Collaboration Tools

All Tools supporting collaborational teamwork.

Padlet

Brief Description:

Padlet is an Internet site that allows you to collaborate with other users with text, photos, links and other content. Each collaborative space is called a “wall”. It can also be used as a private bulletin board. Teachers and companies use Padlet to encourage creative multi-media conversations and brainstorming.

Specifications:

Target group
Small- to mid-sized teams
Functionalities
  • Almost every file type supportet
  • Easy invitation of users (no subscription needed)
  • Easy to use
Formats iOS, Android, Web-based, Browserextension
Requirements Internet
License / Cost
Free to use with reduced functionalities, paid subscriptions for full functionality
Link to Tool Padlet

Example of application:

Create a short profile board for events and add new members.

Padlet_Screenshot_6.png

We created a template with some white space for basic informations. By hovering over the element with your curser you can select more options and copy the post.

Padlet_Screenshot_4.png                 Padlet_Screenshot_3.png  

Copy the template to the padlet itself and select a column to create the template within a particular category. After this, you can edit the post by either hovering over and select "Edit post" or via double left click into the element.

Padlet_Screenshot_2.png         Padlet_Screenshot_5.png          Padlet_Screenshot_1.png

Additional format/references:

Padlet YouTube Channel

Miro

Brief Description:

Collaborative Whiteboard plattform, which can be used for interactive online classes. Provides a lot of templates for e.g. Mind Maps, Kanban and Flowcharts. Ideal for meetings, brainstorming and strategy planning in an online format.

Specifications:

Target group
Small Teams
Functionalities
  • Simultaneously working on charts
  • Video chat
  • Presentations and screen sharing
  • Commenting
  • Integration with third partie apps (e.g. Slack, Teams)
Formats iOS, Android, Mac, Windows
Requirements Internet
License / Cost
Free tier with limited possibilities; Educational Account, Paid subscription
Link to Tool Miro

Example of application:

 

Source: Miro

Additional format/references:

Miro academy

MURAL

Brief Description:

Mural features make visual collaboration creative, engaging and productive. Guide collaboration to supercharge your meetings and workshops. Save time with 200+ ready-to-use templates for common use cases and proven methods.

Mural is great for E-Coaching. It allows to manage access on different levels (workspace, open rooms, private rooms and murals) so the coach (as an active member of the workspace) can invite coachees (as registered guests) to a coaching room or to an individual mural. In addition, not registered guests can be invited without registration to collaborate or view a specific mural. More on roles in Mural can be found here. More on workspace, room and murals can be found here.

Basically, Mural can be used to facilitate groupwork that usually takes place in a class room using post-its on a canvas e.g. for the development of a business model canvas in a group. The digital notes can be moved and adjusted by any member of the group.

Specifications:

Target group
Small teams
Functionalities
  • Access management (open or private rooms and murals)
  • Collaborative work on a digital canvas
  • Insert/upload forms, images and GIFs from its internal gallery or importing them from the computer
  • Export the collaborative work in PDF, JPG and other formats
  • Video and text chat
  • Commenting
  • Facilitators can emphasize important findings by using the celebrate function
  • Easily shared enviroment
  • File Storage
  • Project Management
  • Votings
  • Timer
  • Defining areas and giving instructions in an outline
  • Creating share links with view or collaboration rights
Formats iOS, Android machOS, Windows, Web
Requirements Internet
License / Cost
Paid subscription for workspace and active members, 50% educational discount possible
Link to Tool

Mural

Limitation
  • Quite complex user and access management
  • Wide range of functions requires time for introduction to new users
  • Collaboration as a guest requires registration of users in Mural (this does not apply for collaboration through the share link)

Example of application:

Additional format/references:

Learning Mural

Mentimeter

Brief Description

Interact with your audience using real-time voting. No installations or downloads are required - and it's free! It's a tool that allows creating more interactive and engaging sessions. One can create interactive presentations, live polling, word clouds, quizzes, and others to create a more impactful presentation. It is suitable for all types of education and business meetings.

Specifications:

Target group
Larger groups of students or workshop participants
Functionalities
  • Feedback
  • Votings
  • Brainstorming
  • Q&A
  • Reporting via pdf or excel
Formats
Web, Mobile App
Requirements
Internet
License / Cost
limited free, educational account
Limitations
 
Link to Tool
https://www.mentimeter.com

Example of application:

Additional format/references:

image-1645196787365.png

image-1645196886288.png

Help Center and additional resources

CANVAS

Brief Description:

Canvas connects instructors and students and is used to monitor grades, manage active enrollments and assignment submissions, share course documents, facilitate message correspondence between students and instructors and contain course and institutional syllabus information for all to access. 

Specifications:

Target group

Canvas includes the following six standard user roles: Admin, Instructional Designers, Students, and Observers.

  • Participants (ideal): 10-1500 per course
Objectives
  • Allow institutions to manage digital learning, educators to create and present online learning materials and assess student learning
  • Allow students to engage in courses and receive feedback about skill development and learning achievement
Formats  
Requirements

  Technical Requirements:

  • Supported Browsers:
    • Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari

  Computer Specifications:

  • Screen Size
    • A minimum of 1024x600. That is the average size of a netbook.

  • Operating Systems
    • Windows XP SP3 and newer
    • Mac OSX 10.6 and newer
    • Linux - chromeOS

  • Mobile OS Native App Support
    • iOS 5 and newer
    • Android 2.3 and newer versions

  • Internet Speed
    • Along with compatibility and web standards, Canvas has been carefully crafted to accommodate low bandwidth environments
    • Minimum of 512k
License / Cost
Several different license models
Link to Tool

Instructure Canvas

 

Additional format/references:

John, R. (2021). Canvas LMS course design. Packt Publishing Ltd.

Fernández, A. R., González, F. S., Merino, P. J. M., & Kloos, C. D. (2017). A Data Collection Experience with Canvas LMS as a Learning Platform. In LASI-SPAIN (pp. 109-123).

https://www.instructure.com/canvas/en-gb/resources/e-books

https://www.instructure.com/canvas/en-gb/resources

Canvas LMS YouTube Channel

 

MOODLE

Brief Description:

Moodle™ delivers a powerful set of learner-centric tools and collaborative learning environments, that empower both teaching and learning. Moodle™ is web-based and features a mobile-compatible interface, making it accessible from anywhere in the world across different web browsers or devices.

Specifications:

Target group

Educators and trainers in schools, universities, and workplaces.

  • Participants:
    • 2000 +
    • Ideal: 100-200 per course
Objective To provide educators, administrators, and learners with an open, robust, secure and free platform to create and deliver personalized learning environments.
Formats  
Requirements

Technical Requirements

Installing Moodle on the on-premises server requires a web server with PHP and a database system. Alternatively, you can also install Moodle on your personal computer with a Moodle installer package, based on your operating system, that provides everything required to run the software, including Apache, MySQL, and PHP. The installer packages are available for both Mac and Windows systems.

  

Supported Browsers:

  • Supported by most of the standard-compliant internet browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge

Computer Specifications

  • A minimum of 200 MB of disk space plus as much as needed to store the files. The minimum memory space requirement for Moodle is, thus suggested, 5 GB.

  • Computer must at least have a 1 GHz processor. However, a 2 GHz dual-core or faster processor is recommended.

  • A minimum of 512 MB of RAM, while 1 GB or more of RAM is recommended on a       computer and 8 GB or more of RAM on a large production server.

Server Requirements

  • It is recommended to download and install the latest versions of the software and operating systems, while the minimum requirements are Moodle 3.5 or later versions, PHP 7.2.0 for up to Moodle 3.8, and PHP 7.3.x and 7.4.x for Moodle 3.8 onwards.

Database Requirements

  • Moodle will need one of the PostgreSQL 9.6, MySQL 5.7, MariaDB 10.2.29, Microsoft SQL Server 2012, and Oracle Database 11.2 or the latest stable version of them. While Moodle supports all these database servers, it is recommended to upgrade your software to the latest version before installation.
License / Cost
Several different license models
Link to Tool

Moodle - Open-source learning platform | Moodle.org

Additional format/references:

Melton, J. (2006). The LMS Moodle: A usability evaluation. Languages Issues11(12), 1.

Simanullang, N. H. S., & Rajagukguk, J. (2020, February). Learning Management System (LMS) Based On Moodle To Improve Students Learning Activity. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1462, No. 1, p. 012067). IOP Publishing.

Zabolotniaia, M., Cheng, Z., Dorozhkin, E., & Lyzhin, A. (2020). Use of the LMS Moodle for an effective implementation of an innovative policy in higher educational institutions. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET)15(13), 172-189.

Kerimbayev, N., Nurym, N., Akramova, А., & Abdykarimova, S. (2020). Virtual educational environment: interactive communication using LMS Moodle. Education and Information Technologies25(3), 1965-1982.

Using Moodle to Create Online Courses: A Comprehensive Tutorial for the Faculty - Part 1 of 2 - YouTube

Conceptboard

Brief Description:

Conceptboard is a collaborative Whiteboard platform, which can be used for interactive online classes. It provides a lot of templates for e.g. Mind Maps and Flowcharts. Ideal for meetings, brainstorming and strategy planning in an online format.

Conceptboard makes visual collaboration creative, engaging and productive. Conceptboard is also great for E-Coaching. It allows to manage access on different levels, so the coach (as an active member of the workspace) can invite coachees (as registered guests) to a coaching room or to an individual board. In addition, also not registered guests can be invited (without registration) to collaborate or view a specific board.

Basically, Conceptboard can be used to facilitate groupwork that usually takes place in a class room using post-its on a canvas e.g. for the development of ideas to a specific theme. The digital notes can be moved and adjusted by any member of the group.

Specifications:

Target group
Teams of every size - small, medium or large are possible
Functionalities
  • Simultaneously working on boards or charts
  • Collaborative work on a digital whiteboards
  • Insert/upload jpg, pdfs or videos
  • Commenting function
  • Integrated audio- or video conference function
  • Screensharing function
  • Easily shareable enviroment
  • Creating share links with view or collaboration rights
  • Participants don't necessarily need an account to join in the collaboration
  • GDPR-compliant, hosting under german jurisdiction
Formats Access possible via Desktop PC, Tablet or mobile phone
Requirements Internet
License / Cost
  • Free use of the platform (unlimited number of editable boards, limitation of max. 100 objects per board)
  • different paid subscription options for unlimited amount of objects per board and additional functions
Link to Tool

Conceptboard

Limitation
  • Limitation of objects per board in the free version
  • Wide range of functions requires time for introduction to new users

Example of application:

Additional format/references:

Learn more about Conceptboard