Tools for Hosting Webinars and Meetings

Ithaca College provides multiple platforms for online meetings and events. This article compares Zoom Meetings, Zoom Webinars, Microsoft Teams Webinars, and Town Halls to help faculty, staff, and students choose the best platform to meet their needs. Each option offers unique capabilities regarding interaction, audience size, and event type.

Audience

This article is intended for Ithaca College faculty, staff, and students.

Platform

  • Zoom Meetings 
  • Zoom Webinars (temporary license available) 
  • Microsoft Teams Meetings
  • Microsoft Teams Webinars and Town Halls 

Contents

Access and Licensing

Access

  • Zoom Webinars: Require a temporary 30-day license assignment.
  • Zoom Meetings: Included with all Ithaca College Zoom accounts.
  • Microsoft Teams Meetings: Included with all Ithaca College accounts.
  • Microsoft Teams Webinars and Town Halls: Included with all Ithaca College accounts.

Request a License

  • Individuals may submit a license request for a temporary Zoom webinar license via the IC Service Portal.

Feature Comparison

Webinar and meeting comparison chart
Feature Zoom Meetings Zoom Webinars Microsoft Teams Meetings Microsoft Teams Webinars Microsoft Teams Town Halls
Best For Classes, small meetings Large-scale webinars, formal events Department meetings, classes Interactive webinars, campus events Large announcements, town halls
Participant Limit

Up to 300 (standard)

Up to 500 (by request)

 Up to 1,000 (temporary 30-day license) Up to 1,000 Up to 5,000 interactive; 10,000 view-only Up to 20,000 view-only broadcast
Participant Interaction Full interactivity Limited attendee interaction (Q&A, chat) Full interactivity Limited attendee interaction (Q&A, chat) Broadcast only (Q&A, moderated chat)
Registration Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Roles Host, Co-host, Attendee Host, Co-host, Panelist, Attendee Organizer, Co-organizer, Presenter, Attendee Organizer, Co-organizer, Presenter, Attendee Organizer, Co-organizer, Presenter, Attendee
Breakout Rooms Yes No Yes No No
Recording Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Additional Resources

Explore these resources to get started and learn more: 

Microsoft

Zoom 

If you have any questions feel free to contact the Project Management and Process Innovation team for a consultation.

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