Journal 4: Online Meetings

Through electronic mediums such as Elluminate, Flashmeeting, Skype/Skypecasts, Google Talk, etc. students, teachers, and, other professionals have the ability of communicating and interacting with one another virtually, via computer rather than traditional face to face meetings. Sites such as Google docs and the many more others like it, are web based learning and course administration and organization systems. The main function and purpose of the tool is to serve as an electronic learning, conferencing, and online collaboration device designed for use in an educational setting or other professional fields. Some of the variation of features included among some of these providers are: note taking features, two-way interactive video, archiving and automatic indexing of e-learning sessions, and organizational tools for teachers (pop-up announcements, sorting of participants by hand raising, timers, and other features), whiteboarding, and an assortment of other collaboration devices. Some of the benefits of the application of a tool like this, would be the paramount element of convenience and the time flexibility it gives its users. An electronic virtual format such as this, might also encourage and enhance the learning experience for shy students, or students who are less inclined to speak in a public environment. Since these student are now able to communicate and interact with teachers and peers virtually, they will be more likely to participate in class activities than before. I also commented on three peers’ tools; Ro’s tool wikis which are online collaborative websites. Where students can make/ edit their own pages and also work together with others to make pages. Joe’s tool interactive boards which are better digital versions of regular whiteboards. …”Lessons can be recorded on them and saved for students that may have been absent, built-in maps, teaching whole group computer or keyboarding skills, digital story telling, brain storming, creating project calendars, diagramming activities, teaching steps to a math lesson, and many other uses.” And Fernando’s tool screen casting which is a tool used to record the user while going through the steps of a computer application or anything else. Very useful for making online tutorials.