1. Developing a Virtual
Conference
Liz Kolb
Copy of
Presentation &
University of Michigan
Liz’s Contact:
Send a new text: @lkolb
50500
elikeren@umich.edu
In Message:
Kolb

2. Concerns with K12 professional
development for teachers?
http://tinyurl.com/952a2b
e

3. Current PD Concerns
• Cost
• Event not Process
• Majority Rules
• Lack of Community

4. My specific Problem
• Thousands of UofM School of Education
Alumni
– All over the world
• No way to keep them connected and give
them PD
• State requirement for teacher training:
virtual teaching

5. Experience #1
• K12 Online Conference
http://k12onlineconference.org/

7. Experience #2
Michigan State Face-to-Face Education
Technology Conference

9. Experience #3

10. Idea…
=

11. Potential for Schools
• Develop community of learners
• Involve parents, community, alumni
• On-going PD at your own pace
• Authenticity
• Low to no cost
• Express yourself

12. Must by Synchronous…
• Real time collaboration
• Archived for Self Pace
• Networking Possibilities

13. 0

14. Step 1: Committee
• Looked at websites for other conferences
• Form a committee of teachers, community
members and students
• Develop simple goals
• Determine time frame
• Determine budget = 0
• Conference theme/focus

15. Step 2: Investigate FREE
Virtual Rooms

17. Vyew

18. Live Minutes

19. Yugma

20. Brainshark

21. Anymeeting

22. StartMeeting

23. DimDim

24. Synchronous Rooms for Free
• Google Hangout (on air)

25. 10 total

26. YouTube
Once recordings are in Youtube (from
Hangouts OnAir) you can
annotate, comment and edit!

28. Supplement Larger Sessions
Elluminate.com (Blackboard Collaborate)

29. Step 3: Developing a FREE
Website

32. Step 4: Data Collection Google
Drive
• Registration Forms
• Call for Proposals
• Sessions at a Glance--Spreadsheet
• Post Session Surveys
• Post Conference Surveys
*Embed into Conference Website

33. Step 5: Extras
• Offer free CEUs
• Virtual Job Conference

34. Step 6: Advertising the
Conference

35. Google+ Events

36. Twitter Feed

37. Facebook

38. Send to all advertisers at once
PixelPipe

39. Reviewing and commenting on
proposals

40. Session Sign Up Google
Calendar

41. Discussion Form
• Google Groups

42. Preparing Presenters
• Video Tutorials
• Encourage them to use Google
Presentations or Screenshare

43. Conference Moderators
Students

44. Conference Moderators
Protocol
Before Sessions
• Email your Presenters by May 13th
• Introduce yourself
• Tell them you will be introducing them via their bio that they submitted
• Offer to help upload materials, moderate chat room, answer Elluminate or Hangout
questions (send by May 21st)
• Ask them to send you a copy of their presentation (back up!) (send 24 hours prior to
session)
• Remind them that you will be in their session 20 minutes before the presentation
• Remind them that they can practice with Elluminate via the link that was sent to them
in their email.

45. In Session
• Log in 20 Minutes before the session begins
• Upload Movies (first…they take the longest)
• Upload PowerPoint and Images
• Upload Moderator PowerPoint (if not integrated into presenter PowerPoint)
• Have weblinks ready to copy and paste to chat room
• Test your microphone
• Test your presenters microphone
• Welcome participants as they enter (remind about CEUS---long in for all 60 minutes with full
name)
• Click on Record button if not already going
• Start on time (use timer if you like)
• Click on Mic
• Go over Moderator Introduction Slides
• Remind them that information for CEUs are posted on the 4T Conference Website
• Introduce the speaker (with bio)
• Click OFF the mic for yourself so the speaker can present
• Moderate chat room as needed (compile some questions that you can ask presenter at end if
there is time)
• End of presentation…click on Mic and ask presenter questions (if time)
• Paste in link to presenter evaluation in chat room (Evaluation links for each presenter are in the
Google Schedule on the 4T Schedule Page http://4tvirtualcon.soe.umich.edu/?page_id=54 ), find
the link for your session and paste it into the chat room.
• Thank presenter and participants
• Reminder participants to “close out” of session

46. Hints and Tips
• Moderator in every conference room
• Moderator practices with session presenter prior to
conference
• Online tutorials (screencasts we use
Screencastomatic.com) and live tutorials for presenters
• Record every session (Hangout to Youtube)
• No more than 3 sessions at one time
• Have 15-30 minutes between sessions
• Offer CEUs if possible
• Mobile Apps work for most of the Google tools

47. Funding Options
• http://www.getedfunding.com/
• http://grantwranger.com
• Local companies
• Google Donate Widget

48. ?’s
http://4tvirtualcon.com