This Sunday Vance Stevens planned to host a live online session to explain in greater detail how to get started with Google Reader, as described in this blog post:
You could use this technique to follow student blogs or blogs from any group or individual you wish to follow. I had offered to help participants set up their Google Readers hands-on to find all the posts in blogs that have been written to reflect on certain EVO sessions. But the participant mix took the conversation into other directions.
Session recording
Here are the text chat windows we embedded to provide a backchannel to the live stream
We encountered a problem through choice of Sync.in. After 8 participants had joined the chat it would allow no more (and we were relying on that chat to disseminate the Hangout link on the fly). We didn't realize until 15 min. into the program that people could hear the stream but couldn't communicate with us or figure out how to join the hangout, but eventually stragglers made it in and informed us, so tweeted the Hangout link and put it up at http://learning2gether.pbworks.com and created the second TitanPad text chat below.
Plan B Text Chat
Significance of the event
There is another very interesting aspect of the session this Sunday. It was the first time I conducted such an event in a Hangout On Air, and streamed the video at http://webheadsinaction.org/live
This procedure overcomes two limitations of hangouts. One limitation is that you can only have 10 in a Hangout at a time. The other is that it's hard to tell people where you'll be hanging out because hangouts are designed to be found through your circles and other social features of Google + so there is no URL to give out until the Hangout actually starts. Thus, many Hangouts are announced, but participants can't enter because there are ten there already, and the participants are left standing outside a locked door, which is not colleaguial.
http://webheadsinaction.org/live overcomes both these problems. First, I can embed an Etherpad clone chat there where anyone can interact. I can put the hangout URL there and others can click on it and join the chat, or if you are having problems you can get help in the chat (in practice we ran up against the 8 participant limit in Sync.in, which we will avoid for this purpose in future). Secondly, since the YouTube embed that lets you play the recording later HAPPENS to stream the event while it's in session, then anyone can visit the URL where that link is embedded and listen to the stream. So if the Hangout is full, hundreds more can listen in and interact in the Titanpad chat (thousands? tens? no idea actually). We can also announce on the stream when places become available in the Hangout and participants in the Hangout can be rotated in and out that way.
So one purpose of the session will be to Learn2gether about Google Reader how to follow class sets of blogs. But in so doing we'll see how to stream a Hangout so it can reach beyond just the ten in the hangout itself.
Testing prior to the actual event
I tested this at around 1300 GMT with Kalyan Chattopadhyay.
It worked fine as you can see from this recording
(sorry for messing around setting up, but I was checking on other computers that the stream was being broadcast, when Kalyan responded to my call to verify that it was being broadcast worldwide )
Holly Dilatush graciously agreed to share her comments here which she posted to Google + as we were meeting together. It seems she was having F.U.N.
I just heard Jeff's Sae-hey-bok-mahn-ee-pah-deu-sey-yo! (or something close!) i will never forget that expression = Happy New Year in Korean! Happy New Year, all!
I use the exercise balls, too... great idea for non-squeak! [I'm typing more notes as I listen!] Fun, fun, f.u.n.!
So much fun to see you all!
[EVO_Drama_2013 is rather quiet, too, though it's picking up a lot today for some reason]
I haven't signed up for kubbu = too many things to keep track of and testing my ability to say "No." (or at least, "Not now"). Every new post about it tempts me to go sign up and play, too. But as of today I have not signed up.
Interesting observation.... watching the hangout recording = we don't see who is talking...
psychedelic flashes! (Why?) Are there really colors flashing in her room? (not sure who that is).
Oh... listening to Rita talking about Webheads... yes, yes, yes!
Grinning!
Jeff: Worldbridges
"Learning is chaotic" (Vance)
Vance was punished?! No, no, no... come back, Vance!
How quickly we feel frustrated! So many options! Isn't it amazing that we are navigating all of these (or at least some of these) = I used to give up but now keep trying most of the time = often without thinking twice.
Podcasting = I do need to revisit this... was frustrated with this in the past. Isn't it interesting what we choose to follow, why, and when/why we give up?
English language = helps change the culure (interesting)
I'll put a plug in for everyone to check out process drama techniques as a way to enhance = check out EVO_Drama sessions
Vance's voice gone again! and back again!
:D
On WizIQ, it's advised to close Skype and any other programs that use microphone... if you are the one who started the class... so I wonder if this is what caused Vance's disconnects? [But I do NOT know what I'm talking about, do not understand the behind-the-scenes tech stuff! ...just passing along a possible tip?]
Trace Effects game = another I've passed on for now... How do we keep up with all the things we attempt to keep up on.
OK... sorry guys, have to stop listening... but these hangouts on Air recordings make me feel less left out (won't make TESOL this year; didn't make TESOL last year, and miss seeing everyone in person; this is the next best thing!).
keep sharing the "cognitive surplus" (Nina)
Smiles to all,
Holly
Chat Logs
Titanpad
February 11, 2013
0:17Jeff Lebow: Welcome to the Plan B chat
0:22Laine Marshall: Great! It works!
0:23Laine Marshall: the sync in chat is full again and I can't get in, but no matter i am here now
0:24Laine Marshall: now Jeff has this chat for everyone
0:24Laine Marshall: everyone can hear it; no worries
0:28Laine Marshall: That is why I am Laine b/c people have so many ways to pronounce my "real" name Helaine.
0:32unnamed: test test
0:33Laine Marshall: Hey Claire! Hi
0:33Claire Bradin Siskin: test test
0:33Claire Bradin Siskin: hi i have been trying to get in all this time!
0:33Laine Marshall: I know - if you look in the note above this chat I explained what happened
0:34Laine Marshall: See my pink message in the main box
0:34Claire Bradin Siskin: can't find pink message
0:35Claire Bradin Siskin: above here it says "the ones below are recorded' so i assumed that the stuff under that was all recording stuff, not live
0:36Claire Bradin Siskin: i was in the session directlu on google +, but no one could hear or see me
0:36vance: trace effects
0:37Claire Bradin Siskin: trying to get into the stream now
0:38ElizabethA again: Strange - there are 2 sync-in, or is this bottom box something else??
0:38vance: hi, 2 more spaces in the hangout
0:38vance: I'll put the link here
0:38vance: it is here, at left
0:38Claire Bradin Siskin: downloading plugin now -- on newish laptop, so dont have it
0:38vance: can you hear the stream?
0:39Claire Bradin Siskin: yeah, i went there, said i need plugin, downloading now. i think i am hearing it from webheads inaction
0:39Claire Bradin Siskin: not to worry -- when i get to the strem, i'll close this pave
0:39Claire Bradin Siskin: page
0:40vance: it's working then
0:40Laine Marshall: Ok now I can chat in both
0:40vance: the only thing that bonked was sync.in
0:40Laine Marshall: two browser windows; got it
0:40Claire Bradin Siskin: we are in a hotel, so i'm using laptop where not everything is installed
0:41vance: maybe you should celebrate but if you get online we'l l make a screenshot
0:41ElizabethA again: I can hear great - feeling a bit peeping tom LOL
0:41vance: join us in the hangout :-)
0:42vance: 2 places
0:42Claire Bradin Siskin: still downloading plugin -- grrr!
0:42vance: no worries, enjoy the stream :-)
0:44ElizabethA again: well Claire - my google hangout doesn't work AT ALL on my computer, so I'm not even trying*
1:03Laine Marshall: Jeff - I clicked on exit but i still see myself
1:04Laine Marshall: Help!
1:04Laine Marshall: OK I am gone - maybe there is a delay?
1:04Laine Marshall: nevermind - it's fine...
1:05Jeff Lebow: Help! I'm hanging out and can't get out :)
1:06Laine Marshall: Actually, believe it or not, I was looking at Stael and thought it was me!!!! Yikes I can't even tell myself from someone else!!!
1:06ElizabethA again: Point 1: Etherpad doesn't refresh on my ipad (saw the message on computer screen and refreshed)
1:07unnamed: we have two chats because one only allows 8
1:07Laine Marshall: Nina is correct - terminology can be important sometimes
1:08Laine Marshall: so EVO cannot be a MOOC and must be a MOOOOOO :)
1:08ElizabethA again: When I click on ttps://plus.google.com/hangouts/_/8a1db8e7e2f50fe06fec487a7416604af3e311e3?authuser=0&hl=en# it says "this hangout is over"
1:08ElizabethA again: That's trying to get in on ipad - hangout doesn't work on my computer
1:08Laine Marshall: it is probably set for one hour?
1:08ElizabethA again: long story!
1:08Laine Marshall: is that possible?
1:09Jeff Lebow: Hmmm - have you tried the link at the top of the note portion of this titanpad?
1:09Laine Marshall: Claire is in New York!! WOW Call me1
1:09ElizabethA again: Laine - absolutely definitely possible - no doubt abt it
1:10ElizabethA again: @Jeff - still says "this hangout is over"
1:11ElizabethA again: Am enjoying listening in - no prob :-)
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