online+conferencing

=Online conferencing=

Author(s): Nandi Siegfried

1. Definition
Online conferencing uses the Internet as a conference venue. Traditional conferences require attendees to be present in a particular place which can be costly in terms of travel, accommodation and time. Use of an online conference means that participants can access the conference from anywhere in the world and can do this at any time, using standard browser software. Participants will be able to log on as little or as much as they wish - before, after or during office hours. They are given a password to access the various conference and seminar groups as well as closed discussion groups. Anyone with access to the Internet can participate. [sourced from: []]

Wikipedia reports that most solutions require additional software to be installed (usually via download) by the presenter and participants. Some vendors provide a complete solution while other vendors enhance existing technologies. Most also provide a means of interfacing with email and calendaring clients in order that customers can plan an event and share information about it, in advance. Wikipedia go on to report on the following forms of on-line conferencing:
 * Slide show presentations - where images are presented to the audience and markup tools and a remote mouse pointer are used to engage the audience while the presenter discusses slide content.
 * Live or Streaming video - where full motion webcam, digital video camera or multi-media files are pushed to the audience.
 * [|VoIP] (Real time audio communication through the computer via use of headphones and speakers)
 * Web tours - where URLs, data from forms, cookies, scripts and session data can be pushed to other participants enabling them to be pushed though web based logons, clicks, etc. This type of feature works well when demonstrating websites where users themselves can also participate.
 * Meeting Recording - where presentation activity is recorded on the client side or server side for later viewing and/or distribution.

Open source:
[|www.skype.com] [|www.webex.com] (appears free but then has an option to purchase the software) []

Commercial:
On-line conferencing [] provides a fee for service and costs are obtained on direct contact. Use of the flash drive technology developed by Adobe [] is also at a cost.

3. Examples of applications for Teaching and Learning
Using online conferencing can be used by small or large groups. It can replace one-to-one conference calls by using [|www.skype.com] for instance: this could allow more personal supervision of students who are involved in distance-learning modules. Use of a web-cam allows one to see someone in real time which can greatly improve teacher - learner communication. The disadvantage is that bandwidth needs to be sufficient to allow for reasonable flow of dialogue and picture quality - which means the individuals must have webcams on their computers.

Large online conferencing applications can allow you and your students to 'attend' a conference virtually. Hosting a 'conference' viewing in a lecture hall is a good way of replicating the conference experience for students who may not have had the opportunity to attend a large international conference before. This uses the traditional lecture model but combines it with the latest technology so is more appealing to students.

Organising the technology to actually host the online conference can be expensive and in the South African environment bandwidth may be limited which in tun limits the quality of the online experience.

//Author input: I lived in the UK a few years ago and attended a few online events - with great bandwidth the quality was excellent and I thought I would never have to fly to another conference again. Back in SA - sadly the experience is patchy but perhaps the new undersea cables will finally join us to the world!//

4. Other resources (articles, guides, videos, examples...)
[] provides an overview with ratings or different online conference hosting websites. [] reports on an academic study of the environmental savings due to online conferencing.

//Author input: As of 10 May 2011 it is likely [|www.skype.com] will be purchased by Microsoft. This may affect the free service provided by skype. [] a previously free service has a message on its webpage that it has been 'acquired' by salesforce software and is no longer accepting registrations. Clearly online conferencing is a very desirable business model!//