WebConfGuide

Archive for the ‘Screen and Presentation Sharing’ Category

How To Teach Online Using Collaborative Writing And Reviewing

You may have realized by now that the Internet has made possible numerous opportunities for information exchange that transcends geographical boundaries and physical limitations. In terms of education alone, the Internet has opened up vast avenues for exploration and communication that were simply non-existent only a few short years ago. Now collaborative writing aims to take online coaching to the next level by giving users the opportunity to join in on collaborative educational efforts.

There are numerous websites that offer such collaborative writing and reviewing opportunities on the Internet and Wiziq is only one of them. Wiziq allows users to hold live online classes with a Virtual Classroom feature that allows instructors and students from anywhere in the world to meet online. The service is available free of charge and offers both audio/video as well as audio only functionality. With the desktop and screen sharing features, you can display the contents of your computer screen and have your students view it from their own computer monitors. YouTube videos can also be shared and even resized adding more opportunities for video instruction.

Another interesting feature is online whiteboarding, which allows you to provide visual data much like a real whiteboard, but with the added benefit of multiple tabs. Users also have the ability to cut, resize and even erase certain elements on this whiteboard. And for maximum flexibility, Wiziq allows the uploading and sharing of various file types including pdf, doc, xls, ppt and flash files.

To make it easier for you and your students to go back to previous lessons, all classes are automatically recorded, saving you lots of time in follow up inquiries and reviews. But what is perhaps more significant is that services such as Wiziq allow for a more collaborative and free flowing learning environment, which goes far beyond the traditional classroom teaching paradigm. Wiziq also uses the Paypal system, giving you a fast, safe and convenient way to collect payment from your students, no matter where they are. You even have the option to send invoices either before or after the classes.

If you are interested in hosting your own Web conference or perhaps a webinar, you’re going to need to have the software in order to be able to do it.  The easiest way for this to take place is to find a hosting provider that is available in case you all of the options that you need.  Two of the Web conferencing software is that we have used in the past include Gotomeeting and Webex.  Here is a brief comparison between these two excellent services.

The first thing that most people look for is a moneyback guarantee, and that really is something that is important.  Both Gotomeeting and Webex offers a 30 day moneyback guarantees which should give you plenty of time to be able to test out the system.  Both of the systems are comparable as far as pricing is concerned, with Gotomeeting coming in at about $10 less per month.  Both also offer a monthly price discount of about $10 if you purchase it for a year in advance.  If you plan on using them regularly, this is an excellent way for you to save a little money.

Most people tend to look more at the features that are available than at the actual price, especially whenever you are only talking about spending roughly $50 per month.  This can be quite an expense for somebody that only runs an occasional webinar or video conference but for people who do it on a regular basis, but the price is going to be negligible.

Both the Gotomeeting and Webex service allow you to share desktops between users.  This can either be done as you, the administrator shows your desktop as a training aid to the other people that are in the room.  It can also be set up so that they are sharing their desktops as well, giving input or perhaps demonstrating how they do something to the rest of the room.  That is what makes both of these services such an excellent teaching tool but it also requires that your visitors mute their phones to avoid background noise.

One of the reasons that we like Webex is because the client application that runs the entire service is very small and can work in a variety of different browsers.  This is an extremely user friendly service so it is an excellent choice for anybody who is running a webinar in which people who are not familiar with online meetings might be attending. Gotomeeting tends to be a little bit more friendly as far as pricing is concerned because you can have unlimited people attend each meeting.

All in all, either the Gotomeeting or Webex services can provide you with something that is very valuable to your business.  We would suggest that you give the online trials an opportunity to allow the services to speak for themselves.  It’s an excellent way for you to test them and to see which one you would like to use for the long term.

It wasn’t all that long ago that screen and presentation sharing were things that were straight out of a science fiction movie.  Now, screen sharing online is becoming a very common occurrence and in many cases, it is an important part of video conferencing that takes place between individuals and businesses.  This kind of desktop sharing is really something that is very important to people who are trying to get their message across to others through a PowerPoint presentation or perhaps even those who are trying to teach others how to use various parts of their computer over the Internet.

In reality, screen sharing is nothing really new and it is been going on for many years through a variety of different programs.  With the introduction of fast Internet and the fact that most businesses have access to it, real time screen and presentation sharing has become a reality in many settings.  It enables businesses to be able to expand their reach and to hold these special conferences with individuals within their business, even when they are telecommuting.  How is screen sharing typically done?

Typically, screen sharing programs are part of a larger program that may include video conferencing as well.  Any number of users can be connected at any given time and it allows them to see the desktop of a central computer which is also connected into the conference.  In real time, they are able to see the individual who is controlling the desktop open and close programs or do any number of things that can be done on an individual computer.  That is why it is such an effective tool in training people in a variety of different software applications or perhaps training them in other ways.

Another way that screen and presentation sharing is done is through the use of PowerPoint presentations or slideshows.  These can add another dimension to audio presentations which are quickly becoming something that is outdated.  Although many of these PowerPoint presentations are nothing more than a bulleted list which are being reviewed by the person running the video conference, it is an excellent way to drive the point home and many people find it much easier to follow.  It is also possible for photographs to be shared through the use of this type of presentation sharing.  This has a number of different personal and business applications.

Regardless of whether you use video conferencing on a regular basis or if you are only somebody who uses it on occasion, screen sharing can be an important part of the entire experience.  By putting together a presentation that is going to give an effective demonstration of what you are trying to show to the other users, you will have a much easier time getting your point across and making sure that they understand what you’re trying to say clearly.  It certainly is a tool that you should take advantage of if you have a need.