STAR'S REFLECTION - ZOOM

Hi there! This is Elena and in this task I have chosen Zoom as an e-Learning tool.⭐

First, before evaluating the tool, I would like to introduce it briefly, although I am sure we all know what it is.

- Zoom is a platform for creating video calls and online meetings. It can be used from the application or even from the internet itself, and can be connected to it from any digital device.

- It was founded on 21 April 2011 by Eric Yuan. Despite its founding date, Zoom had its heyday during the year 2020, due to Covid-19. Due to the quarantine; many activities, jobs, classes... could follow their course correctly (within the circumstances) and it has also facilitated contact between family and friends.

 

Category	Criteria
Functionality	Scale	Works well: The tool can be scaled to accommodate any size class with the flexibility to create smaller sub-groups or communities of practice
	Ease of Use	Works well: The tool has a user-friendly interface and it is easy for instructors and students to become skillful in a personalized and intuitive manner.
	Tech Support / Help Availability	Minor Concerns: Technical support and help documentation is available but limited, incomplete, or not user friendly.  You can support your lesson with whatever you want, sharing the screen.
	Hypermediality	Works well: The tool allows users to communicate through different channels (audio, visual, textual) and allows for non-sequential, flexible/adaptive engagement with material
Accessibility	Accessibility standards	Not applicable
	User-focused participation	Works well: The tool is designed to address the needs of diverse users, their various literacies, and capabilities, thereby widening opportunities for participation in learning.
	Required Equipment	Works well: Proper use of the tool does not require equipment beyond what is typically available to instructors and students (computer with built-in speakers and microphone, internet connection, etc.)
	Cost of Use	Minor Concerns: Limited aspects of the tool can be used for free with other elements requiring payment of a fee, membership, or subscription. Specifying, in Zoom everything is free, but there is a premium option, which allows you to spend more than 40 minutes in one session. It also allows you to include more than 100 people in the room.
Technical	Integration/ Embedding within a Learning Management System (LMS)	Works well: The tool can be embedded (as an object via HTML code) or fully integrated (e.g. LTIcompliant tools) into an LMS while maintaining full functionality of the tool.
	Desktop / Laptop Operating Systems	Works well: Users can effectively utilize the tool with any standard, up-to date operating system.
	Browser	Works well: Users can effectively utilize the tool with any standard, up-to date browser. It works with anyone, although it works best with Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Chromium Edge browsers.
	Additional Downloads	Works well: Users do not need to download additional software or browser extensions. You can download the Zoom app itself, but it is not necessary.
Mobile Design	Access	Minor Concerns: The tool offers an app, but only for a limited set of mobile operating systems. Tool is not accessible through a mobile browser. Design of the mobile tool constrained by the limitations of the mobile device.
	Functionality	Minor Concerns: Core features of the main tool are functional on the mobile app but advanced features are limited. Some difference in functionality between apps designed for different mobile operating systems, but has limited impact on learners’ use of the tool.
	Offline Access	Serious Concerns: The mobile platform cannot be used in any capacity offline.
Privacy, Data Protection, and Rights	Sign Up/  Sign In	Minor Concerns: Either instructors are the only users required to provide personal information to set up an account; or the tool has been vetted through appropriate channels to ensure strict adherence to local, institutional, or personal policies/standards for protecting the collection and use of student personal data by a third party group.  You don't need to register for Zoom if you are just joining meetings. You will need to register if you want to create the meetings yourself.
	Data Privacy and Ownership	Works well: Users maintain ownership and copyright of their intellectual property/data; the user can keep data private and decide if / how data is to be shared.
	Archiving, Saving, and Exporting Data	Not applicable
Social Presence	Collaboration	Works well: The tool has the capacity to support a community of learning through both asynchronous and synchronous opportunities for communication, interactivity, and transfer of meaning between users
	User Accountability	Works well: Instructors can control learner anonymity; the tool provides technical solutions for holding learners accountable for their actions
	Diffusion	Minor Concerns: Learners’ familiarity with the tool is likely mixed, some will lack basic technical competence with its functions.
Teaching Presence	Facilitation	Minor Concerns: The tool has limited functionality to effectively support an instructor’s ability to be present with learners via active management, monitoring, engagement, and feedback. It is not the same as in face to face lessons.
	Customization	Works well: Tool is adaptable to its environment: easily customized to suit the classroom context and targeted learning outcomes
	Learning Analytics	Minor Concerns: Instructor can monitor learners’ performance on a variety of responsive measures. These measures can be accessed through a user-friendly dashboard
Cognitive Presence	Enhancement of Cognitive Task(s)	Not Applicable
	Higher Order Thinking	Serious Concerns: The tool likely does not engage learners in higher order thinking skills (despite significant consideration to design, facilitation, and direction from instructor)
	Metacognitive Engagement	Serious Concerns: There are no opportunities for formative feedback on learning (i.e. lacking opportunities for tracking performance, monitoring improvement, testing knowledge on a regular basis)

According to https://privacy.commonsense.org/ Zoom has an 88% reliability rate with respect to privacy.

The rating:

• DATA COLLECTION SCORE: 65%

• DATA SHARING SCORE: 85%

• DATA SECURITY SCORE: 95%

• DATA RIGHTS SCORE: 95%

• DATA SOLD SCORE: 45%

• DATA SAFETY SCORE: 65%

• ADS & TRACKING SCORE: 85%

• PARENTAL CONSENT SCORE: 60%

• SCHOOL PURPOSE SCORE: 70%

If you want to know more about this rate you can click here.

Hope you like it, see you next week! :)