Webex Meetings

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Webex Meetings is available for remote meetings and collaborations.Please familiarize yourselves with Webex Meetings by visiting their online training on the Webex Website. Additionally, visit their Transition to Virtual Learning page.

Issues with Webex? Please check their Global Service Status page.

LOGIN:

Those with UTHealth login credentials can access https://uthealth.webex.com/ 

Those with MD Anderson login credentials can access https://mdacc.webex.com

HELP:

For Help for Webex Meetings, click on the Support link on the left hand menu, or go to https://help.webex.com/en-us/. To join a test meeting hosted by Webex go to https://www.webex.com/test-meeting.html 

Email: gsbs.support@uth.tmc.edu to reach GSBS IT Support. We can assist in testing by joining your meeting. 

For best results, download and use the Webex Meetings Desktop App. Instructions here. If you do not have the privileges to install programs on your institutionally managed computer, click on the down chevron to the right side of the green Start a Meeting button, and select Use Web App.

STEPS:

Share your personal room link to those you would like to join your video conference. They will click on this link to join. 

Users can also join your video conference via phone. This is located in the "More ways to join" section underneath your personal room link. Users will call the toll free number listed, and enter in your unique access code to join in via phone.

Click Start a Meeting to initiate a video conference.

Use either Chrome or Firefox. Allow Webex Meetings to use your webcam and mic when prompted. You may be asked to install a small Webex Meeting application to start/join video conferences.

From there, you will be able to see and speak with those who have their own cameras and microphones. Laptops will have these installed already. Users signing in through a computer will need their own webcam with a microphone to actively participate in the class.

Share your Screen. The teacher will be able to share their screen by selecting the "Share Content" button at the bottom of the Webex Meeting conference window. It looks like a box with an arrow pointing upwards. If you have a student who needs to share content, they can do the same without needing special permission to do so. 

When you share your content, a green box will be seen around the screen or program that you selected to share.

If you move your mouse to the top of your screen, a task bar will appear with multiple options, such as:

• Stop Sharing (stops sharing the screen)
• Pause (will pause the screen share in case the presenter needs to make changes or address an issue on their screen, pressing pause again will resume the screen share.)
• Share (Ex: Share an internet browser window)
• Assign (Give a user the "Presenter"  tag. This has no impact on people who are sharing content, it is a title by name only)
• Mute Microphone (Mutes self)
• Mute Video (Temporarily turns of webcam)
• Participants (Views participants in the video conference)
• Chat (Views the Chat)

Annotate (Drawing on the screen using the mouse).

There is a "More" options button as well where you can take notes, manage panels of the conference (removing or moving chat window for example), copy meeting link or see meeting info (link name, room name, current presenter, etc).

You can end screen share by selecting the "Stop Sharing" option on the tool bar.

Ending the Session. When the class is finished, participants can leave the meeting by selecting the red x button on the bottom of their Webex Meetings conference window, then click "Leave Meeting", the person who is running the chat will see "End Meeting" instead, and will end the meeting for everyone in attendance. 

BEST PRACTICES:

• Login to Webex Meetings and familiarize yourself with the interface prior to your session.
• Make sure you have a working webcam with a microphone (if you want to be seen and speak within the meeting.)
• Ask your participants to use their real names so you can identify them during the session.
• Ask participants to mute their mics and only unmute when they need to speak up. Ask them to also mute their videos to improve latency and conference quality. You can mute all participants by clicking Participants at the top of your Webex Meetings session, and clicking "Mute All"
• Ask the participants to use the chat box in the lower right. Monitor the chat for particpant's questions or comments.
• Make sure you have a good internet connection via wifi or ethernet. Perform an internet speedtest (https://www.speedtest.net/)
• If using a laptop, you may want to use a USB Mouse to navigate the Webex menu while teaching the class.
• Always close out your web browsers after a session. If you are unable to use your web cam or microphone after a successful connection, close all of your web browser windows, and try initiating the connection again.
• If you are using a VPN, disconnect it before starting a WebEx Meetings connection. This is due to how F5 VPN secures and encrypts the internet connection, which can cause some issues with call quality.
• Begin your PowerPoint presentation with a slide that has the following information:
  “All students, please mute your video and microphones as you connect to the video conference. You may unmute it if you have a question during the lecture.
• If you are having issues connecting to audio, please call in using your phone. To find the meeting phone numbers and access codes, Click Meeting at the top left menu and click on Information. 

To test any of these tools, please contact gsbs.support@uth.tmc.edu to exchange contact information. If you wish to use any of these tools for your meetings, we recommend that you have had a successful test connection with each of your participants beforehand.