Web Conferencing via Adobe Connect

Description

Meeting@PennState, powered by the Adobe Connect Meeting module, is an enterprise web conferencing solution for online meetings, e-Learning, and webinars.

Features

• Individuals can create their own meeting space
• Meeting space includes:

1. Open or closed participation
2. Multiple levels of participation from view-only to full control
3. Breakout rooms to temporarily divide a large audience into smaller groups
4. Recording option
5. Upload a PPT for presentation
6. Upload files to share
7. Voice over IP (VOIP) or (for fee) telephone audio
8. Webcams for individuals
9. Whiteboards
10. Notes
11. Text chat
12. Question and answer polling
13. Open response polling

Pros

• Good way to show instructionally relevant motion and video
• Can bring local and distance participants together in real-time and provide human interaction
• May use built-in tools such as a whiteboard, screen sharing, and chat to enhance the learning environment
• May use the recording option so others can view the session at a later time

Cons

• The video portion of a web conference is instructionally irrelevant if all you are showing is a talking head
• Can be very expensive
• Can require significant technological resources and expertise for both instructor and participants
• Usually requires additional support staff
• A synchronous technology – everyone has to participate at the same time, even across time zones
• The quality of the experience may vary from site to site
• On the fly adjustments are often needed due to changing bandwidth and other variations

Best Uses

• Bringing remote audiences together for a synchronous event where discussion is critical to the learning experience
• See http://meeting.psu.edu for use examples

Pedagogical Goal

• Peer interaction
• Student engagement

Getting Started

• http://meeting.psu.edu Use examples included!

Training Available

ITS Training Services:
•    Live Training
•    Resources

Local Contact for More Information

• Instructional Designer’s Contact List

Delivery Mode

• Web-based

Individual or Group?

• Group

Shareable with Others?

• Shareable with selected individuals/group or the world

Confidentiality of Data

• Access – May be public, open to only individuals with a Penn State Access ID, or only open to selected individuals.
• Data Storage – All data is stored at Penn State.

Synchronous or Asynchronous?

• Synchronous

Best for Class Size of

• 25-50

Learning Curve for Instructors/Creators

• High

Required Level of Expertise

• High

Assessment/Tool/Criteria

• Most likely done outside of the system./Varies./Varies.

Cognitive Activity

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create

Equipment Required

• Computer
• Robust internet connection

Type of Tool

• Web-based

Accessibility Issues

• Individuals with visual and/or oral impairments may not be able to fully participate
• Recorded session may need to be captioned

Costs

• N/A for normal use including VOIP
• Nominal fee for use of telephone audio

Level of University Support

• Central

Longevity

• High

Key Words

Click on a key word or phrase below to see other pages/tools that can be used as the word/phrase implies!