Next best thing to being there

The image above is a screen shot from a session I did for a Pennsylvania school district over my lunchtime today, using Elluminate, a popular web collaboration tool. With a microphone/headset, a video cam, and my PowerBook, I was able to present to a group of K-12 teachers, share a slide show, do some real-time Q&A, and monitor comments via chat. Sort of fun. Got a very nice round of applause at the end. A polite group, I expect.

I hope the means of delivery was as much a "lesson" for these educators as much as anything I had to say. Teaching and learning is possible from distances with few equipment requirements. I didn't have the hassle of travel and the school didn't have the expense of my travel. OK, I still think F2F is a more rewarding experience, but this wasn't so bad.

The online presentation format has been picking up for me over the past year or so. I've worked with college classrooms, educational service districts, private companies and now school districts using Elluminate, GoToMeeting and WebEx (if I remember the names correctly). And Second Life as I mentioned recently.

I still feel like a rookie as an online presenter. A person learns a few things after having given hundreds of F2F presentations and workshops. This feels new and not all my tricks can be ported to this new medium.

I guess it keeps the brain cell stimulated. 

Comments

[Beth Gallob]

Hi Doug,

Thanks for the post. Presenting online can take some getting used to. We have lots of recorded demos and webinars if you're interested in learning more about it. (http://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/event/playback)

And if you'd like your own virtual meeting room to play around with, Elluminate vRoom is free with all the functionality of Elluminate Live! (except recording) for up to 3 people. (www.getvroom.com)

Keep on stimulating those brain cells!

PS. I live in Phoenix now, but I'm from Minnesota. I lived in Apple Valley for many years and am originally from up by Duluth.

- Beth, Elluminate Goddess of Communication

[Doug Johnson]

Thanks for the information, Beth. I will definitely be visiting your site.

My session can be viewed by going to: http://vclass.cciu.org
Click on "Recordings"
Go to the little calendar for January 21, 2008
Select Sto-Rox Inservice title
Click on it and it will play back "note for note" including the chat and video

Given our cold weather, I am wishing that I could say "I once lived in Minnesota!"

All the best,

Doug

[Kathy Sacks, iLinc]

Doug:

Thanks for your post. Another online meeting tool to add to that list is iLinc.www.ilinc.com The company first started in elearning, so virtual classroom is without a doubt their sweetspot, and something they do very well. Trainers and educators from higher education and inside corporate America find the iLinc tool to be top-notch because of the developers' innate understanding on what it takes to be successful online vs F2F.

You should also check out Ken Molay--he has a blog where he talks about content delivery over the web and how to be a better presenter. You should check him out--it's called the Webinar Blog.
http://wsuccess.typepad.com/webinarblog/2006/11/an_objective_ve.html

Beth, the Elluminate Goddess--a shout out to you. We are in balmy Phoenix as well.

[Carolyn Foote]

Doug,

Thanks for the instructions for how to view the presentation. Sounds like it'd of interest!

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Carolyn,

Well I've never been able to watch or listen to myself, but go for it. I'm guessing that like my writing, it may work as a non-addictive sleep aide.

All the best,

Doug

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Kathy,

Thanks for the info. I wasn't really plugging one delivery system over another - these are just the ones with which I've had experience.

Find me a speaking gig that uses iLinc and I'll mention it in the blog;-)

Thanks for the link to Ken's site. I will definitely check it out.

All the very best,

Doug

[Nathan]

Doug,

It's nice to see that people like yourself are getting involved in the distance education/training arena. With the cost of travel and education rising, coupled with the corporate and personal responsibility to become more "Green," distance training is becoming a big part of everyday business and education.

Distance training is really the benchmark of the iLinc solution. I could go on an on about our solution, but if you have the time, please go to the following link and check out our daily demonstration. I'd love to know what you think.

http://www.ilinc.com/dailydemo

Best regards,

Nathan

[Will]

Doug, Vance Stevens recently wrote an article you might like to look at. It's a very nice review of two conferencing systems.