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Synchronous Groups: Recent Improvements

These updates make live group assessments load faster, join more reliably, and remain stable on real‑world school networks. You’ll notice quicker entry from the waiting room, clearer audio when networks are stressed, and a cleaner waiting room lobby

Sam Slagle avatar
Written by Sam Slagle
Updated over a week ago

👀 NEW as of: September 25, 2025

Highlights

  • Faster waiting room on slow or congested networks

  • Smarter network handling that prioritizes audio and adapts video automatically

  • Cleaner, more consistent lobby UI that’s easier to scan

  • Clearer status handling as students move from lobby to rooms

Smart network optimization for Sync Rooms

What changed

  • Automatic slow‑network detection in the lobby. On very slow connections, Extempore enters a performance mode that skips the camera and microphone preview so the page loads quickly and students can join as soon as the room is available.

  • Adaptive quality that prioritizes audio. The system uses live network quality signals to keep speech clear. On poor connections, video bitrate is reduced and can be disabled so conversations continue without disruption.

  • Codec and bitrate tuning for stability and responsiveness. Video is tuned for smoother performance. Audio is capped to keep speech intelligible under pressure.

Why it matters

  • Students on older devices, crowded Wi‑Fi, or during peak times can still get into sessions quickly and be heard clearly.

  • Fewer stalls and fewer “stuck in lobby” issues because heavy preview steps are skipped when the network is slow.


Faster, cleaner waiting room (lobby) experience

What changed

  • Visual and layout improvements for the participants list and main containers improve readability and consistency across screen sizes.

Why it matters

  • Teachers and students can more easily confirm who’s present and ready without UI friction.

  • Small UI issues that previously made scanning the lobby harder have been addressed.


Join and presence handling that reduces “stuck” cases

What changed

  • Clearer status transitions between “waiting in lobby” and “in room” reduce edge cases where a student’s state could linger and cause confusion (for example, appearing online in the lobby after moving to a room).

Why it matters

  • Fewer instances where a manual page refresh was needed to reconcile who is truly in a room versus waiting.

  • Smoother movement from lobby to rooms without misleading status labels.


Real‑world scenarios now improved

  • Case A: Slow waiting room load on school Wi‑Fi

    • Before: Students on poor networks could sit on a spinning preview, then give up or fall behind.

    • Now: The system detects slow conditions, skips the preview automatically, and lets students join faster when their room is ready.

  • Case B: Audio breaks up or video freezes under stress

    • Before: Video and audio competed for bandwidth; jitter could disrupt speech.

    • Now: Audio is prioritized, and video quality adapts or temporarily disables to keep the conversation going.

  • Case C: Students appear “present” but can’t enter the room

    • Before: Status mismatches could make it look like students were still in the lobby after they transitioned.

    • Now: Status updates are more consistent between lobby and room states, reducing the need for “try refresh” guidance.

  • Case D: Hard‑to‑scan lobby when many students are joining at once

    • Before: Layout and spacing issues made it harder to read the participants panel quickly.

    • Now: Visual polish and spacing improvements make the lobby easier to scan and manage.


Summary

These updates prioritize fast entry, clear speech, and predictable flows. The result is a smoother experience for both teachers and students during live group assessments.


What’s next: telemetry to understand every scenario

We are rolling out a telemetry initiative designed to capture the signals that matter during synchronous sessions—without adding friction for teachers or students. The goals:

  • Understand conditions at the moment issues occur

    • Network quality level, round‑trip time, bandwidth trends

    • Join times and transition points between lobby and rooms

    • Participant counts, device type and browser family

  • Identify patterns across classrooms and districts

    • Where and when sessions slow down

    • Which flows still require a refresh or a second attempt

  • Use data to guide targeted improvements

    • Tune when and how video adapts

    • Prioritize fixes that eliminate the biggest sources of friction

Privacy and scope

  • Telemetry focuses on performance and reliability signals, not content.

  • Data is aggregated for analysis and used to improve stability, speed, and clarity.


How this helps districts

  • Faster response loops: We can reproduce and resolve edge cases sooner because we see the exact conditions in which they occur.

  • Clearer communication: When something feels slow, we can tell you why and what we changed.

  • Measurable outcomes: We’ll track time‑to‑join, successful room entries, and session stability so you can see progress over time.

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