Details for virtual participants - Fall conference 2009

This year’s conference reaches out to a broader audience than ever before. We invite participation from any educator who seeks to discover, teach, and share with LEARN NC. In order to make this possible, the conference will take place virtually using Adobe Connect web-conferencing software. This means you can participate from anywhere Internet access is available.

The virtual section of the conference begins in the afternoon (See conference agenda). Virtual participants may join for the entire afternoon or for whatever portion of the virtual conference is convenient. All participants will log in to the Adobe Connect Classroom ten minutes prior to the opening session or ten minutes prior to the first session they will attend.

About web conferences

A web conference is an environment for bringing together individuals from different locations into a single virtual space. There are many web conferencing platforms, each with similar features and functionality. For the 2009 LEARN NC Interactive Conference, we’ll be using Adobe Connect Pro. This web-based software will allow you to see, hear, and interact with conference presenters who will be speaking from the LEARN NC offices in Chapel Hill.

Preparing for the conference

In advance of the Interactive Conference, please view LEARN NC’s five-minute Adobe Connect demonstration. This demo will introduce you to the layout of the virtual conference room and will describe the type of interactions that will occur during the afternoon virtual sessions.

In addition, you may also wish to view the short animated demo called “Participating in an Adobe Connect Meeting” on the Adobe Connect website. (Note: Although the video suggests otherwise, you will not receive an email with an individual username and password for the conference. You’ll receive the URL for the meeting room where you will enter your name at the prompt just prior to entry.)

If you’ve never participated in a web conference or webinar, we suggest you also take a look at the archive of the web conference The 2009 Horizon Report.” There is no need to view the entire archive, but take note of the interface and its component “pods.”

One week prior to the conference, we’ll share with registered participants more detailed information. In addition, we’ll provide specific instructions for how to function within the web conference at the beginning of each session.

Please test your computer at least one day prior to the event to ensure that you will be able to access the conference. For details on testing your computer, see the sections “What are the technical requirements?” and “How can I test my computer to make sure it will work properly with Acrobat Connect Pro 7?” from the Adobe Acrobat Connect Help page on the School of Education website. If you have never participated in a web conference or virtual conference, we suggest you review the section called “Participating in a Web Conference” to prepare for this event.

Technical requirements

Technical requirements for participating virtually via Adobe Connect are minimal. The only software you’ll need on your computer is a current version of Flash Player. To see whether your computer is equipped for connection, please see the section “How can I test my computer to make sure it will work properly with Acrobat Connect Pro 7?” on the Adobe Acrobat Connect Help page on the School of Education website. If the test indicates that you do not have the correct version of Flash Player, on-screen prompts will help you install the needed software.

At the hardware level, you’ll need a good set of speakers or a headset to hear the audio component of the virtual conference. With nothing more, you can hear, see, and pose questions and comments using the built-in features of the web-conferencing platform. If you think you’ll want to ask a question or make a comment audibly, then you’ll need a microphone as well (usually a part of computer headsets). If you don’t already have a microphone and/or headset, there is no need to go buy them. Built-in or external speakers will suffice for virtual participants.