Conducting Online Office Hours Using Wimba Classroom

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

General Guidelines
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

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

Features Include
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

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?

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?

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?

What is Your Purpose?
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

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

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

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

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**

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

http://www.slideshare.net	12
http://www.jasonrhodephd.com	6
http://www.facdevblog.niu.edu	5
http://facdevblog.niu.edu	2
http://srv-sundown.cas.suffolk.edu	1
https://umcptest9.blackboard.com	1

Conducting Online Office Hours Using Wimba Classroom

by Jason Rhode on Oct 17, 2008

Accessibility

Categories

Tags

Upload Details

Usage Rights

6 Embeds 27

Statistics

Conducting Online Office Hours Using Wimba Classroom — Presentation Transcript