VIDEOCONFERENCING … ONE GREAT TOOL, OF MANY IN THE TOOL BOX Bill Fricker; bill.fricker@shaw.ca Bonne Journee Strategies 780-473-1034

CwoB – Oct 31, 2008 Virtual Meeting Oct 31 – venues Four pillars + one hot topic Education Health care Rural economic development Quality of Life 1 st /last mile

Oct 31 – venues

Four pillars + one hot topic

Education

Health care

Rural economic development

Quality of Life

1 st /last mile

CwoB – My role re VC Director (from cinema director per Wikipedia) oversee creative aspects develop and carry out the vision conduct rigorous rehearsals work closely with the producer(s) approve camera angles, lens effects, lighting, and set design involved in writing, financing, and editing tell the story

Director (from cinema director per Wikipedia)

oversee creative aspects

develop and carry out the vision

conduct rigorous rehearsals

work closely with the producer(s)

approve camera angles, lens effects, lighting, and set design

involved in writing, financing, and editing

tell the story

CwoB – Oct 31, 2008 Virtual Meeting Oct 31 virtual meeting 22 VC sites 28 sessions Presenters at 14 Sites 5 session chairs 236 Registered participants 6.5 hours duration Print media (ppt handouts and reports) distributed in advance Simultaneous webcast Record sessions (archives &podcasts) Special Areas Video

Oct 31 virtual meeting

22 VC sites

28 sessions

Presenters at 14 Sites

5 session chairs

236 Registered participants

6.5 hours duration

Print media (ppt handouts and reports)

distributed in advance

Simultaneous webcast

Record sessions (archives &podcasts)

Special Areas Video

CwoB – Oct 31, 2008 Virtual Meeting Three VC tests GOA Bridge Business Link and NAIT – webcast and podcasts Elluminate Tech talk Session logistics Text archive Approximate map; some sites differed

Three VC tests

GOA Bridge

Business Link and NAIT – webcast and podcasts

Elluminate

Tech talk

Session logistics

Text archive

CwoB – Oct 31, 2008 Virtual Meeting Promotion E-mail power circles Radio stations’ blitz ACCESS TV Ropin the Web Call of the Land Agri-News 10 Government links Dozens of other associations

Promotion

E-mail power circles

Radio stations’ blitz

ACCESS TV

Ropin the Web

Call of the Land

Agri-News

10 Government links

Dozens of other associations

CwoB – Oct 31, 2008 Virtual Meeting Registered participant analysis {our demographics} Government - 3 tiers Education Adult K-12 Libraries Business Economic Development Health

Registered participant analysis

{our demographics}

Government - 3 tiers

Education

Adult

K-12

Libraries

Business

Economic Development

Health

Participating sites Education : Dave Hinger VcAlberta Lethbridge Video (7:27) PowerPoint First Mile : Mike Hocken Bell Canada Edson Video (4:46) PowerPoint Health : Dr Chris Sarin First Nations Elbow Valley Healing Lodge Video Part 2 (6:30) PowerPoint Welcome : Doug Griffiths, MLA Alberta ARD Edmonton Video (9:25) Economic Activity : Special Areas Video Hanna Video (6:10) Part 2 Quality of Life : Mayor Kevin Edwards Clicsite project Three Hills Video (9:13) PowerPoint Click on the Video and PowerPoint links to see some sample podcasts of our videoconference on “ Using rural connectivity to support Alberta’s rural development strategy ” or click on session title to view each one hour session in full.. Thank You Interviews (9:58) Close (8:03)

CwoB – Oct 31, 2008 Virtual Meeting Feedback Numerical scale – each topic area – generally positive feedback (3’s and 4’s on 5-point scale) Some comments: “ Very interesting day – very impressive exercise” “ Really makes it a small world!” “ Look forward to further involvement & participation” “ Appreciate that this VC conference was organized with so many good speakers” Continued on next slide

Feedback

Numerical scale – each topic area – generally positive feedback (3’s and 4’s on 5-point scale)

Some comments:

“ Very interesting day – very impressive exercise”

“ Really makes it a small world!”

“ Look forward to further involvement & participation”

“ Appreciate that this VC conference was organized with so many good speakers”

Continued on next slide

CwoB – Oct 31, 2008 Virtual Meeting Some comments, continued: “ I believe the event will become part of many discussions” “ The people in Hanna were very happy to have the printed handouts, as it was particularly difficult to see the Power point presentations on the VC” “ The use of Elluminate was very good … if any issues were to occur, we’d be back up shortly” “ Too bad that not every site muted their microphones … the background hum was loud”

Some comments, continued:

“ I believe the event will become part of many discussions”

“ The people in Hanna were very happy to have the printed handouts, as it was particularly difficult to see the Power point presentations on the VC”

“ The use of Elluminate was very good … if any issues were to occur, we’d be back up shortly”

“ Too bad that not every site muted their microphones … the background hum was loud”

CwoB – March 17, 2009 Inaugural Meeting VC differences (from Oct 31/08) 18 sites 3 plenary sessions 2.5 hours duration AGM and decision to form a society Different screen layout Dominant site – full screen Voice activity to change sites

VC differences (from Oct 31/08)

18 sites

3 plenary sessions

2.5 hours duration

AGM and decision

to form a society

Different screen

layout

Dominant site

– full screen

Voice activity

to change sites

CwoB – a Society … Mission: To improve access to and utilization of broadband technology by connecting community champions and assisting them in building capacity in Alberta communities. Vision: Looks toward the accomplishment of Broadband Connectivity that is value added, service oriented, easily accessible and responsive to the needs of the Alberta Community. Values: The Communities without Boundaries Board of Directors works in a collaborative and accountable manner, celebrating diversity, practicing open communication and respecting the diverse interests and perspectives of each member's autonomy and work outside of CwoB. www.communitieswithoutboundaries.ca

Mission: To improve access to and utilization of broadband technology by connecting community champions and assisting them in building capacity in Alberta communities.

Vision: Looks toward the accomplishment of Broadband Connectivity that is value added, service oriented, easily accessible and responsive to the needs of the Alberta Community.

Values: The Communities without Boundaries Board of Directors works in a collaborative and accountable manner, celebrating diversity, practicing open communication and respecting the diverse interests and perspectives of each member's autonomy and work outside of CwoB.

CwoB – Why the Tool Box Metaphor? (Aka Lessons Learned/Affirmed) VC should not be a 100% replacement of any previous mode Anticipate the best message/medium combination (choose the best tool for the job) Recording is great, but requires permissions to be obtained post-event processing host site to be found, and maintained note - avoid for meetings where speaking one’s mind is expected Continued on next slide

VC should not be a 100% replacement of any previous mode

Anticipate the best message/medium combination (choose the best tool for the job)

Recording is great, but requires

permissions to be obtained

post-event processing

host site to be found, and maintained

note - avoid for meetings where speaking

one’s mind is expected

Continued on next slide

CwoB – Why the Tool Box Metaphor? (Aka Lessons Learned/Affirmed) Establish maximum site information – i.e. Service Level Agreement (IT jargon) to identify and record – IP address, technical contact info, VC system info, contingency contact, etc. Know, and possibly integrate, web conferencing, Skype, and others from the growing cadre of free/near-free conferencing tools Engage and champion all VC sites; both Oct 31 and March 17 VCs had no “center stage” Continued on next slide

Establish maximum site information – i.e. Service Level Agreement (IT jargon) to identify and record – IP address, technical contact info, VC system info, contingency contact, etc.

Know, and possibly integrate, web conferencing, Skype, and others from the growing cadre of free/near-free conferencing tools

Engage and champion all VC sites;

both Oct 31 and March 17 VCs had

no “center stage”

Continued on next slide

CwoB – Why the Tool Box Metaphor? (Aka Lessons Learned/Affirmed) Recognize and contribute to the strong commitment among VC sites in Alberta to experiment and “grow the technology” Consider some face-to-face opportunities Regardless of the size of your VC event, allow for Direction (aka planning) Test, Test, and Test again , prior to the event; keep active contingencies available as much as possible and practical

Recognize and contribute to the strong commitment among VC sites in Alberta to experiment and “grow the technology”

Consider some face-to-face opportunities

Regardless of the size of your VC event, allow for Direction (aka planning)

Test, Test, and Test again , prior to

the event; keep active contingencies

available as much as possible and practical

CwoB – for further info … www.iccan.ca/ - innovative Communities Connecting and Networking www.vcalberta.ca www.2learn.ca/VCRLN/ Alberta’s Videoconferencing Regional Leads Network www.communitylearningcampus.ca/ http://www.canadabusiness.ab.ca/ The Business Link VC Bridge services – Government of Alberta K-12 – [email_address] Health care and Post Secondary – [email_address]

www.iccan.ca/ - innovative Communities Connecting and Networking

www.vcalberta.ca

www.2learn.ca/VCRLN/ Alberta’s Videoconferencing Regional Leads Network

www.communitylearningcampus.ca/

http://www.canadabusiness.ab.ca/ The Business Link

VC Bridge services – Government of Alberta

K-12 – [email_address]

Health care and Post Secondary – [email_address]

CwoB – for further info … www.cnie-rcie.ca/?q=node/164 Free online conferencing —audio, video, presentations, whiteboard and beyond (Fricker & Harapniuk) www.jofde.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/113 - Multimodal Curriculum Delivery in Distance Education (King & Fricker) www.bonnejourneestrategies.com several conferencing examples available www.communitieswithoutboundaries.ca numerous podcasts and ppt files of past VC sessions; plus additional information

www.cnie-rcie.ca/?q=node/164 Free online conferencing —audio, video, presentations, whiteboard and beyond (Fricker & Harapniuk)

www.jofde.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/113 - Multimodal Curriculum Delivery in Distance Education (King & Fricker)

www.bonnejourneestrategies.com several conferencing examples available

www.communitieswithoutboundaries.ca numerous podcasts and ppt files of past VC sessions; plus additional information

What’s next? A lberta A cts on C limate C hange Virtual Conference Tentatively planned for the first two weeks of March 2010 Key target participants Rural Albertans interested in climate issues … with an interest in expert opinions with opportunities for education and action business opportunities collaborations AACC AACC

A lberta A cts on C limate C hange Virtual Conference

Tentatively planned for the first two weeks of March 2010

Key target participants

Rural Albertans interested in climate

issues …

with an interest in expert opinions

with opportunities for education

and action

business opportunities

collaborations

AACC