Adobe Connect Project

Ohio State faculty and staff are in the final phase of project with the object of making Adobe Connect available to the university community. People who are interested in using this webinar tool for courses or meetings can read more about the project at http://ocio.osu.edu/elearning/services/connect-pilot/ or send email to osu-connect@osu.edu.

Two related events are being held in January:

• an online webinar offering “best practices” for working in a Connect room (Wednesday, January 18, at noon; connection information will be emailed) and
• a panel presentation by OSU faculty who have taught courses via webinar (Tuesday, January 24, at noon, in the Learning Collaboration Studio).

In January 2010, a group of experienced and interested individuals representing both the academic and the business sides of university began meeting. They surveyed the available webinar tools, comparing them against an extensive matrix of desired features. Adobe Connect was eventually selected as the product most likely to meet the greatest number of needs:

• a full set of features, but still easy to use;
• as accessible as possible for people who use adaptive technologies;
• likely to be able to integrate with other online systems at Ohio State; and
• offering a licensing model that would allow cost-effective and flexible access.

So far, approximately 170 people have joined the project as “named users.” They have access to online “rooms” in which to make presentations, conduct large and small classes, hold meetings, or record screen activity. Named users can invite their students or colleagues to enter their rooms as guests, which is the most convenient option for most users.

During Autumn 2011 and Winter 2012, a collaborative group of staff representing the College of Arts and Sciences; the College of Education and Human Ecology; the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences; the College of Medicine; the College of Nursing; Mansfield, Marion, Lima and Newark campuses; and the Office of the CIO began meeting to outline recommendations for making Adobe Connect available across the university.

Key questions to be decided include: developing a funding model, agreeing on a pattern for supporting and training users and IT staff, and providing a set of recommendations for effective use of the tool.

A decision about whether and under what terms to keep Adobe Connect available is expected early in Spring quarter 2012.