As we break for the 2023 summer semester, today, May 8th, 2023, the Cisco Webex tool will be removed from all Canvas courses. Zoom is stepping up as the main videoconferencing tool for FAU. We’ve been using it for the past few years and now we’re ready to hard launch the app. Zoom has all the functions Webex has, and adds a few more for interactivity and accessibility.
Webex’s official retirement date is June 30th, 2023. If you, like many Canvas/Webex users, depend on the tool for its office hours and bookable schedules, then we have insights on two alternatives you might like.
Zoom’s LTI Easy Scheduler
Now located in the Appointments tab within the Zoom application in Canvas, the Zoom LTI Easy Scheduler allows instructors to create schedules for office hours. Click on the Appointments tab, find My Schedules and create a new schedule to set the date, times and duration of your future virtual office hour meetings.
Students can book appointments in the same Appointments tab. Once a meeting is booked, they’ll receive an email from no-reply@zoom.us with the meeting confirmation, join-URL, and other info. This simple scheduler even makes joining the meetings a breeze with the join button available at the time of the meeting.
For more information about Zoom at FAU, please visit our Zoom Info page. We hope this solution will empower you to create easy schedules. Check out our previous post about Zoom’s office hours feature to learn more about the scheduler.
Calendly
The other option for a Webex Office Hours replacement is Calendly – a software focused on streamlining the scheduling process for meetings. While not native to the Canvas platform, Calendly creates a link that you can embed in your Canvas page, syllabus, or email signature for easy booking. The scheduling link leads to a booking calendar that integrates with your Outlook/Google calendar to create virtual meetings on Zoom, MS Teams, Webex, and Google Meet. Their easy video tutorials and guides will help you get started when you create an account.
If you have questions about these tools, feel free to book an appointment with our staff.