Getting Ready

The 2010 Online Spring Focus Session includes web-based presentations and participant discussions exploring new ways to facilitate teaching and learning with a variety of mobile technology options. The session will bring together professionals from across the country to explore how mobile technologies can support the development of content, community and collaboration. The program will include a series of keynote presentations, general sessions, project parlors, and discussion breaks designed to help participants connect more deeply with the content and one another.

Presentations for the Online Spring Focus Session will be offered in real-time inside an Adobe Connect virtual learning space. Inside the virtual space, participants can submit questions and communicate with colleagues using the chat feature. Live polls, interactive whiteboards, and breakout rooms will offer attendees a chance to communicate with one another and participate in active knowledge building. Materials and resources for the Focus Session can be found in the Learning Commons.

How Can I Prepare?

You can participate in the focus session as a team or as an individual. Individual participants can review Tools for Individuals in the Learning Commons. If you are planning to join as a team and will be facilitating an on-site event around the focus session, please be sure to review the Tools for Teams in the Learning Commons.

We also suggest these additional steps for teams:

• Send an announcement asking participants to hold the dates scheduled for the focus session.
• Register yourself as the campus group facilitator from your campus.
• Reserve a room large enough to accommodate participants that has the necessary technology. You will need an Internet connection for the audio and video components; we will provide you with the URL prior to the event. Make sure you can adjust the sound volume so everyone can hear. We also suggest having speakerphone capabilities to allow you to call in to the session conference call line.
• Prepare participant packets based on materials received as the campus group facilitator.
• Use the scheduled discussion times and consider adding more time to initiate campus-focused dialogue, around the focus session theme.

Technical Requirements

To participate, you will need:

• A high speed internet connection
• Cookies enabled in your web browser
• Operating system, browser and software requirements (see below)
• Adobe Connect (see below)

Please run the Adobe Acrobat Connect Connection Test at least one week before the event. The test takes approximately 30 seconds and will verify that your computer meets hardware and software requirements to use Adobe Connect. If you have problems completing the test or installing required software, please visit the Adobe Support website or call Adobe Connect Technical Support at 800-945-9120.

Tuning In

On Tuesday, March 2, all registered participants will receive an e-mail message with a link to the Adobe Connect room as well as your username/password. On the day of the event, you will:

• Go to the Adobe Connect website.
• Select Enter with your login and password.
• Type in your username and password from the registration email.

Listen to the session through your computer speakers. If you have any audio difficulties, please visit our Audio Troubleshooting Page. However, if you lose audio completely, please listen to the session via one of the following toll-free telephone numbers.

• United States and Canada: 1-877-944-2300 (access code: posted in Adobe Connect)
• Australia: 0011 800 2200 4444 (access code: posted in Adobe Connect)
• China and the United Kingdom: 00 800 2200 4444 (access code: posted in Adobe Connect)
• Egypt and Qatar: call 1-512-225-9559 and/or contact conference@voicetext.com, provide the access code, and you will be connected directly.

Participant Requirements

Windows

• Windows 98 SE, Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista
• Windows 7 using Internet Explorer (in 32-bit mode only)
• Internet Explorer 6+, Netscape Navigator 8.1+, or Mozilla Firefox 1.5+
• Adobe Flash Player 8+

Macintosh

• Mac OS X v10.2+
• Safari 2.0 or Mozilla Firefox 1.5+
• Adobe Flash Player 8+

Linux

• Mozilla Firefox 1.5+
• Adobe Flash Player 9

Presenter Requirements

Windows

• Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista
• Windows 7 using Internet Explorer (in 32-bit mode only)
• Internet Explorer 6+, Netscape Navigator 8.1+, or Mozilla Firefox 1.5+
• Adobe Flash Player 9

Macintosh

• Mac OS X v10.2+
• Safari 2.0 or Mozilla Firefox 1.5+
• Adobe Flash Player 9