VCU CTE - Web Conferencing Tools for Instruction

Wimba Classroom is a web conferencing application that permits real time (synchronous) delivery of course material, as well as recording and archiving of sessions for later (asynchronous) viewing. In Wimba Classroom, you can talk to students real-time, deliver presentations in PowerPoint and a range of other graphic formats; engage in public / private text chat; share desktop applications for demonstration and instructional purposes; push web pages to participants; use a live whiteboard for drawing and annotation; conduct real time polls and surveys; and/or build sessions to be accessed and delivered directly from Blackboard. It is also a great way for bringing guest speakers in virtually from anywhere on the globe.

Another useful tool is Pronto, which gives you Skype-like text and audio connections with the students in your class – a useful tool for virtual office hours! This workshop will give you hands-on instruction on using these software tools.

Outcomes

By the end of this session you should be able to:

Describe the basic functionality of web-based conferencing tools.

Effectively use Wimba Classroom and Pronto for instruction.

Differentiate between appropriate tools to match your instructional context and objectives.

Resources

Ruta Valaitis, Noori Akhtar-Danesh, Kevin Eva, Anthony Levinson, and Bruce Wainman (2007) “Pragmatists, Positive Communicators, and Shy Enthusiasts: Three Viewpoints on Web Conferencing in Health Sciences Education,” Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2007 Oct–Dec; 9(5): e39.

Wimba Classroom – http://www.wimba.com/support/instructors.php

Pronto - http://www.wimba.com/products/wimba_pronto/

Skype - http://www.skype.com

Blackboard Knowledge Base: http://www.ts.vcu.edu/kb/blackboard.html