Web Conferencing in Higher Education Amy Ricci, WPI

Web Conferencing Industry Grew out of web-based chat and IM software NetMeeting introduced in late 1990s Initially focused on corporate market – many products still serve only corporations A few vendors are starting to address the needs of the educational market

What is Web Conferencing? Communication and collaboration for remote attendees Combines visual and audio interaction Two-way interaction Types of events –Virtual meetings –Virtual classes –Web seminars/webinars –Webcasts –On-demand recordings

Web Conferencing Features Slide presentations Multimedia playback Document/file sharing Application sharing Shared whiteboards with annotation Public and private text chat Polls and surveys Quizzes Breakout rooms Emoticons

Additional Features Recording and playback Event management User management Content management Reporting and tracking

Web Conferencing in Higher Education Distance Learning Project-based work Office hours and help sessions Faculty and staff collaboration with colleagues Access to off-campus experts Connecting students with employers Marketing and admissions Student advising Fundraising Interviewing job applicants Helpdesk support

Chickering & Gamson Principle Teaching PracticesType of Practice Student-faculty ContactUse of polling toolsTool-specific Requiring student participationPedagogical Student-student cooperationGroup workPedagogical Text chatTool-specific Active learningAsking questionsPedagogical Application sharingTool-specific Use of polling toolsTool-specific Prompt feedbackText chatTool-specific Use of polling toolsTool-specific Time on taskStick to prepared schedulePedagogical Time all lectures/eventsPedagogical Communicate high expectations Encourage student participationPedagogical Accommodate diverse learning styles Use of voice, text, and chat toolsTool-specific Use of application sharingTool-specific Shi, S. & B. Morrow. (2006). E-Conferencing for Instruction: What Works? Educause Quarterly, 29 (4), p

Web Conferencing in Higher Education 45% of colleges have either video or web conferencing 30% of those allow access on and off campus University Business, April 2006

Pros & Cons of Web Conferencing Pros –Real-time communication –Access to remote individuals –Dynamic presentations –Interactivity –Uses relatively simple and common technology Cons –Bandwidth & compatibility –Time zone differences –Support issues –Attendee set-up can be cumbersome –Audio quality –Accessibility issues –Administration issues –Lack of higher ed case studies

Questions to Ask Internally What needs to be accomplished with the tool? How many people will be connecting at one time? What types of computers, operating systems, browsers, and Internet connections do your end users have? Do you want to install on your own server or have the vendor host it for you? How will it be administered? What kind of support will you need? Are you prepared to provide it or can the vendor provide it?

Looking at Vendors Request a real-time demonstration Request a temporary account Does the vendor listen to your needs and take action to address them? Is the vendor knowledgeable about the higher education market and other vendors in the market? What support is available and what is the response time? Does the vendor have educational references?

Pricing Hosted vs. local installation Pay-per-use vs. pay-per-user Concurrent users vs. unlimited users Contract duration Set-up fees Maintenance fees Overage charges

Vendors in Higher Education Market Centra Elluminate Live! Horizon Wimba Interwise ECP Connect

Contact Information Amy Ricci