September 20 Video Conference

September 20 Video Conference

by Sylvia Currie -
Number of replies: 2
During the September 13 video conference Jesai suggested we take a little time this week to prepare our environment. In this this document, Humanizing U (PDF), he offers advice for background and lighting. It really makes a difference!

We're working on a plan to try a different platform for the Week 2 web conference so stay tuned! The time will still be 11:00am PDT / 18:00 GMT
In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: September 20 Video Conference: Flashmeeting

by Sylvia Currie -
Thanks to Emma Duke-Williams we have access to a Flashmeeting room this tomorrow's live session. approve Flashmeeting was developed by the Knowledge Media Institute, Open University, and is touted as the "lightest possible video-conferencing software application".

Our meeting time is 18:00 GMT (check your time zone). We have the room for 90 minutes in case we wish to go longer than one hour.

I have outlined steps to prepare for the video conference under Week 2 on the Humanizing the Online Experience Wiki. The room capacity is currently set to 10 participants so if you plan to attend please RSVP. If we get more than 10 people voting 'yes' then we'll attempt to increase the capacity of our meeting room. In any case, plan to log in early to ensure your space!
In reply to Sylvia Currie

Re: September 20 Video Conference

by Sylvia Currie -
We're enjoying these hands-on video conferencing sessions to explore various platforms and to discuss how to improve our real-time experiences so much that we might just make it a monthly event in SCoPE!

Sus posted in Facebook:
Today's video session with Flashmeeting worked well, technically as well as interaction wise. I like sessions where I'm supposed to DO something, not just sit back and listen.

The session was recorded, but just a warning, we opened the room 60 minutes early so expect a lot of blank space and general monkeying around. Also I notice in the recording you can only see the person speaking and not all participants. Anyway, it's kind of you-had-to-be-there experience! big grin

A few things that came out of the session for:
  • Preparing your background and lighting makes a huge difference! Emma Bourassa won the prize for the best set!
  • No matter what, it takes TIME to fiddle in order to get things working properly
  • There is a place for scripts and a place for more casual conversations
  • If presenting or prerecording a video, REHEARSE LIKE CRAZY
  • Use the technique actors use who have not had time to memorize all of their lines. Glance at next sentence or so, look at camera, speak, glance, and so on
  • We all need to learn to take more risks
Do you have anything to add to the list? Also, Jesai had some good feedback about the value of being nervous, why we are self-conscious, and why we shouldn't be so concerned about how we look. Maybe he can expand on that a bit here.

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