telegram
Description
Telegram is basically a messenger app, which offers the possibility for the user to send private and secure messages, connect with people who use Telegram and create chats – either one to one or group chats. The user can create group chats of up to 100,000 users, can be used for voice calls, send different types of documents and media of huge size, and can also share confidential information (for business purposes, for example) as it promises the users high level of security. It also saves information on the Cloud and can synchronize chats on across all the devices on which the user has his/her account installed. The tool developers also promise fast delivery of messages and also access even at remote locations. Additionally, it has the potential for providing feedback.
Key functionality
- Compatibility: Accessible through all web browsers, computers & mobile devices and is free, without the need for subscription, or advertisement.
- Customizable: Telegram allows more tech savvy users to create their own (or buy from third party developers) fast, secure and feature-rich Telegram apps.
- Feedback: Provides easy feedback from customers
- User accounts: Users can be added by phone number or username (related to email and sms).
- Followers: The user receives requests and has to ‘approve’ a user in order for them to become a follower.
- Privacy options: No data mining or ad services.
- Security: Users can lock the app in their phone with additional passcode and the servers are spread around the world. All messages have end-to-client encryption, which allows messages to be held at the servers instead the user’s phones. Option to choose end-to-end encryption possible.
- Phone usage: The app’s use of cloud means that the user saves storage space from their phone but it while at the same time, requires heavy use of mobile data in order to have access to the resources.
- Secrecy: some devices support secret chats, and self-destructing messages, or photos.
- Files: The app can be used to send or share all types of files.
- Coordinate: Groups to up to 100 000 members.
- Synchronize: all chats across all devices.
Who uses the tool
Pedagogical purposes:
Sharing of learning resources, forum, files accessible to all from cloud
Platforms
Privacy & User data
The app collects the following types of information from all users:
- Age
- Phone Number
The app uses this information to:
- Usage of the app is restricted to people above 16 in the EU
- Phone number allows user to log in to as many devices as you like
Using the tool for PROMOVET
Advantages
- Telegram has the ability to host big group chats and to be accessible from different locations – even remote ones – and also make video calls all over the world. It could therefore be used by educators to create a class group discussion.
- It can act as a forum discussion board and questions can be quickly resolved.
- It can be used as an instructional tool in the sense that the educator could invite speakers from other parts of the world to chat with learners.
- Creates group spirit in a spatially dispersed learning team
- All files can be send via the app (doc, zip, mp3 etc.) and up to 1,5 GB each End-to-client encryption means that documents, exchanges, media or any other file sent to the group or in private conversations can be kept in the cloud as a repository of resources, saving space and making interactions faster.
- Secret chat option exists for end-to-end encryption (need to save files in devices, not cloud)
- Access from multiple devices
Disadvantages
- Telegram’s very specialized functionality means that it can be used for supporting yet indispensable tool during massive online courses
- Can be a bit disorienting for really massive teams so functionality in terms of creating a common space for forum discussions decreases as the group gets larger than 150 people and its resource sharing purpose becomes more important.
- End-to-end encryption, which is more secure for user’s data, is optional (with the limitation that no data can then be stored.
