Live Presentation Systems
For outstanding two way communication, these two pricey web-based live presentation systems have been developed with the latest in technology - HorizonLive and Macromedia BreezeLive. Their main purpose is to make live presentations. The presentations can be to a few people in another place, or to many people in many different places. Tutoring can easily tap into either platform if one is available.
The presenter/teacher makes a presentation in the main screen, or whiteboard. The presentation can be a PowerPoint slide show, a video, pictures, images, a slide that can be annotated, PDF files, Flash animations, HTML pages, literally anything on the presenter's computer. Below that screen is a chat box where participants can talk or ask questions, and the presenter has the ability to turn the chat off. There is also a survey tool which can tabulate the users' responses immediately, and a user list showing all attendees. Audio is created using a computer-connected microphone and is heard through the computer's speakers. The use of audio and/or video necessitates that the user download some software, or phones can also be used for audio.
Other features include: application sharing, archives, easy access to the web, firewall friendly, easy integration into course management systems, screen sharing, ADA accessibility, customization and serious customer service.
These systems would be perfect for real time online tutoring but the decision to purchase is made at a high administrative level and they are quite expensive.
Here is a sample of what the participant's computer screen looks like using HorizonLive Open Campus Virtual Classroom. The Lewis and Clark screen is the presentation screen, or whiteboard, and the photograph is a really a still shot from the live video using a video cam of Matt Wasowski, who is speaking live and explaining the system. The whole space can be used for the whiteboard if live video is not used. The whiteboard can be annotated just like on a blackboard or whiteboard in the classroom.
In the lower left, the Navigation box explains the current connection and what is being viewed. This is the location of the text chat. The "Yes"and "No" boxes with a check and a cross are used in answering surveys or polls. The hand is for "hand raising" as in a live classroom. Below that is a list of current attendees. In the right lower corner, a photograph or image can be placed.
Horizon Live has 508 accessibility for the hearing and visually impaired, with closed captions and script that can be read by screen readers.
To use Horizon Live, the following would need to be on the users’ computers: RealPlayer, application sharing, and a headset or speakers. There are many capabilities for audio including a microphone or the phone or any combination of these for the group. The browser must be Java-enabled and running JavaScript. Horizon Live is designed for the least common denominator so that most people can access it.
BreezeLive uses a screen face similar to HorizonLive. The screen can use any or all of the features depending on the needs of a particular presentation. In addition, BreezeLive advertises these features: file sharing, customization, multiple presenters, and keyword searching for the archives.
BreezeLive incorporates Breeze Presentation, which is their asynchronous component capable of playing multimedia presentations for teaching and learning.
http://macromedia.com/software/breeze
