Virtual Conferences

[Lori Holcomb]

The other week we engaged in a virtual conference of sorts for our debate on one-to-one computing. Asides from our discussion last week, how many of you have been part of a meeting that has had a virtual component to it? What do you think are the pros of virtual meetings? The cons? Do you think the use of virtual meetings will redefine the way business is conducted, which in turn will impact education??

[Michael Cook]

I'll start by saying I really did enjoy our virtual debate. I felt it was a great way to reach out and connect personally (vocally) over an expanse of space. Before our experience, I was involved in one webinar, which for these purposes I'll say is related. I, however, did not enjoy that one. One person did almost all the talking, so it felt more like a class lecture over the internet. There was little interaction, and I lost interest quickly.

Regardless of that experience, I like the idea of virtual meetings and conferencing. Participants have the opportunity to use and work with brand new technologies and learn new skills. The need to come together and physically meet in one place disappears. As Anderson (1996) stated, virtual conferencing reduces the barriers users encounter to access one another and information. We can meet with anyone from any part of the country or any part of the world for that matter. Access can be instant and often. Another pro of virtual meetings is the reduction in cost of travel to attend a meeting or conference. Also, if conferences can be held online, there is no fee to physically house them. Jones (2000) suggests that many of the constraints on physical conferences disappear when they go virtual.

I do also believe there are a few cons to this issue. To me, there is something extra that comes with physical networking that can be lost online. As the reading for the week stated, virtual conferences are not given the same attention and coverage (perhaps even respect) as physical conferences.

As technology changes, society changes with it. These new ways to communicate and share information are already beginning to revolutionize the way businesses run, especially global business. I firmly believe everyone will buy in soon because it makes so much sense financially. As business changes, education, which seems to be a microcosm of the greater society (business driven), will adapt to meet the needs of the market place. We can already see this happening with the push in schools to teach 21st century skills and the new (global) literacies.

[Katrina Benton Donham]

I had not participated in a virtual discussion/debate prior to our class's debate a couple of weeks ago. I really enjoyed the experience; I thought Elluminate was a great tool for conducting and facilitating that debate on one-on-one computing. Here, are the pros that I saw:
-convenient (I debated in the comfort of my own home in my most casual clothes)
-great lesson in current technology (I hadn't even known/heard about the program used prior to the discussion)
-Elluminate items (such as the applause and raise hand buttons)
-accessible (so easy, I could've been anywhere with a computer and Internet and been able to actively participate)

Some cons:
-participant facilitation (I felt that at times folks' minds were racing to discuss/make a point and so they would often forget their idea/point when it was their turn to speak)
-time (the discussion lasted about two hours but I felt that many did not have the opportunity to voice their opinions)
-no physical representation (I think that many times,a discussion is more successful when you are able to look in the participants' eyes/body behavior to really read their thoughts on your opinions/ideas.)

I do think the use of virtual meetings will redefine the way business is conducted an dnot necessarily in a positive light. Body language is almost everything when you are mkaing a business deal, so if that is nonexistent; theircould potentially be some serious problems later down the road. However, the convenience factor weighs a great deal in this tool and I feel that more ground could be covered if its advantages are taken.

[Destiney Ross]

I remember several times during the Elluminate debate wanting clarification on someone's statement but I didn't want to interrupt the speaking order so my uncertainties went unaddressed. I also agree with the notion of relying on non-verbal communication skills during meetings of the minds, whether formal or informal.

[Tawnee Bounds]

My first video conference was while working in Corporate America about 15 years ago. The parent company (and manufacturing plant) was in Italy and the cutting edge technology (at that time) was installed in each of the sales offices. We did this to decrease travel costs and increase communication. It was very effective, and even with the poor quality of video it was not a problem to read the emotions and body languages. The cost then was much higher than it is now.
Elluminate is the only virtual conference I have been part of since that time. It was great to get to meet classmates and voice our opions on a specific topic. A definite step up from having all communication via text. Just adding voices to our Moodle profile pictures helps me learn more about other classmembers. I have not used a webcam yet, but I appreciated Dr. H demonstrating that at our Elluminate session.
I can totally see virtual meetings becoming more and more common in the future. The cons are definitely time and cost savers as well as flexibility (ability to multi-task at home, not fight weather or traffic). The cons are missing out on the social benefits (there is just something about shaking a person's hand during an introduction to learn a little about them).
Business as we know it is changing. As younger generations join the work force, they bring new energy and ideas. Some businesses must have face to face contact (hospitals, funeral homes, amusement parks, fitness centers), but many will join the world of e-business (on-line shopping, bill paying, banking, advertising, computer repair). I can only dream that maybe one day virtual exercise will remove the excess pounds.

[Destiney Ross]

Prior to the course’s initial debate over Elluminate, I had only participated in a formal virtual conference a time or two before. As a member of my high school’s School Leadership Team (SLT) we hired educational consultants/researchers to provide us with effective strategies to aid in the current implantations at our school. Every other month, we would meet when the representatives, based out of Colorado, would fly down for a visit. Of course, I don’t need to explain how costly those accommodations began to become so we opted for video conferences to take the place of our face-to-face meetings. The cost and convenience associated with meeting is definitely the main pro of establishing these virtual meetings. We were able to maintain the same format of our prior meetings during the video conferences so it was definitely a win-win situation for both parties. Equipped with the proper audio and video soft- and hardware, I cannot think of any possible cons of engaging in virtual conferences. This will reduce cost for businesses and later for education all while achieving the same goals that were initially established.

[Katrina Benton Donham]

Thanks for sharing your prior experience with virtual conferences...I definitely see how this can become a common practice in our future (heck, it almost is now).

[Scott Jewitt]

I have been involved in virtual conferences in other classes. While they require a bit more patience (the sites I used only allowed one person to speak at a time.) I think they are an excellent alternative for live meetings. Unlike email, you are talking live with one another and your tone of voice can be understood. I have had adverse responses to emails where the recipient did not get my joke, sarcasm, or implied tone of voice.

I think that conducting business could and can easily be redefined by virtual meetings. With the increasing availability of computers and the internet more and more people will be able to participate. Large business can save money by not paying for the transportation of key employees to attend a central meeting. I see this option similar in effect to a conference call but with added benefits. Conversations can be recorded through audio devices and reviewed at later dates, long-distance phone charges will not be incurred, and being able to divide members into private groups is a nice feature as well.

I'm not sure I see the same correlation to education yet. I do understand faculty meetings, large university collaboration, and international school communication could be enhanced. I suppose researchers from all over the world working on a single experiment or inquiry could easily meet and "talk." Perhaps teachers could attend professional workshops and career development conferences through virtual meetings...

[Katrina Benton Donham]

I agree with your doubt Scott, regarding virtual conferencing in the classroom, I'm not too sure how that would play out; however, I do feel that virtual conferencing could work very well for professional workshops/conventions.

[Jenny Buelin]

I'm about halfway through The World is Flat and (not to spoil it for anybody!) it's clear that virtual meetings already have redefined the way business is conducted. This is trickling down to education. I have experienced this in 2 ways: 1) PLTs (Professional Learning Teams) and 2) the Essential Standards rewrite committee for arts ed.

1) Wake County has restructured the entire instructional schedule to allow teachers to work in teams toward meeting clearly articulated goals for student achievement. Schools release students an hour early every single Wednesday so teachers can meet. Since I teach art and am the only art teacher on my campus, I am considered a 'singleton' and have the option to structure this time in whatever way I feel is best (my administration is FABULOUS!) as long as I am interacting for 1 hour on Wednesday afternoons with my PLT. Fortunately they are open to ideas like Skype and online chats, though I know that teachers elsewhere are being forced to adhere to much more rigid structures. It does not make sense for me to have to drive all over this huge county to meet with other teachers in person so virtual meetings are a great solution.

2) I am on a committee to rewrite the curriculum for middle school theatre in NC. Our members are scattered all over the state. On top of the inconvenience factor, there is NO money for travel this year, so DPI is forced to offer virtual options. We are using Ning as well as several virtual meeting venues to get this work done.

The recession has obviously been hard on education, but hopefully it is pushing many administrators to consider the advantages of 21st century technologies.

[Katrina Benton Donham]

Jenny, it was great reading your post and seeing virtual conferencing at work in our own backyard. I'm looking forward to exploring virtual meetings with fellow teachers when I get into the school system. I never really thought about how virtual conferences act as recession busters,too. Good point and good work on being a 21st century leader!

[William]

I have only engaged in a few virtual meetings, but have found myself in a number of situations where I had to use a different communication medium and wished for a virtual meeting. There are many benefits of virtual meetings for businesses today. Reduced travel costs and increased productivity as employees spend less time traveling are two obvious and important advantages. Since the meeting will most likely be digital, it's easy to record and archive the meeting for future reference. I believe the greatest strength of virtual meetings is the ability to have real-time discussions despite the distance of participants. This simply isn't available with email or wikis.

As technology has improved we've seen the addition of video, document sharing, and shared white board space. This can closely replicate many face-to-face meeting environments which at the least saves travel costs, and at best facilitates meetings that otherwise couldn't occur.

My wife manages a group with employees in RTP, Philadelphia, and the UK. Conference calls and virtual meetings are a staple of her work environment. Despite this, she travels frequently as there are many items that can't be covered in a virtual meeting. She also recognizes (and has the support of her company) that face-to-face human interaction is an important part of management and team building. Building camaraderie, promoting employee 'buy-in' to procedures, and communicating goals are all more easily accomplished with face-to-face contact.

Without a doubt, though, the pros of virtual meetings outweigh the cons. I don't think there will be an overt influence on education. Rather the act of meeting remotely will occur with greater frequency in education because it will be a tool that people are familiar with and choose to use.