Web Conferencing and Synchronous Sessions in an Online Course

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Web Conferencing and Synchronous Sessions in
an Online Course

• Lee McMinn
• Instructional Designer
• Greenville Technical College

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What is synchronous e-Learning?

• live, real-time (and usually scheduled),
  facilitated instruction and learning-oriented
  interaction.

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Synchronous e-Learning technology categories

• Teleconferencing and its major sub-categories,
• audio conferencing
• video conferencing
• Webcasting
• Gaming and simulations and
• Web conferencing.

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Learning Needs for Synchronous e-Learning

• Connecting dispersed learners
• Real-time interaction and collaboration
• Sense of immediacy and co-presence
• Fostering a learning community
• Balancing learning dynamics
• Unique functionality

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Learning Needs for Synchronous e-Learning
(continued)

• Extending application demonstrations and Web
  safaris
• Synthesizing materials and concepts
• Access to valuable Subject Matter Expert
  resources
• Train the Trainer

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Challenges and Limitations

• Logistical
• Pedagogical
• Technological

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Synchronous e-Learning application features

• Integration with LMS
• Import Power Point Slides
• Integrated Interactive Whiteboard/eBoard
• Application Sharing
• Peer-to-Peer Chat
• Student-to-Instructor Chat
• Instant Feedback
• Polling

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• Recordable/Archival
• Annotations
• Multimedia Content
• Live Demonstrations
• Group/Individual Web Surfing
• Integrated telephony and VOIP
• Video Integration (webcam)
• Registration, testing and grading

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How to Design for the Virtual Classroom

• How you see it may depend on where youve been
• Media selection to VC or not to VC?
• Educational media decision factors

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Blended solutions
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Interactions alone but engaged

• Frequency of interactions
• Response facilities in the virtual classroom
• Individual interactions
• Polling
• Chat
• Whiteboard
• Audio
• Icons
• Application Sharing

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Interactions alone but engaged(continued)

• How to maximize participation
• Collaboration
• Breakout Rooms
• Paired Chat
• Feedback and assessment

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Visualization facilities in the virtual classroom
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Preliminary Planning for Your Event

• Who is your audience, and where are they?
• Are you going to have co-presenters? Where are
  they?
• What equipment and facilities will you need?
• Plan to support the instructional design

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Preliminary Planning for Your Event(continued)

• How will you handle handouts and supplemental
  materials?
• Technical setup
• Speaker preparation
• Learner preparation and communication

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Showtime! - Learner participation and interaction

• Personal Comfort Checklist
• Introduction to the interface
• Provide a Quick Reference Guide
• Send a PowerPoint file
• Create a self-paced tutorial
• Schedule short orientation sessions
• Build a short tutorial into the beginning of each
  session
• Remember tool time
• Dealing with connectivity issues
• Preparing users to learn

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Showtime! - Running the event

• Using questions and annotations
• Using the polling feature
• Impromptu polling
• Managing Chat
• Doing demonstrations
• Slide viewing
• Status indicators
• Audio and video clips, multimedia files
• Breakout rooms
• Independent practice activities

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Showtime! - Disaster Control

• Common errors and fixes
• Backup/Plan B

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Online interaction dos

• Provide a visual focal point for every part of
  your presentation.
• Mind your language.
• Edit yourself.
• Master the language of the interface
• Avoid overuse of idioms that dont add to the
  meaning.

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Online interaction dos

• Stop saying um.Without a face-to-face
  relationship, your voice represents you as a
  person and a trainer.
• Keep your pace and tone conversational.
• Plan time to breath.
• Every niche has its lexicon.

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Online interaction donts

• Dont apologize for the interface.
• Dont patronize your learners.
• Dont read silence as disinterest or
  unwillingness.
• Dont wait until the end to ask for
  participation.
• Dont do hit and run training, dumping tons of
  information in one session and then disappearing.
  
• Dont label a session unsuccessful if learners
  were quiet.

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Wrapping Up and Following Up

• Q A session
• Display agenda for closing
• Thank the presenters and the participants
• Assignments and resource links
• Turn off recorder
• Evaluation questions
• Final remarks or questions. Remind remaining
  participants how to exit.

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Wrapping Up and Following Up

• Save Chat text
• Clean up annotations, clear text, reset files (if
  room will be reused)
• Remove remaining participants
• End session and exit room
• Post recording file
• Send follow up e-mails

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QUESTIONS ??