What is it? A webinar is a web conference, a web-cast, live meeting or a web seminar. It began as a one-way (partticipants are passive) and has now evolve in two-way communication system. Participants in different locations “login” to the meeting host via their computers and watch the meeting on their screens. It can consist simply of a PowerPoint presentation. Or a podcast. Or streaming video. Or a nice and engaging combination together with a facilitator who manages the learning and communications process. Indeed, the texty web message boards and forums of yesteryears have now seamlessly converged with other technologies like telephony, podcasting, streaming videos, chats, twitter, etc. Depending on the host, webinars can allow extra features like having a participant hide from the others attending the same seminar. Simply, they have become more accessible to normals like you an me. Here are two infobytes that can open the webinar opportunity for you.
To do good in Webinars, Julia Young of Facilitate Proceeding dished out five great tips for those amongst us wanting to become better web presenters and facilitators. The original five included: (a) design your agenda with a distracted participant in mind, (b) give out slides in advance – review briefly and then start asking provocative questions, (c) skip the video – prepare for a good dialogue between a moderator and expert, (d) don’t compromise the interactive learning portion of your workshop, and (e) look for ways to engage your participants before and after. Get more on her site. She has just expanded the list with additional 15 more tips. We found two that are worth noting, even if you are not an online presenter. These are: (a) think like a facilitator and not a speaker or presenter and (b) develop virtual platform skills. Continue reading. She has also invited visitors to join her webinars, perhaps a good way to usher you in to this opportunity for facilitators.
Can we now mount webinars on the web? The answer is a resounding yes. And perhaps even much sooner than you think. Gone are the days when we needed a well equipped studio, a lighting crew, sound engineers and Hollywood editors, and so on. Now, a laptop (most of them comes with cameras too), a free software, and a host site could do the trick. Will the learning and enablement take time? You can invest one to two months spread over a year depending on your spare time. Yes it is easier said than done. However, if you have the patience, talent, and motivation, here are three baby steps to get you started. Now! First, get to know streaming technology. This site is a good intro and visit others too. Second, download a free software, play a bit and learn to use it. Third, rehearse! Recall Julia’s tips. Now continue practicing doing your own webinars. This could be just another opportunity for online facilitators, waiting to be tapped.
