NETC08 session 1063

From Extension Collaborative Wiki

Session Name: Using A New MultiMedia Conferencing System
Session Number: 1063
Location: Hope
Day and Time: Thursday, 9:30 - 10:15 am
Format: Panel
Topic: Web Conferencing
Level: Introductory

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Session Abstract:

This session will describe and demonstrate Meeting Place, new state-of-the-art audio/video/data conferencing system purchased by the University of Illinois from Cisco. This new system will enable a multipoint video conference (with sites that have the necessary bandwidth), and can connect rural (bandwidth-challenged) sites to link to the same conference via telephone lines for audio, and Internet–linked computers for still-visuals.

This system will be available to other land grant university users on a cost-plus basis.

IMPROVED DISTANCE LEARNING INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN

The data conference system especially offers a number of unique Instructional Design features available to conference leaders. Some notable features include: Instant Message/Chat space, Whiteboard, Polling, Breakout Sessions, Automatic Q&A sequencing, and immediate playback/download of the flash-based meeting recording

ENHANCED AUDIO CONFERENCING

The base event setup is a self-scheduled audio conference. Callers may receive audio via any continental United States telephone by dialing an 800 number. The system is connected to the Internet, and callers may also receive audio via Voice over IP (VoIP) telephones; for example, SIP phones, Skype, Personal Communicator, Vonage, or Insight-2. VoIP could result in long-distance cost-savings, especially for International callers in a conference.

WEB CONFERENCING

Every audio conference can be automatically matched with a data conference, sometimes called Internet/Web/E-conferencing. Still-visuals are transmitted over the Internet. Usually this means Power Point slides, Excel spread-sheets, or MSWord text documents. Interactive web sites may also be shown in real time...for example, an interactive page where entering inputs shows immediate results.

VIDEO CONFERENCING

Video conferences are scheduled on the same system. Video/Audio/Data conferences may be mixed in the same meeting. The conference server is capable of handling High Definition television signals as HD becomes more common in educational sites.

Led By: James Hamilton, Distance Learning, University of Illinois
Tom Ward, University of Illinois Extension