Conducting Online Office Hours Using Wimba Classroom Jason Rhode, Assistant Director Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center

Do you hear the presenter? If yes, please select the button If no, please select the button for assistance For technical support, please call toll free (866) 350-4978 To dial-in for audio by phone (201) 549-7592 this is not a toll-free number PIN: 44200090

If yes, please select the button

If no, please select the button for assistance

General Guidelines Raise hand to ask a question or ask via text chat Please only click when asked to volunteer

Raise hand to ask a question or ask via text chat

Please only click when asked to volunteer

Agenda Brief introduction to Wimba Classroom collaboration tool Getting acquainted Why online office hours? 10 tips for smooth online office hours Configuring online office space using Wimba Classroom in Blackboard

Brief introduction to Wimba Classroom collaboration tool

Getting acquainted

Why online office hours?

10 tips for smooth online office hours

Configuring online office space using Wimba Classroom in Blackboard

Wimba Classroom Interface Content Frame Presenter’s Console Text Chat Frame Participant Frame Branding Frame Audio and Links

Maximize Your Screen Click this button

Wimba Classroom Overview Opportunities for live collaboration with and among learners

Opportunities for live collaboration with and among learners

Features Include Voice Presentations with PowerPoint Text Chat eBoard – Synchronous Virtual White Board Desktop / Application Sharing Web Sharing Polling Breakout Rooms Archives

Voice Presentations with PowerPoint

Text Chat

eBoard – Synchronous Virtual White Board

Desktop / Application Sharing

Web Sharing

Polling

Breakout Rooms

Archives

More Features… Accessibility eBoard Integration with Sympodium Presenter Video Sharing via Webcam Integration with Blackboard Import New Content On-The-Fly to Share

Accessibility

eBoard Integration with Sympodium

Presenter Video Sharing via Webcam

Integration with Blackboard

Import New Content On-The-Fly to Share

Where Are You Connecting From?

Why Online Office Hours? What benefits do you see to offering office hours online as opposed to face-to-face? What challenges or limitations do you foresee you might encounter?

What benefits do you see to offering office hours online as opposed to face-to-face?

What challenges or limitations do you foresee you might encounter?

Possible Reasons Flexibility “ Green” solution Less hassle (travel, parking, etc.) Time Savings Recreating successful elements of F2F communication online Ability to archive for future reference Comfortable means of communication for many students Others?

Flexibility

“ Green” solution

Less hassle (travel, parking, etc.)

Time Savings

Recreating successful elements of F2F communication online

Ability to archive for future reference

Comfortable means of communication for many students

Others?

Questions to Consider How are you currently using f2f office hours? What is your purpose for online office hours? Is attendance mandatory? What incentive do students have to attend?

How are you currently using f2f office hours?

What is your purpose for online office hours?

Is attendance mandatory?

What incentive do students have to attend?

What is Your Purpose? Answer student questions Introduction/conclusion to unit of study Online lecture/presentation Guest presentation Other?

Answer student questions

Introduction/conclusion to unit of study

Online lecture/presentation

Guest presentation

Other?

Why Use Wimba Classroom? Integration with Blackboard Screen sharing Access anytime/anywhere Instructor control of settings Breakout rooms for private discussions Archived audio can be exported as .mp3 and distributed as podcast for mobile access

Integration with Blackboard

Screen sharing

Access anytime/anywhere

Instructor control of settings

Breakout rooms for private discussions

Archived audio can be exported as .mp3 and distributed as podcast for mobile access

Example Use in Fully Online Course Office hours each week from 8-9pm Attendance strongly encouraged Session archived Roll call activity Introduction to the module offered “ Points to Ponder” Questions posed for synchronous discussion to stimulate asynchronous discussion Additional Q&A

Office hours each week from 8-9pm

Attendance strongly encouraged

Session archived

Roll call activity

Introduction to the module offered

“ Points to Ponder”

Questions posed for synchronous discussion to stimulate asynchronous discussion

Additional Q&A

Sample Welcome Slide

Sample Roll Call Slide

Top 10 Tips for Online Office Hours 10. Establish a consistent day/time 9. Set expectations 8. Be on time (early!) 7. Have a welcome slide on whiteboard 6. Practice before your first session 5. Have a plan B for when the technology doesn’t work

10. Establish a consistent day/time

9. Set expectations

8. Be on time (early!)

7. Have a welcome slide on whiteboard

6. Practice before your first session

5. Have a plan B for when the technology doesn’t work

Top 10 Tips for Online Office Hours 4. Archive the session 3. Have students prepare to participate 2. Encourage interaction throughout 1. Remind students of the availability of the sessions

4. Archive the session

3. Have students prepare to participate

2. Encourage interaction throughout

1. Remind students of the availability of the sessions

Demo in Blackboard How to configure a virtual office room How to place a link to the room in the Blackboard course navigation menu ** Please make sure your screen is maximized for optimal viewing of the demo**

How to configure a virtual office room

How to place a link to the room in the Blackboard course navigation menu

** Please make sure your screen is maximized for optimal viewing of the demo**

More Details www.niu.edu/blackboard/resources/wimbaclassroom.shtml

www.niu.edu/blackboard/resources/wimbaclassroom.shtml