As of this fall, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater students and instructors can utilize a communication and collaboration tool called Webex Teams, provided by the company Cisco.

Students and instructors can use Webex Teams to work together on projects and communicate about upcoming assignments.

Webex Teams “is ideal for projects that require continuous teamwork, feedback and recorded history, such as committees, student organizations, class and study groups and much more,” said Dane Seckar-Anderson, the Instructional, Communication and Information Technology Specialist (ICIT) senior communications specialist.

Webex Teams is not limited to communication.

“You can use the tool to share files, place video calls, chat, and share an online whiteboard,” said ICIT learning technology specialist Andrew Cole.

Design of Webex Teams began last year under the project title “Spark.” The program was tested during the 2017-18 academic year for instructors to learn how to use the up-and-coming tool.

Assistant professor of political science Eric Loepp said he learned how to use the program last year.

“Webex has been a great experience so far,” Loepp said. “Once you learn the basics, the tool makes it so much easier to stay in touch and keep your communications organized. It’s great to have a dedicated digital space for each class and each individual student. It can be useful across campus both inside and outside the classroom.”