Transcript My Elluminate - Muhlenberg College

Using
Elluminate & Skype
with Language
Instruction
Luba Iskold & Nancy LeVan
October 25, 2010
Elluminate and Skype
in the Language Classroom
• Instructional Materials
– Audio
• Textbook CDs
• Instructor & student recordings
• Songs
– Video
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•
•
•
•
Textbook DVDs
Student-produced videos
YouTube clips
SCOLA segments
Dish TV clips
Elluminate and Skype
in the Language Classroom
• Instructional Materials
– Blackboard materials
• Handouts & tutorial documents
• PowerPoint presentations
• Images and Internet links
• Chalkboard explanations and illustrations
Elluminate
Creating and Running
Sessions
Create a session
1. At elluminate.com,
click My Elluminate
and login
2. To create a
session, click
Schedule a Meeting
3B. Fill all Basic Fields & click
Show Invitees (Option B)
Invite people
1. To invite a new contact, fill in
the blanks and Create the Invitee
2. Select
contacts &
add them
as Chair or
Non-Chair
3. When
finished, go
to the topright and
Create the
Session
Join a session
• Immediately: via the Elluminate website
or
• Later: open the email invitation
Note: An email invitation will be
automatically sent to each participant,
including the moderator
Software Overview
Menus & shortcut buttons
Enable/disable functions
for individual participants
Polling buttons
Chat box – type here
Switch whiteboard
“pages”
Whiteboard tools
Custom size/color/font
options appear below
when using certain tools
Turn microphone on/off
and control volume levels
Desktop Sharing
Share a single
application,
or your entire
desktop
While sharing the desktop, the quality of video and
audio files is poor. Better quality can be achieved by
emailing files or links to students, or by uploading
them to Blackboard.
Share Websites, Documents,
PowerPoints, and More!
Pedagogical Uses
• Invite guest speakers from remote locations
• Host online study sessions, office hours, and
discussions
• Save whiteboard notes for later review
– Post a copy of your virtual whiteboard to Blackboard or
send to students via email
• In special situations, enable students to attend
class from remote locations
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–
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Tutoring
Independent study
Summer study & research
Continuation of academic work while studying abroad
Pros & Cons
• Pros
– Geared toward teaching and learning
– Many features integrated into a single program
– Students and guest speakers do not need accounts
– The software is installed automatically upon first use
– Instructors moderate discussion
Pros & Cons
• Cons
– The college must pay for a subscription
– Cluttered interface with too many buttons
– Time is needed to become familiar with the software
– Sessions must be scheduled in advance
– Participants must be invited ahead of time
– Invitations clutter email inboxes
– The best audio quality is achieved by turning
microphones on/off each time someone speaks,
which is a distraction in a classroom setting
Skype
Technology Update
Skype for Windows
• Calls with video & audio
– New: Group video calls (Free trial)
• Desktop sharing
• Instant Messaging
• File sharing
• Integrated access to your
Facebook newsfeed and
contacts
Skype for Mac OSX
• Calls with video & audio
• Coming soon: Group
video calls
• Share your desktop
• Instant Messaging
• File sharing
Pedagogical Uses
• Group & one-on-one calls
– Invite guest speakers from
remote locations
– Host study sessions, office
hours, and online
discussions
– Enable students to attend
class from remote locations
– Up to 25 audio conference
call participants
• Save a group as a contact
– Quickly contact all students
in a class
Pedagogical Uses
• Instant Messaging
– Interact with students
– Keep a discussion log
• Send files through Skype
• Share your desktop
– Show Blackboard materials
– Show websites
– Play videos or audio files with minor quality loss
• Access your Facebook newsfeed and contacts
– Communicate with students or guest speakers that do not
have Skype accounts
Pros & Cons
• Pros
– Free!
– Easy to use, intuitive interface
– Spontaneity: No need to send invitations or schedule
meetings in advance
– No need to turn microphones on/off when speaking
– Less disruptive to classroom instruction
– Runs in multiple languages
Pros & Cons
• Cons
– No integrated whiteboard; however, any drawing
program can be run while sharing your desktop
– Every participant needs to create an account and
download the software