Me live, online, in Australia again
07:57, 5 December 2008
.. Posted in techculture and tech to help.. Link
Those Aussies love getting me up early in the mornings.
Today, I again presented live, online for a group of volunteer managers in Adelaide, South Australia, this time for the Annual Congress for The Office for Volunteers. I presented via iVisit, a free online video tool, from here in my home in Germany.
Presenting online to a remote group is relatively easy. The group needs:
- a computer with fast Internet access, hooked up to speakers that can be turned up loudly and be heard clearly by everyone in attendance (the audio clarity is as important, if not more, than the video)
- an iVisit account, which is free (or great familiarity with another free package that I can easily download). I prefer iVisit, because it's always performed better than Skype, and is much smaller (takes up less room on your computer)
- for video: a projecter/beamer, to display me as I appear on the desktop of the group's computer so that the whole group can see me (but, again, audio clarity is as important, if not more, than video clarity)
- a microphone that is either hooked up to the group's computer, so that each attendee can come to the mike with questions, or, a microphone hooked up to the room's PA system, so that I can hear questions
- to rehearse with me at least one week in advance, to ensure your computer and connection is working, to ensure the audio quality on your end is very clear for the entire room
- to set up several minutes before the presentation is to start, to ensure we start on-time and there are no tech or audio issues
I also ask that, before my presentation, the meeting's facilitator provide the group with:
- information about me (brief biography) and my web address
- a brief review about what the presentation would be about
- details on how questions will be asked (for instance, in the first presentation, people took turns sitting in the "hot seat" at the front of the room,, and the facilitator either pushed the talk button for them on the computer, or showed them how to do it)
Jayne Cravens
