Teaching Tools and Tips: Lync/Skype for Business
By James Boe, Director of Graduate Studies
Introduction
Video, audio, and instant messaging with your students whether they are online, hybrid or face-to-face. Lync/Skype for Business is an easy convenient way to communicate with students through scheduled office hours or evenings. Students can also communicate with each other beyond the classroom and online discussion forums. Lync is the client for Mac OS X and Skype for Business is the Windows client.
Tool Identification
Lync and Skype for Businessare software applications that allows you to communicate via audio, video or instant messages. The application is available to all faculty, staff and students through our Office 365 subscriptions. It automatically syncs with VCSU’s active directory so, you can look up and connect with anyone that has a VCSU email account.
Classroom uses for Lync/Skype for Business
Lync/Skype for Business is a great tool for answering questions, providing tutoring sessions or just informal communication between students and faculty. It will also let you upload PowerPoint presentations, share your desktop and send file attachments. Desktop sharing is very useful for tutoring sessions or tech support sessions with instructors and students and use this feature to collaborate on assignments.
Some faculty have used instant messaging tools to allow for discussion during live face-to-face classes or to provide an electronic area to pose questions during a lesson. Faculty teaching hybrid classes could use Lync/Skype for Business to conduct live synchronous sessions with students rather than meeting in a classroom.
Downloading and Installing Lync/Skype for Business
Go to and log in. When the page opens click on the Gear icon in the upper right corner of the browser window. When the drop down menu opens, click on the Office 356 link in the “Your app settings” section.
If you have a laptop issued by VCSU, the software may already be installed. Check before you continue with the download instructions.
When the new page opens, click on the settings menu option and then click on the Install Software link at the bottom of the menu. Another new page will load and then click Skype for Business and then Install.
Settings in Lync should be set to Automatic. To do this, click on the Advanced button on the Lync login screen.
Additional Resources and Training
Skype for Business training video and information
Lync training materials -
Conclusion
This tool has great potential for collaboration, increasing communication options between faculty and students or among students. The software provides instant messaging options, video and audio communication, desktop sharing features as well as group meetings with multiple participants.