Technologies

UBC uses many learning technologies to support online courses. A few common ones are Canvas for accessing course content and activities, Microsoft OneDrive and Microsoft Teams for collaboration and secure file storage, and Zoom for attending lectures and taking invigilated exams online.

Canvas | Microsoft OneDrive | Microsoft Teams | Zoom | Other UBC Tools


Canvas logo

Canvas

Get to know Canvas

  • Canvas provides a secure, ​online classroom for each of your courses​ at UBC. Your instructors may use Canvas to communicate, share course materials, and assign learning activities for you to do.
  • In Canvas, you can do many course activities, like read content, watch and attend lectures, submit assignments, participate in discussion boards, collaborate in groups, take quizzes and exams, and your view grades.
  • Learn more about Canvas:

Tip #1:
Make sure you are set up to receive Canvas notifications » in your courses.

Tip #2:
You can download the Canvas Student app » on your mobile device.

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Microsoft OneDrive logo

Microsoft OneDrive

Get to know Microsoft OneDrive

  • Microsoft OneDrive is a secure file-hosting service that allows you to store, share, and synchronize files and folders from any connected device. It offers 1TB of encrypted data storage, file versioning, and the ability to access and edit files and folders offline.
  • In Microsoft OneDrive, you can securely store and manage your online files, synchronize them across multiple devices, share and collaborate on them with other students and your instructors, and view and restore previous file versions.
  • Learn more about OneDrive:

Tip #1:
Install the Microsoft OneDrive application on your computer to see a new folder in your directory where you can manage your stored files.

Tip #2:
Back up your coursework on Microsoft OneDrive, then it will be secure in the cloud in the event that your computer fails.

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Microsoft Teams logo

Microsoft Teams

Get to know Microsoft Teams

  • Microsoft Teams is an all-in-one collaboration tool. In Microsoft Teams, you can meet and collaborate through web-conferencing and group chat with other people at UBC.
  • In Microsoft Teams, you can communicate with other UBC users, including students, through web-conferencing and group chat. The platform also ties to Microsoft OneDrive, meaning that you can also share and edit files synchronously using Microsoft Office applications like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
  • Learn more about Microsoft Teams:

Tip #1:
You may find it easiest to install the Microsoft Teams application, to give yourself a central place to use all the features.

Tip #2:
Use Microsoft Teams to meet, chat, and share files related to coursework or for your own study groups.

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Zoom logo

Zoom

Get to know Zoom

  • Zoom is a ​video/audio web-conferencing and collaboration tool​ that lets you, your peers, and your instructor meet in real time online. Through Zoom, you can attend lectures and meetings, present using whiteboards, share screens and resources, interact by chat or Q&A, have small group discussions, and take polls.
  • Learn more about Zoom:
  • For a video introduction, watch the UBC Studios Zoom tips:

Tip:
You can test your technical setup for using Zoom before a session by visiting ubc.zoom.us/test »

Understand privacy related to Zoom

  • Only UBC Zoom accounts should be used for UBC purposes. UBC has conducted a privacy assessment of the UBC version of Zoom to confirm that it meets the security and legal requirements for a teaching and learning tool. However, this assessment did not include the free version of Zoom. Therefore, you should not be required to create a free Zoom account to participate in any UBC courses.
  • This restriction on free Zoom accounts should not affect your course participation, since you do not need an account to attend Zoom sessions. If you encounter a situation that highlights a need for a student Zoom account, your instructor will either create a UBC one for you or ask you to sign up for a free Zoom account using your name or an alias. To sign up, you can use any existing email address that does not end in “@student.ubc.ca”.

Tip:
You will need to install the Zoom application to attend sessions. Then you can click the links your instructors send or post in Canvas to join lectures.

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Other UBC Tools

Get to know other UBC tools

All learning technologies must undergo a UBC Privacy Impact Assessment », which closely examines how personal information is handled by the technology and vendor.

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