Video tool selection

To be able to effectively conduct online teaching activities, we make use of several video lecture tools, namely Kaltura Live Room, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams Live Events. We are aware that it can be confusing and difficult to choose the right video lecture tool that matches your educational needs and goals. That’s why we want to offer you some help with choosing the right tool for you.

The best tool for your situation

This table shows in which situation you could best use Kaltura Live Room, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Microsoft Teams Live Events, and Kaltura Capture. Remember that this is our advice, but always choose a videotool that you know best and that you feel comfortable with.

Tool

Best for

Kaltura Live Room

Synchronous teaching in a fixed online lecture room

Ideal for lectures and presentations. Teaching activities can be supported by a wide variety of interactive features such as breakout rooms, file sharing, chat, quiz, whiteboard, etc. You can share a link to the fixed location for all course activities in Brightspace.

Two room modes available. Standard Room (Virtual Classroom): 25 concurrent live users. Large Classroom (Webinar): 300 users, first 10 users automatically live.

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Microsoft Teams

Synchronous and asynchronous teaching and collaboration

Create a time-independent collaboration space for hosting interactive video calls, having text conversations, sharing documents, and collaborating on documents. It's fitting for courses that require dynamic and flexible interaction, small-group teaching, collaborative projects, one-on-one conversations, and oral exams. You can use Microsoft Teams stand-alone or via your Brightspace course.

Up to 300 participants (can be exceeded to 10.000 registered participants by using the Webinar feature).

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Zoom

Synchronous teaching

Plan and host educational meetings directly or from within Brightspace as an alternative for Kaltura Live Room and Microsoft Teams. Currently not to exchange confidential data.

Up to 300 participants (can be exceeded to 1000 upon requesting the ISSC Helpdesk).

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Microsoft Teams Live Events

Large events

Video tool for hosting large events with limited interaction (not for regular educational activities).

Up to 10.000 participants.

Go to manual >>

Kaltura Capture

(Pre)-recording lectures

Tool to (pre)-record your lectures that can be published on the video portal and in your Brightspace course.

Go to manual >>

Microsoft Teams Webinars

Schedule and manage webinar, interactive presentation

Part of Microsoft Teams, is a tool to schedule webinar events, manage attendee registration, run an interactive presentation

Up to 1000 participants can participate interactively and up to 10.000 participants that can only watch and listen

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Comparing live video tool features

The following overview shows the differences and similarities between Kaltura Live Room, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams Live Events when hosting live sessions.

General Kaltura Live Room Microsoft Teams Zoom Microsoft Teams Live Events Microsoft Teams webinars
Maximum group size Standard Room (Virtual Classroom): 25. Large Room (Webinar): 300 300 (max. 10.000 upon request) 300 (max. 1000 upon request) 10.000 1.000 interactively (max. 10.000)
Using a lobby / waiting room

Inviting external guests

Removing participants

Recording the session

Integration with Brightspace

Host multiple meetings simultaneously

Breakout rooms Kaltura Live Room Microsoft Teams Zoom Microsoft Teams Live Events
Using breakout rooms

Setting up breakout rooms in advance

*

-
Uploading documents in breakout rooms in advance

*

-
Maximum amount of breakout rooms 30 50 50 ** -
Interactivity Kaltura Live Room Microsoft Teams Zoom Microsoft Teams Live Events
Sharing your screen

Screen annotations

Sending documents

Collaborating in a document

Chat

Notes

Whiteboard

Quiz

Raising hand

Automated English captioning

Webcam Kaltura Live Room Microsoft Teams Zoom Microsoft Teams Live Events
Amount of participants you can see simultaneously 25 49 49 0
Participants can turn their webcam on/off

Participants can change their background

Privacy and data processing Kaltura Live Room Microsoft Teams Zoom Microsoft Teams Live Events
Data Processing Agreement (DPA) signed

Data and meta-data processing and storage Partly outside EU EU only Partly outside EU EU only
Password protect meetings

* In Microsoft Teams, you can create official breakout rooms if you are the organiser of the meeting. These breakout rooms can only be created after the meeting has started so you cannot upload documents in advance. If you do want to set up breakout rooms in advance and upload documents in advance, you can create a new team with multiple channels. The channels serve as the breakout rooms and you can upload documents in those channels in advance.

** The standard licence at Leiden University (300 people in a meeting) can support 50 breakout rooms. Larger licences support fewer breakout rooms. For more information, see "Breakout rooms".

Visit the support pages of Kaltura Live Room, Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Microsoft Teams Live Events on this site for more information.

Security and privacy

To help you guard secure communication using video conferencing tools, we drafted this list with 12 tips.

12 tips for the safe use of video tools
12 tips for the safe use of video tools