Webinars from Office of English Language Programs at DOS in Washington, DC

 Dear colleagues and friends,

Everyone who is in the e-list of TESOL-Ukraine have received an informative message about the coming webinar course entitled Shaping the Way We Teach English from Alyona Sukhinina.

I have decided to post this FAQs from the organizers of this fantastic event to let everyone who hasn't still registered yet know that everyone has an opportunity to watch and experience this online course. It might be very interesting for everyone who is involved into using computer technologies for educational purposes. For the schedule of this event click HERE or at the bottom of this posting.   

P.S.   You will meet many familliar faces thereas a presenters, like Rick Rosenberg,  Kevin McCaughey, George Chinnery, Joan Kang Shin, Leslie Opp-Beckman, Kevin McCaughey, Deanna Hochstein, Deborah Healy, Jennifer Rice.

Don't miss the chance to meet new friends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Shaping the Way We Teach Webinar Course

Office of English Language Programs

What’s a webinar exactly?

A webinar is a seminar/workshop in which you can participate from any computer around the world

When is the first webinar?

It will take place on November 10th at 11:00 a.m. in Washington, DC.  That is 16:00 p.m. GMT, 13:00 in Bueno Aires, 18:00 in Cairo, 19:00 in Moscow, 21:30 in New Delhi, midnight of Wednesday/Thursday in Beijing. You can check the time using the World Clock Meeting Planner at http://www.kevinmccaughey.com/lists/lt.php?id=Mk4ABxgGBABPUVIHUg%3D%3D

Webinars will take place every second Wednesday at the same time until March 16, 2011.

 How can I get ready for the webinar?

 Go to the meeting room at least 15 minutes before the session (see next question for how to do that). If you are prompted to download Adobe Flash, do so. (Most computers already have Adobe Flash.) It is helpful to have headphones. You do not need a microphone or webcam. Make sure the volume on your computer is turned on (not on mute).

 Can I go to the meeting room (where the webinar takes place) beforehand?

 Yes, you can. Go to http://www.kevinmccaughey.com/lists/lt.php?id=Mk4AARgGBABPUVIHUg%3D%3D

 Choose “Enter as a Guest” and type your name.  Do not type in your full name.  Please use a short name or a login name  (e.g. a name plus a number).  Then click enter.  The meeting room will open and you can take polls and greet your fellow participants.

What do I do during the webinar?

 You watch and listen.  You will hear the presenter and look at visuals (videos, pictures, PowerPoint slide show).  You may participate in the activities set up by the presenter, either by taking polls, or typing into the chat box

 In the bottom left of your screen, underneath the globe that says CO.NX, you will see the icon of a person.  Click here for a pop-up menu.  You can signal some basic communications this way (raise hand, agree, disagree, etc.) without typing.

 Will there be required tasks for the participants?

 Not really.  You will be asked to take part in polls and demonstration activities during the live webinars.  Afterwards you can visit our online site, a Ning, where you can join discussion forums about events and topics from the webinar, and communicate with colleagues from around the world.

How do the chat boxes (chat pods) work?

 You can type a question into the space at the bottom of the Chat Box and then hit the send arrow. Because we have so many participants, we monitor the chat boxes. That means that if you type something in, there will be a delay before you see it, and it’s possible that you will not see it at all.

We do this to insure that inputted information is not repetitive and remains germane to the topic.

 What happens if I can’t hear or see well?

 You may have trouble hearing at times. Be patient. This might be a momentary problem with the Internet connection. Do check the volume on your computer though, and make sure you have not muted your audio.

 If audio problems persist, make sure that you can hear other audio from the Internet, such as from YouTube. If you cannot hear other audio, this indicates an internal problem with your computer. If you can hear other audio sources but still cannot hear in the webinar room, try refreshing your screen.

  Go to the Meeting tab in the upper left corner of the screen and then “Manage My Settings” and then “My Connection Speed.” Make sure your connection speed is set to DSL/cable.

  Finally, go through the Audio Setup Wizard. Access the Setup Wizard from the Manage My Settings tab as well. Then simply follow the prompts.

 There’s no need to write us during the webinar to say are having troubles with the sound. With more than 300 participants around the world, it is certain that there will be problems with the Internet somewhere.

Will I be able to talk?

 No, you won’t. Because of technical demands, we cannot allow everyone to use a microphone.

Do I need a microphone?

 No, you will not actually speak, though you may comment in the Chat Boxes.

Do I need a webcam?

 No.

What equipment do I need?

You need a computer and an Internet connection.  You will need to make sure the volume is up on your computer and on your headphones, if you use headphones.

Your computer needs the latest version of Adobe Flash (http://www.kevinmccaughey.com/lists/lt.php?id=Mk4ABBgGBABPUVIHUg%3D%3D, but almost all computers have this.  So first try to enter the CO.NX meeting room, where the webinar takes place (http://www.kevinmccaughey.com/lists/lt.php?id=Mk4ABhgGBABPUVIHUg%3D%3D  If you are prompted to download Adobe Flash, do so.

 Do I need high-speed Internet?

 No.  You should be able to enter the room even with a slow connection.  If you have a fast connection you are likely to see video and hear audio better.

 Can we make the screen bigger?

 Drag and pull a corner of the CO.NX meeting room window to enlarge it.

 You can also go to the top left corner of the window, where you will see “Meeting.”  Click here, go to “Manage My Settings” and select “Full Screen.”

 How do I get an e-certificate?

 If you participate in six live webinars, you will receive an e-certificate.  E-certificates will be issued after March 16, 2011, the date of the final webinar.  They will be sent by email only.  The c-certificates are issued from the Office of English Language Programs, Washington, D.C., and may or may not be recognized by institutions worldwide.

 What if I can’t attend a session?

 Attend those sessions you can.  You need to attend any six live sessions to receive an e-certificate.  You may watch recordings of the sessions later.

 Do I need to attend all the sessions?

 No.  You may attend as many as you like.  E-certificates are issued to those who attend six of the ten live sessions.

Is it free to attend the webinars?

 Yes.  There is no cost.

 Who can attend the webinars?

 The webinars are open to those involved in English language education: teachers of English, ministry officials, and students who want to become teachers of English.

 Can I view a recording of the webinar later?

 Yes, we will make post video files of each webinar available after the event.  However, only those who participate in the live broadcast of the webinars will receive an e-certificate.

 Do I have to register for the course?

 No.  You may attend any session you like without registering simply by going at the appointed time to http://www.kevinmccaughey.com/lists/lt.php?id=Mk4AARgGBABPUVIHUg%3D%3D  If you prefer, you may watch or download recordings of the webinars at a later time.

 What if I don’t need an e-certificate?

 Then you do not need to register.  You can attend webinars whenever you like.

 What happens after the webinar?

 You will have more opportunity to communicate  with colleagues around the world and to discuss issues that surface in the webinars by joining our online Ning.

 What is the Ning?

 Our Ning is an online social network, a platform where our group of English teachers can engage in discussions and forums and find downloadable materials from the webinars.  You will be receiving an invitation to the Ning shortly.

 If you have questions, write to Kevin McCaughey at englishwebinar@gmail.com