CIL2010: Real Time Collaboration Tools

Real-Tine Collaboration Tools
Karen Huffman, Senior Applications and Database Administrator
Dan Alford, co-presenter and student
National Geographic Society

Google Apps: Docs & Sites, Mail, Calendars

National Geographics moved over to Google Apps, working with a cloud solution for a server that may be accessed at any time. They were specifically interested in having something in place with their disaster plan (the National Geographic offices are near the White House and after 9/11 the point was brought home this was worth exploring).

• Real-time collaboration
• Mashup of internal and external
• "Automatically builds in our disaster recovery/business resumption plan"
• Market place to enhance apps

Students in Karen's class is immersed in using Google App tools. They were required to use Google Docs, Google Calendar, Google Email, and Google Sites throughout the term. Course projects provided opportunity for students to take their tools into schools, in this case a charter school in DC, for real life experiences.

Skype, FreeConference Call, Pamela for Skype

Virtual discussions and conversations for knowledge. Recording sessions and offer other opportunities for people to meet together without physically having to be there.

Virtual Classrooms - Digital Collaboration Tools

Opportunity for face-to-face and virtual classroom conversation. There are financial issues with Webex are related to the number of people and length of time. DimDim is more cost effective, but there are limits. Saba (icon driven), Articulate, Adobe Connect, and Mikogo are higher-end. Often these higher-end products have free trial downloads.

Key Takeaways (final slide)

Plan: Build Your vision
Keep a perspective, communicate a plan, understand costs

Do: Grow Your Competencies
Play in a lot of sandboxes, visualize possibilities, take risks

Teach: Grow Other Competencies
Change is uncomfortable, don't underestimate the need for training, offer flexible formats

For more information and links to resources discussed during the presentation, view Karen Huffman's CIL bookmarks on delicious @ http://delicious.com/khuffman/2010cilcollaboration.