Conducting an online graduate-level course poses many technological challenges that aren’t often experienced in e-Learning, which typically involves undergraduate-level students watching slideshow presentations. Not only were the students of Theory and Practice of Collaborative Fisheries Research course expected to view lectures synchronously, they were expected to verbally contribute to discussions in the online classroom, and occasionally present their own lecture. Outside of the classroom, PIs hoped to provide a private social networking space for students to interact with the goal of developing a future cohort of professional researchers interested in working collaboratively with industry. Following a needs and goals assessment, technologies were chosen that resulted in an overall successful solution. This presentation will review the considerations, opportunities, and challenges of conducting an online experience to mimic in-person education and networking.

1. Educational Technology in
Practice
Distance Learning,
Social Networking, and
Professional Cohort Development

2. Who am I?
Hello!
I’m Janet Krenn, a
Communicator with
Virginia Sea Grant.
• Writer/editor
• Project manager
• PR professional
• Videographer/photographer
• eLearning/Development beginner

3. Who am I not?
• An IT professional
• A computer whiz
• An A/V specialist
• A web designer or developer
… but I know enough to be dangerous!

4. eLearning Considerations
e Continuum of Difficulty
Easy Challenging
• Asynchronous • Synchronous
• Few people • Lots of people
• Few inputs • Many input points
• Observers • Active participants

5. eLearning Considerations
e Continuum of Difficulty
DropBox Skype PolyCom
Blackboard Web Conference
Easy Challenging
• Asynchronous • Synchronous
• Few people • Lots of people
• Few inputs • Many input points
• Observers • Active participants

6. Our Considerations
e Continuum of Difficulty
• Synchronous class
• Moderate number of Web Conference
people - 8
• Many input points
– 8 computers
– 5 locations
– 4 time zones
• Active participants

7. Our Considerations
• Interactivity
“How do you promote seminar quality
discussion?”

8. Our Considerations
• Interactivity
“How do you promote seminar quality
discussion?”
• Accessibility and Flexibility
“How do you link 8 people, from 8
computers, in 5 locations with limited
equipment or IT support?”

9. Our Considerations
• Interactivity
“How do you promote seminar quality
discussion?”
• Accessibility and Flexibility
“How do you link 8 people, from 8
computers, in 5 locations with limited
equipment or IT support?”
• Ability to Archive
“How can you easily record discussions
and store more or less indefinitely?”

10. Web Conferencing Solution
• Adobe Connect became the obvious
choice
– Allowed for seminar quality discussion.
• Multiple webcams, microphones
• Chat, hand raising backup
– Accessible and flexible.
• Anywhere you have internet
• Minimal equipment
– Ability to archive classes.

11. Adobe Connect

12. Web Conferencing Challenges
• Troubleshooting
• Audio
• Archiving
• Equipment

13. Web Conferencing Opportunities
• Graduate-level experience
• Invite, engage remote presenters
• Students develop familiarity
• Technology is improving

14. eNetworking Considerations
e Continuum of Difficulty
Existing Ning BuddyPress, DIY
eNetworks
• Do we need a private, closed space?
• How experienced are our users in social
media?
• What kind of functions would users like?
• What kind of functions do users need?
• What do we expect users to do in the social
space?

15. eNetworking Considerations
e Continuum of Difficulty
BuddyPress, DIY
• BuddyPress
– Students didn’t already have a favorite social
network
– BuddyPress is self-hosted and completely modular

16. BuddyPress

17. eNetworking Challenges
• Customization
• Training
• Hosting
• Planning
– “Community Building on the
Web” by Amy Jo Kim
• Leading

18. eNetworking Opportunities
• Customization
• Relationship building
• Information/experience sharing
• Future mentoring

19. Thank you!