Virtual Classroom thoughts – part one what do I use?

Hmm! Wonder if I could get hooked on this blogging thing? I’m not much of a written reflector – these things usually happen in my head (often when driving to/from work) and not on the computer/piece of paper. So I thought maybe I would write about using virtual classrooms – as my role involves me in using vc as a lecturer and also in teaching and facilitating colleagues in using vc. However I have so much to say about these that it seems like a good move to write a series of posts. So – for those of you old enough to remember TinTin and Snowy you can look forward to the next thrilling instalment of Jo’s adventures with virtual classrooms at regular (sort of!) intervals!

Elluminate participant screenAnyway – just a bit about the VC I mostly use. This is Elluminate – it’s the one I use because here in Western Australia the Dept of Training makes it available for TAFE and as we are effectively paying for it, it makes sense to use it.

However for me there are also other reasons why I like Elluminate:

1) You can go in to a support linkand subsequently a configuration room and set up your system and also see what your screen will look like when you are logged in to a session (I just – today – tried to do the same with Adobe Connect and couldn’t find similar. It also told me I only had modem speed – I’m on broadband – but didn’t tell me whether that meant I couldn’t join a session)

2) I have accessed Elluminate help/support several times taking a ticket after accessing the self-help portal – mainly for student issues as every student has a different system configuration, and may have any connection (eg broadband, dialup, satellite, internal network). Elluminate support have always been extremely helpful and very professional – also they often can supply an answer overnight due to time zone differences

3) I am personally comfortable with the way it works – in common with all applications/tools there are things which irritate me but on the whole I am happy with far more than I am unhappy with.

Next post about Elluminate will look at some of the tools and the ways of using them that seem to work for me!!