Your Web 2.0 Review Series #7: Online Meeting Software and Services

This is the seventh in a series of forum posts asking for feedback on the software and services around the different categories of Classroom 2.0 programs. This time it's online meetings: Elluminate, Flashmeeting, Skype/Skypecasts, Google Talk, etc. I'm particularly interested in desktop sharing, video capability, and threaded discussions.

Which are your favorites and why?
What features are important to you?
(If you're feeling verbose) What are the pros and cons of the programs you've tried?

Hopefully, these discussions will provide an unparalleled reference for new users making choices about what tools to use.

Tags: meetings, reviews

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Permalink Reply by Bill Brennan on November 22, 2008 at 8:03am

absolutely...even with a 10 week old at home...i cant stop playing and learning

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Permalink Reply by Aparna Vashisht on July 11, 2009 at 12:28am

Wow, this is a great discussion. Reading it is a pleasure.

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Permalink Reply by bspies on July 2, 2009 at 6:46pm

I am definitley a jump before you look kind of gal. I have just started with some Web 2.0 tools this year. I tried using Skype in my classroom. we had an author in. I could have made it more engaging but it was still cool. I am facinated with Eluminate and the programing tat is made available through Classroom 2.0 I think it would be great if programing could be offered to classrooms on the same scale. Are there any sites that have regular speakers that a classroom could take part in. I have not yet tried eluminate other than the programing through Classroom2.0The cost seems a little prohibitive for small districts. I would love to hear how people are using it it.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Mirtschin on July 3, 2009 at 5:03am

I would love a list of people who will come in virtually to classrooms as well. Who was your author and how did you get onto them. I use elluminate in my classroon. As I liv ein Australia, we had various Melbourne Symphony Orchestra musicians come in virtually and teach my students about their insturments and the physics of their instruments over a 10 week program. That was part of a massive grant and sponsorship.
I am now starting to use elluminate in my classroom with my year 11 and 12 accounting students as I find is so very engaging for them. The will use the chat to interact and say when they do not undertand etc.
So, I started using it with year 8s as well at the end of last term and will work it much harder this term in IT.

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Permalink Reply by Edward Jonathans on November 17, 2009 at 10:30am

I'm affiliated with is eBehavior CMS™, founded by my Positive Coaching Alliance [a .org spin-off of Stanford University Athletic Dept.] mentor and colleague Steve Henderson. It is the fruit of an idea he conceived while on a Fulbright scholarship trip abroad to study Int'l .edu best practices.

eBehavior CMS™ [Classroom Management System] is a Software as a Service [SAS] tool used to implement and track a consistent, school wide behavior policies focused on positive recognition. eBehavior CMS™ has been launched across numerous Silicon Valley school campuses because it SIMPLIFIES the process of classroom management for administrator, teachers and PARENTS while reducing the burden of managing behaviors disruptive to educational attainment. These schools are able to raise student self-directedness and forethought towards POSITIVE classroom behaviors and educational achievement.

eBehavior SIMPLIFIES the process of Classroom Management for Administrator, Teachers and PARENTS so we catch students _DOING THINGS RIGHT_. These positive reinforcements help them to overcome learning difficulties and disruptive self-limiting behaviors. eBehavior is being acknowledged by San José State University Department of Elementary Education's new Center for Reaching and Teaching the Whole Child.

As many of you will agree, this is a highly disruptive tech solution that establishes a community culture recognizing parents, teachers and administrators must acknowledge and reward the students' positive academic and social behaviors in real-time.

... I like to call it the ultimate school-based social networking app ;-D

Attachments:

eBehaviorCMS_Datasheet_20090804.pdf, 107 KB

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Permalink Reply by Kirsten Winkler on November 19, 2009 at 5:50am

My favourite tools at the moment:

WiZiQ is the best virtual classroom out there right now. They recently implemented screensharing and a even better VoIP quality.

Dabbleboard is the best whiteboard. You can set it up in a couple of seconds. It's stable, fast and easy to use. Great in combination with Skype.

And on the rise is Mingleverse a 3D chat room with video and presentation function and an awesome 3D voice client.