creation tools, enabling users to easily record their screen and produce webcam videos (15 minute limit). 

  • Offers video enhancement tools such as inking, stickers, music, text overlays, background adjustments, and the seamless integration of multiple clips, facilitating dynamic and engaging video presentations. 

  • Offers mobile recording capabilities, enabling users to create videos on the go using their smartphones or tablets.  

  • Includes captions and ability to download a transcript. 

Panopto
  • Towson’s preferred video hosting platform. 

  • Fosters engagement through interactive features, including quiz functionality, note-taking capabilities, and interactive discussion comments. 

  • Offers mobile recording capabilities, enabling users to create videos on the go using their smartphones or tablets.  

  • Includes captions and ability to download transcript. 

  • Seamlessly integrates with Blackboard. 

Sway
  • Useful tool for constructing interactive webpages. 

  • Ideal for crafting engaging presentations, newsletters, portfolios, tutorials, and storytelling. 

  • Offers ability to embed multimedia elements such as images, videos, and audio clips to capture and maintain audience attention. 

  • Seamlessly integrates with other M365 apps, including Forms to gather audience feedback, opinions, and responses. 

  • Includes option to enable real-time collaboration and co-authoring capabilities, allowing multiple users to work together on the same presentation simultaneously. 

VoiceThread
  • An asynchronous presentation and discussion tool. 

  • Useful tool for facilitating asynchronous discussions where participants can comment, ask questions, and respond to prompts at their own pace. 

  • Engages participants by incorporating various multimedia elements such as images, videos, and audio recordings. 

  • Serves as a collaborative platform for building presentations, fostering teamwork. 

  • Seamlessly integrates with Blackboard, including gradebook functionality. 

Slido
  • Facilitates increased interaction during presentations, and meetings through polling, and quizzes in real-time. 

  • Offers gamification through a quiz feature, including leaderboard view. 

  • Add-ins available for PowerPoint and Webex

  • Offers presenters data and insights into audience preferences, opinions, and engagement levels through analytics and reporting features. 

Word Online
  • Provides both real-time and asynchronous alternatives for users. 

  • Multiple users can work on the same document simultaneously, and changes are synced in real-time. 

  • Users can also track changes, leave comments, allowing for efficient co-authoring. 

  • Word seamlessly integrates with Blackboard, facilitating easy embedding and granting permissions for collaborative editing with students