Technology and Learning CoP Live and in Real Time?

Submitted by David Rosen on Sun, 12/18/2016 - 08:30
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Technology and Learning colleagues,

I am thinking of holding a few short (probably 30-45 minute) real-time meetings for the Technology and Learning CoP in 2017, and I need your advice:

1. What platform should we use?

What do you use for small group webinars or videoconferencing? How do you like it? Does it have a "record" feature to archive meetings? Is it free or is there a cost? What's the cost structure? Would you prefer a telephone conference to a video conference format? Any other platform suggestions?

2. What topics would you be interested in?

Here are a few possible topics that might be of interest. Let me know if they are. Also please suggest others:

  • Online tools and resources reviewed by members of the Technology and Learning Community
  • Blended learning models and examples
  • Competency-based online courses or curricula that have a built-in management information system
  • Technology coaching for teachers
  • How adult education teachers are using low-cost portable hotspots in their classrooms, at home, and elsewhere
  • Mobile learning apps for adult basic skills
  • Using a student's smartphone video recording feature in the classroom

3. What are the best days of the week (Monday-Friday) and times for you to join us? Morning? Afternoon? Evening? Be sure to indicate your time zone, e.g. EST, CST, MST, PST.

You can respond here (preferred) or you can email me.

I would love to hear your ideas, and have your advice!

David J. Rosen, Moderator

Technology and Learning CoP

djrosen123@gmail.com

 

 

Comments

I am on a lot of webinars/collaboration sessions, and every group seems to use a different platform! The paid ones have equivalent features, including record. I use GoToMeeting, Blackboard Collaborate, and Adobe Connect most often, and they're fine. Google Hangout (free, but you have to have a Google account) and Vidyo emphasize live video (which some people don't like; you can turn it off).

One low-budget option is to use one of the free audioconferencing services and put the agenda and content into a Google Doc. This allows co-editing, which can be useful. You can also share slides or other materials via email or Dropbox.

I think regular phone line conference services deliver worse audio than VoIP, but there's less breakup. 

Size of group is important too. Big groups need more formal chairing, and they benefit from handraising tools and polls.

Your list of topics is good. I would add one on usability and accessibility (my specialty, so I would be willing to do it) and another one on the unique needs/preferences of 'last adopters'.

Thanks Jim.  I like the idea of a combination free conference call and Google Doc. It reminds me that I also like the combination of a free conference call with Today's Meet, an easy-to-use free service that allows people to talk and text chat while they are also talking.

Could you say a little more about each of your topic suggestions?

Let's hear from others too!

David J. Rosen, Moderator

Technology and Learning CoP

djrosen123@gmail.com

 

 

Hi David -- thanks for asking for more detail.

There is some accessibility training in the Resources section of this site, and it's quite good. What I'm suggesting is a bit different. You might call it 'Integrating the concept of Comfortable Computing into adult online education'.  It would focus on:

  • the overlap between usability and accessibility, especially for seniors
  • mild and moderate functional limitations, because they are higher incidence
  • simple solutions already on the devices you and your students use (and maybe a bit beyond that, such as apps and browser extensions)
  • identifying 'more serious' cases and making referrals

The goal is to get trainers to feel and be more competent in this domain, which can seem exotic and scary.

For the second one, 'Last Adopters', I've been seeing some research and opinion pieces on who the last 20% are, saying they are not like the folks we've been serving so far. They are much more tech-reluctant and pessimistic about their abilities and the benefit of learning online, including digital literacy. They also feel a stigma about being so late to the party that they might as well not show up at all. It may be that these characteristics would require different approaches, even different curricula.

I'm not sure either of these fit what you want to do with the T&L Series, so please feel free to winnow them.

 

Thanks Jim,

That helps me to understand the topics you are suggesting. The second one, especially the research, is new to me. Can you suggest some studies or readings? I want to learn more about this, and perhaps others here do as well.

Anyone else have technology topics to suggest?

David J. Rosen, Moderator

Technology and Learning CoP

djrosen123@gmail.com
 

David and all, I have been looking for a free way to integrate the following options for a weekly discussion group...I think the ideal set up would meet the following requirements:

  1. Free: at least free for around a dozen participants
  2. Participants can participate simply by clicking a link or dialing a number. If there is any install of any kind it needs to be a simple button click.
  3. No matter how participants join (digital or phone) everyone should be able to hear the others as they speak
  4. Recording the session in a way that edits can be made and the end product can easily be easily accessed by others not in attendance (bonus if this is all automatic)
  5. Screen sharing, document sharing, link sharing, and a shared whiteboard would all be desirable

I have been playing with many solutions. There was Google's Hangout On-Air and that seemed like it might work until Google discontinued it.

They replaced that service with YouTube Live which is good for sessions in which one person shares information for others to consume. Participants are limited to only text chat and even then there is a delay that is significant. Additionally, there is a significant geek factor in setting up the whole recording process as external software is needed.  

I just came upon a possible fix. Google hangouts hit areas 1, 4, 5 very well. There is an add on called UberConference that seems to address items 2, 3 very well!!!! I need some people to test it out with me to verify. This plug in is free, but the free version only supports 10 people at a time calling in by phone. Of course others can still join by hangout link so I suspect the 10 person limit on phone is not that limiting. You get a dedicated address for your hangout and a fixed number so that every session you offer uses the same number to call in! Very excited to see if this plug in works as well at it appears it might. More news after some tests (if anyone wants to take some time to help me troubleshoot and test, please toss me an email ohgeer@gmail.com with some times/days that work well for you)

Still exploring other options. If anyone has something that hits the 5 items listed above, please share.