Using videoconferencing in the classroom

An interesting article about incorporating guest speakers into classrooms using Skype or a virtual classroom tool (Adobe Connect) and a new Skype service for educators to trade tips and tricks, called "Skype in the classroom."
http://chronicle.com/article/New-Question-for-Professors-/126073/?sid=wb&utm_source=wb&utm_medium=en

(Thanks to Alistair for this link)

Online conferences

Last weekend I participated in the MERLOT conference (Multimedia educational resource for learning online and teaching) in San Jose in California - but as a remote delegate. This meant that I

• joined in to live keynote sessions using virtual classroom software (Elluminate) with a web cam on the speaker and the slides interacting via chat
• participated in smaller breakout sessions interacting via chat and voice, and
• created my Second Life alter-ego Eliamber Keger to get to some sessions in Second Life learning spaces
• have access to recordings of the main sessions, as well as other resources.

Main problem - time difference - the sessions ran from 12 midnight to 9 am. I was okay the first night but reverted to recorded sessions afterwards.

I noticed that there is another online conference coming up that is relevant to our Division - the International Joint Conferences on Computer, Information, and Systems Sciences, and Engineering (CISSE 09). Fully online on December 4 - 12, 2009.

Find out more here http://cisse2009online.org/