Leveraging Wimba Pronto in Teaching and Learning at Grand Rapids Community College

Agenda Communication Challenges & Opportunities What is Wimba Pronto? Live Demo Pronto at GRCC Discussion

Communication Challenges & Opportunities

What is Wimba Pronto?

Live Demo

Pronto at GRCC

Discussion

Communication Challenges Challenges: 15,000+ students that all commute , have jobs , and in many cases families . Scheduling conflicts occur for out of class experiences and group activities. Multiple campuses with the majority of campus services located at main campus. Tutorial lab and other academic support service hours are limited . Online courses require a unique set of communication capabilities. Adjunct faculty have limited office space and on campus presence.

Challenges:

15,000+ students that all commute , have jobs , and in many cases families .

Scheduling conflicts occur for out of class experiences and group activities.

Multiple campuses with the majority of campus services located at main campus.

Tutorial lab and other academic support service hours are limited .

Online courses require a unique set of communication capabilities.

Adjunct faculty have limited office space and on campus presence.

Communication Opportunities Opportunities: Blackboard and Wimba Pronto provides a seamless way for faculty, staff, and students to communicate and collaborate online. Flexible online office hours and informal communication opportunities provide better ways for students to keep in personal touch, see who is online, and connect with professors. (Whos Online & Instructor On Demand) Wireless campus network can enable students to make use of out of class time and increase student engagement and motivation outside of the classroom. Extend reach of main campus services and hours. (Help Desk, Tutoring, Internet Staff Communication) Online courses benefit from real time connection and interaction. ONE single unifying system for course and campus service communication. Many new capabilities can be explored, such guest speakers from around the world.

Opportunities:

Blackboard and Wimba Pronto provides a seamless way for faculty, staff, and students to communicate and collaborate online.

Flexible online office hours and informal communication opportunities provide better ways for students to keep in personal touch, see who is online, and connect with professors. (Whos Online & Instructor On Demand)

Wireless campus network can enable students to make use of out of class time and increase student engagement and motivation outside of the classroom.

Extend reach of main campus services and hours. (Help Desk, Tutoring, Internet Staff Communication)

Online courses benefit from real time connection and interaction.

ONE single unifying system for course and campus service communication.

Many new capabilities can be explored, such guest speakers from around the world.

What is Wimba Pronto? (Basic Version) Instant Messaging Audio Chat Group Chat Classmates Tab Contacts Tab Status

Instant Messaging

Audio Chat

Group Chat

Classmates Tab

Contacts Tab

Status

What is Wimba Pronto? (Full Version) Instant Messaging Audio Chat Group Chat Classmates Tab Contacts Tab Status Office Hours Chat Queuing Application Sharing Web Video Conferencing School Tab Instant School-Wide Notifications

Instant Messaging

Audio Chat

Group Chat

Classmates Tab

Contacts Tab

Status

Office Hours Chat Queuing

Application Sharing

Web Video Conferencing

School Tab

Instant School-Wide Notifications

LIVE DEMO

Benefits of Pronto vs. AIM, ICQ, etc. Why Pronto? Easy to Use! Classmates Auto Populated Builds Rapport and Connections with Students Common Platform for Academic Contacts Integrated with Blackboard Courses and Organizations Instructor Overrides and User Preferences Don’t have to be Logged into Blackboard Ability to Link Multiple Sites It’s Better!

Why Pronto?

Easy to Use!

Classmates Auto Populated

Builds Rapport and Connections with Students

Common Platform for Academic Contacts

Integrated with Blackboard Courses and Organizations

Instructor Overrides and User Preferences

Don’t have to be Logged into Blackboard

Ability to Link Multiple Sites

It’s Better!

Wimba Pronto at GRCC - Looking toward the future… Emergency Notifications & Campus Closings Targeted Messaging Expanding Help Desk & Tutoring Providing Library Support Encouraging Faculty/Students Web Client & Mobile Support? More Collaborative Tools? Web-based IM? It’s only the beginning... “ I’ll Pronto you…” is becoming a campus phrase!

Emergency Notifications & Campus Closings

Targeted Messaging

Expanding Help Desk & Tutoring

Providing Library Support

Encouraging Faculty/Students

Web Client & Mobile Support?

More Collaborative Tools?

Web-based IM?

It’s only the beginning...

“ I’ll Pronto you…” is becoming a campus phrase!

Thank YOU!

Q & A