Resources for accessing NET*Working2004

You may have heard that the online conference NET*Working2004 will be using a variety of software, some of which is new to many of us. Elluminate with its capacity for live voice & text chat, and sharing of data like websites, images and other files, is one of these and was certainly new to me.

It seems to need quite some lead time to both download it and then to feel confident using it. So I’ve compiled here some links which may be of assistance.

Why would you want to use Elluminate?

Ø     To access many of the live events during NET*Working 2004

Ø     To hold virtual meetings with colleagues and co-presenters (one group used it last week for an hour which only cost each of us our own download time. A similar teleconference the week before had cost us $270 for an hour and without visuals!)

I have found the best way to start is to go to the archive of the launch of Edition 5 of The Knowledge Tree which used Elluminate software through the virtual organisation known as Learning Times. This can be found at: http://home.learningtimes.net/learningtimes?go=425787

The benefits of this approach are:

Ø     you’ll be prompted to join Learning Times (free, a bit like our Community but based in the US);

Ø     you’ll have to download Elluminate which you’ll need to do before the conference anyway;

Ø     you’ll see a demo of what the whole thing looks like.

The topic discussed in this presentation is Blogging & RSS feeds and it goes for an hour. I would recommend starting it then fast-forwarding for about 15 minutes where the presenters start to take you through various websites. This method of getting into the whole thing has worked for quite a few people but I guess it depends on your learning style. I have now included other resources and you can choose your own entry point to this fascinating software.

Michael Coghlan’s resource for potential online presenters: http://users.chariot.net.au/~michaelc/nw2004/presentation_types.htm

A timetable of practice times for Elluminate:

http://www.my.calendars.net/nw2004

This is Michael Coghlan’s virtual office in Learning Times. The place to go when the above practice sessions are on:

http://home.learningtimes.net/learningtimes?go=235631

Sometimes it looks like you can’t get past first base when downloading Elluminate. You can always trouble-shoot on www.elluminate.com but a tip that I found useful was to Delete Files from your Temporary Internet Folder, under Tools – Internet Options, once you are in your web browser. No harm done but means that this program can load.

If you have any questions about material on this page, or about designing events for NET*Working 2004 please contact Michael Coghlan - michaelc@chariot.net.au or 0417 899 912

NET*Working 2004 Conference Site - http://flexiblelearning.net.au/nw2004/