Tools and suggestions for HMEIs during the COVID-19 emergency

E-Learning

Video conferencing systems (for synchronous lessons/lectures/seminars)

There are several tools that provide videoconferencing services. They are quite similar to each other but sometimes they have some peculiar features that might be helpful for you. Check out in the list below these tools and the related user guides.

	Zoom Content sharing, digital live whiteboard, Learning Management Systems (LMS) integration, session recording and transcription and more. [Free with limited features, plans with additional features available from 13€/mo]	Using Zoom for online teaching – by RIAM
	Adobe Connect for education Immersive live classrooms, consistent and repeatable, LMS integration, engaging learning content. [Free 90 days access]
	Big Blue Button Content sharing, multi-user live whiteboard, breakout rooms, LMS integration. [Free]
	Whereby No downloads no logins for guests, up to 50 participants, recording, reactions. [Free for personal use; professional and teams features for $9,99/mo and $59.99/mo]
	Discord Communicate over voice, video, and text. [Free; pro plans available from $4.99/mo]

Tools for 1-1 Music tuition

Doozzoo
Videochat specifically designed for music teaching. Includes musical tools and an internal latency compensation system.
[Starting from 14,95 € per 5 students-package]

Zoom
Zoom has proven to be a valuable and simple tool for music distance learning.
See the guide produced by AEC members using it.

Guide for Dummies – How to do a distance lesson for music instrumental teaching [EN] [IT]

Other tools

	BandLab Virtual music classroom with musical tools [Free]
	SAR Research Catalogue Institutional/departmental secure portal which allows for communication among students, reviewers, administrators and offers the opportunity for the students to create recorded performance and video/audio documentation archive, for the supervisors to communicate with the students on their work, for the examiners to assess students’ presentations. [SAR members are eligible to apply to be portal partners. Additional costs are negotiated according to the needs of individual partners.]
	Microsoft Teams Collaborative classrooms , includes video conferencing system – Free for institutions [Free]
	Mentimeter Interactive presentation software. [Free with limited features, plans with additional features available from $9,99/mo]
	Panopto For recording video-lessons (asynchronous lessons). Video content management system, integrates with videoconferencing systems. [Contact them for pricing information]
	Newzik Professional sheet music toolbox [Free Premium access until 30 June]
	Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) Software for video recording and live streaming. Available for Windows, Mac or Linux. [Free]
	Edmodo Edmodo is a global education network that helps connect all learners with the people and resources needed to reach their full potential.	Distance learning toolkit

Assessment

When it comes to assessment, each institution is evaluating their situation and deciding how to proceed with exams and assessment sessions. There are different possibilities, for example:

for ensembles – changing from performance to being assessed on things such as creating press packs, researching and reflecting on their contribution to the ensemble;
postpone the exams to late summer. In this way, the students will not need to practice intensively in uncomfortable situation;
in some cases an option could be to assign an average grade based on final performance projects from previous years;
using the tools for ensembles and rehearsals to enable students to perform and be assessed.

Other suggestions on performance assessments can be found in this shared document by MusicHE to which everyone can contribute.