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CHAT TOOLS

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Saved by ElizabethHS
on October 18, 2013 at 7:31:41 pm
 

I reorganized the Google+ Hangouts section into a natural order, from getting started to trouble-shooting. I changed all the links to open in a new window, and added a blurb on why using a backchannel is a good idea. --EH-S

 

Tools that EVO uses for synchronous meetings/chat

 

      1. TimeandDate.com
      2. Google+ Hangouts
      3. Webheads Virtual Office - Blackboard/Collaborate
      4. Intro to WiZiQ
      5. Skype
      6. Today's Meet
      7. What is a backchannel and why use one? 

 

For video tutorials on other tools we use in EVO, see TUTORIALS

 

  • TimeandDate.com

      • Very important for setting live meeting times; you can give your group a Personal Meeting Time link.

 

 

  • Google+ Hangouts

      • Google hangouts are a great way to communicate with fellow moderators to help organize your session -- if you are in compatible time zones. To get started, you may want to explore this wiki, Google Hangouts Guide for Teachers, in depth.
      • View this short video (4.5 min.) to learn how to quickly set up a Hangout for audio and video conferencing. You will need a Google+ account (free) and the email addresses of session members to invite. 
      • Hangouts are limited to only ten active participants, although if you do Hangouts on Air, your hangout will be streamed on your YouTube channel, Google Plus, and/or your website. See Broadcast Yourself: Hangouts on Air for more information.
      • If you have problems with the audio or video breaking up or freezing, trying adjusting the bandwidth. See this Google Support page for more information. 

 

  • Webheads Virtual Office - Blackboard/Collaborate

      • our favorite for live audio/video/text chatting has changed locations - please mark the time/date on the Webheads timetable page to book a session; this venue has all the bells and whistles, but may get bogged down if too many Webcams are used. We are inviting all moderators to several training sessions with the Elluminate/Blackboard live conferencing facility, provided courtesy of Webheads in Action and LearningTimes.org.

 

 

TO USE THE WEBHEADS VIRTUAL OFFICE: 

 

  1. Be sure to first sign up on the timetable to be sure you are not in conflict with other sessions (first-come, first-served).
  2. Well before your session try it out at the Webheads Virtual Office.
  3. Enter your first and last name and your location. This is mainly to make you recognizable to others in the session. This information is not recorded or re-used.
  4. If you have gone to the training session already, use the blue link at the bottom of the page:  Session Moderator Login.

               If you are new, use the Enter Now! button.

               If you are a co-moderator, you might want to use Enter Now! and the moderator will give you Moderator status from the Tool bar.

      5. Always experiment and try things out well BEFORE your session starts. If you run into trouble, exit or close the session, wait 2 minutes, and re-enter. That usually solves most problems.

 

There are more tips and other information here: 

Tutorials_2013evo#BlackboardCollaborate/Elluminate

 

 

 

 

You can pick and choose among various files at Blackboard/Collaborate Demos to get an idea of what the interface does.

NOTE: these demos load very slowly!

 

FOR PARTICIPANTS

   You may wish to give your participants the link to the YouTube Participant Guide video:

 

 

 

You will find this video very helpful to YOU as a Moderator, too!

 

 

  • Intro to WiZiQ

      • text, voice, and video chat, with whiteboard capabilities - teachers may use an Academic Membership for free

 

 

->-> WiZiQ has recently introduced new features, so be sure to try out a demo of the new Virtual Classroom and also attend training classes by the trainers to understand the full functionality of all features.

 

Getting Started in WiZiQ

Making a ppt for WiZiQ

Video tutorial of a live chat on how to use WiZiQ

Video tutorial of how to schedule and conduct a WiZiQ class

Video tutorial: How to share content inside Wiziq

                                             There are also many WiZiQ tutorials in Spanish.

 

Some problems have been reported in the Getting Started video above, so you may wish to try some of the videos on YouTube. The following seems quite straight-forward and tells you what to expect and what tools within the interface are most useful:

 

 

  • Skype

      • Internet telephony - free, for all users who have Skype IDs/addresses. Others pay $.10/call.

 

 

 

 

      • A nice backchannel to use while in Blackboard/Collaborate or other chat rooms -- basic and simple, no sign-in; anyone with the link can go there

 

 

What is a backchannel and why use one? 

 

    What happens when something goes wrong in a live audio or video chat?

 

It's usually a good idea to have a way to communicate with your participants OUTSIDE the chat venue. You can help them adjust their microphones or audio, or stop them from texting inappropriately, or help them find the tools to write on the whiteboard -- without disturbing others in the chat room.

 

So give everyone the address/location of an alternate communication venue like Skype or Today's Meet so that they can get in touch with you when something goes wrong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EVO is a project of TESOL's CALL IS

last updated 29 June 2013, by E. Hanson-Smith

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