Best and worst practices in web-conferencing

Dear Maja and Vesa

Thanks for the wonderful sync session yesterday. You both did great job to make everyone really be there :-). I underlined the word "effective" in the topic, and figure that participants have a significant role to make this forum meets the desired result/effect by giving their feedback. 

Herewith some reflections from a non-native participant :

-- I proved myself that Claudia's opinion was correct. For non-native participant, the best result could be gained from a blended learning process. For me personally it is like an earthquake natural process. it begins with a thread of 'foreshock' (in this matter a series of async sessions to wake up and to start the engine, this includes providing the handsout of ppt). then a,'mainshock' (in this case is the sync session), to make people engaged. then  'aftershock', another thread of async session (better with time limitation/deadline of the end time), as to release the rest of energy, to confirm the lesson and understanding, to ask further about the idea growing in the sync session. For participant, I do encourage to include the activity of see the playback, to have a comprehensive understanding.

-- the sync session for non native has extend to be longer than for native. in this point, effective could not be merely measured by the time span of the session. longer time is needed to adjust participant to the learning environment and let them feel comfort to jump in to the session. Similar to the presenter, for participant, be on time. It will bring additional nervosity for being late (like I had yesterday :-) .

-- Presenter should allow some silent in the beginning then welcome the questions/comments/ feedback which follow after (like I am doing right now :-) . In this point I proved Vesa's opinion was right. non native take times to reading and understanding slides, while listening to the presenter in one time, such a challange. It is wise to put the participant to the predictable environment by upload the slides before the session. Otherwise, they are questioning along the session while trying to adapt, and when they finally adapted, the session has over. But, exceptionally can be made. Once in a while, the session fully of "the unpredictable activities" that challange their creativity could be made. It will give another perspective and bring different excited feeling of being involved.

And, one impression for me, while others maybe put the OL session in secondary screen, and easily get the point of the session meanwhile doing something else, the non native participants should put it in the main screen intentionally and totally focus in it if they wish to get comprehensive understanding. That is why, probably the reason, we are selective in sync session, Such a challange, but for the session like yesterday, it is worthwhile to be done..

Congratulation Maja and Vesa, Thanks also for inspiring comments from all participants, I really learnt a lot..

Happy Weekend, all..