Webinars

Definitions

• a training/dissemination event where material is presented live with video or audio or both. Opportunities for participants to ask questions, but limited interaction between participants and trainer. The webinar takes place synchronously for a fixed amount of time, usually short, with pre-registered participants.  Usually a 1 to many "classroom" experience, resulting a similar transmissionist delivery.

Structure

• The webinar can be delivered via a VLE/learning platform or a web browser.
• Audio channel can also be provided by delegate participation in a toll free telephone conference call.
• Presentation delivered using a shared whiteboard, or shared desktop
• Participants invited to ask questions, vote on questions, take the microphone, contribute to a shared whiteboard, or share their desktop. 
• The entire "session" can be recorded, archived and and reviewed at a later date.

Activities

• parallel chat room  - all to all or 1 to 1 private breakout "rooms"
• Delegate feedback;  via vote (show of hands), shared microphone, or whiteboard comments
• voting, resulting in a quick and simple histogram.
• A primarily passive experience - usually 1 step up from a well organised threaded discussion fora.

Evaluation/feedback

• open and closed questions
• quantitive & qualitative feedback
• collated survey

Platform

• JAVA interactive enabled web applications (Elluminate, Live classroom, Instant Presenter, ePOP, Adobe Breeze),
• Web2.0 tools (DimDim, Oovoo, Yugma, WEbex, Skype)
• A VLE with any of the above tools embedded.