Experiences with Wimba Online Classroom

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Experiences with Wimba Online Classroom

• Susanne SchultzUSQ Law Librarian

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Overview

• What is Wimba Classroom?
• Why Wimba?
• Wimba Session Content Demonstration
• Benefits Limitations
• Tips Future Plans

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What is Wimba Classroom?

• Wimba Classroom is a live, virtual classroom, or
  online meeting room, in which people can interact
  by talking, listening, drawing, writing, using
  video or sharing applications and content
• Technical requirements
• Headset (Logitech or Plantronic - analogue)
  Webcam
• Internet connection, at least 56k (broadband for
  presenters)
• Windows 2000, at least 128 MB RAM (256 for
  presenters), IE 6.0 with Java

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Why Wimba?

• Institutional context
• Integrated within Moodle LMS
• USQ Law School initiative
• On off-campus equity
• 3 research modules in Legal Process Research

• Literature past experience
• Reduce isolation - engaging with staff other
  students
• Familiarisation with Library services
• Decrease frustration with using online resources
• More interactive than text chat static webpages

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Wimba Session Content

• Archived for students unable to attend
• 2 hr sessions plus set-up time
• Introductory session then instructional
  PowerPoint, application sharing, discussions
• Breakout room

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Wimba Demonstration

• Wimba recording without audio
• Wimba with audio

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Benefits

• Application sharing
• Ability to review recordings at leisure
• Synchronous interaction immediate feedback via
  raising hand, emoticons, polling, video
• Caters for learning styles, online collaboration
  sense of community
• Accessible - no difficult technical requirements
• Flexible - phone-in and text chat options
• Student numbers diversity

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Student Feedback

• I have listened to the most recent recorded WIMBA
  session on Statute law and it was very helpful -
  thank you. It was very good how you had the live
  interaction with the internet stuff, while you
  were talking - very impressive indeed!
• having actually done real-time searching on the
  on-line library resources with your guidance and
  having a recording of the session to refer back
  to, will be of great use throughout the rest of
  the semester.
• Between the Wimba sessions and the recorded
  lectures, it's the next best thing to being an
  on-campus student they have really assisted me
  in both the Case Note assessment and the on-going
  completion of the Research Diary.
• What wonderful technology to allow external
  students to feel part of the classroom.
• I am beginning to wonder how we managed in the
  1960's with no computers

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Limitations Challenges

• Technical difficulties (minor)
• Audio
• Connectivity
• Application-sharing
• Replaying the archive only downloadable as OGG
  file, problems with application sharing window,
  navigation
• Encouraging student interaction
• Multi-tasking

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What We Learnt - Tips

• Test equipment arrive early
• Practice session content, especially application
  sharing
• Organise assistance for large student numbers
• Seek feedback use hand-raising during
  sessions
• Run an initial familiarisation session for
  students

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Future Plans

• Drop-in Q A sessions
• More interactivity breakout groups, activities
  (separate sessions?)
• Pre-recording short resource demonstrations
• Other Wimba products e.g. voice boards
  recorder, podcaster
• What do students want? - survey

More Information www.wimba.com/products/wimbaclas
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