elearning: "To Speak or not to Speak"

Notes from the session on "To Speak or Not to Speak: Teaching Effective Speaking Totally Online.

Bucks County Community College
Mary Ellen Bornak
Georglyn Davidson
Cara Schollenberger, Kutzown University

Software:
OnSync
Digital Somba.com

Still debatable about meeting all requirements of public speaking. Format lends perhaps better for certain programs--i.e. business (where you might be doing webconferencing).

Technology requirements, skills needed to help students with online presentation skills besides the basic public speaking skills.

Framework shift: Need to consider what public speaking means now versus what it meant 10 years ago.

Considerations:
Make sure students understand course requirements (hardware: camera and microphone, fast speed, and HARDWIRED IN vs wi fied etc) and scheduling. 4 DATES YOU MUST BE IN SYNCHRONOUS ATTENDANCE. One tech day: get everyone into make sure their cameras are working, sound, lighting, mechanical issues, microphone settings, system check support from somba. (also on that day she starts giving considerations keep box small to keep bandwidth smaller, how to give speech online.)

MY IDEA: Discussion board about differences bewteen giving a speech face-2-face vs online (i.e. eye contact is shared F2F and online monofocused) or use other conferencing tool (WebEx--Illuminate?) that allows for electronic resource sharing --oops guess this program does that--good.

3 speeches (2 times for each: day speech and evening speeches) If you can't make it to those scheduled DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS.
1. Demonstration Speech 3-5 minutes
2. Informative 3-5
3 Persuasive 3-5

TWO HOUR BLOCKS 12:00-2:00 and ? 6:00-8:00

Presentation view you can have a powerpoint (but needs to be old version of powerpoint)

Powerpoint presentation goes into file folder in program that student can open when it is their turn.

During speech students can type content in chat box some use microphone for oral critique at end.

8 people is session can be broadcast, others are present and can see. CAP OF 20 students total!!!!! (liscense is for 30 concurrently in room but 8 is better for bandwidth etc.)

Offer dry runs
do sound and video checks
post directions and help contact in chat
have emergency backup help plan
Be careful of microphone feedback (have students turn microphone OFF while listening to other speeches)
Mindful of environment (quiet space, no pets or family for distractions, phone ringers off, background awareness, professionally dressed)

Pts (or points loss) for following rules (inconvenience group, video going in and out if wi fied)

speeches are archived by clicking "record" saves on somba website and then password protected. (Comes into liscenisng--can be saved on your server, they've contracted to have somba be hostsite for archiving)

Student responsibilities of student audience member give feedback if you're onview

Lessons Learned:
Things may go wrong
Students must take responsibility for their presenations
Spend time in preparation practice and planning

As instructor you HAVE TO MULTITASK (help students with powerpoints, watch who's going in and out of view, deal with technology of all group members (i.e. microphone levels)

Logitech 9000 webcam is what they recommend. Most headphones will work. Macs works really really well. Somba will offer support if students have trouble.

They are in the 2nd year of piloting and trying to decide if it meets the requirements of the class. They are still debating that issue on their campus.