The Open Learning

Guidelines for Academic Sessions via Elluminate Live!

• Introduction
  
  
• Responsibilities of the user
  
  
• Responsibilities of the OL Office
  
  
• Responsibilities of the IS Help
  
  

Introduction

This document provides guidelines on the processes involved in arranging for your academic sessions via Elluminate Live!. These guidelines build on the implementation steps proposed in a prior document detailing recording of Elluminate Live! sessions (see Appendix A).

The processes detailed below are listed by responsibilities of the user, OL Office and the IS Help. The processes detailed have to be followed for the success of the session. See Appendix B for a process flow diagram.

Responsibilities of the user

Prior to the session

1. The faculty (user) or designate (secretary or programme officer) organizing the session requests for the use of Elluminate Live! by filling out the Elluminate Live! Request Form available on the OL website at least seven working days prior to the session. On submitting this online form an email notification will be sent to the OL office and to the ISHelp Desk for their action and a copy to the user for his/her reference.

2. As done for other sessions, all logistical arrangements will be made by the team organizing the session. They will arrange for an appropriate venue (the venue should be booked at least an hour prior to the actual session start time to allow for equipment set up and testing).

3. A member of the team will attend at least one training/consultation with the OL Office staff to orient themselves to creating virtual rooms and using Elluminate Live!. To attend this online consultation/training the designate will have to request for Java updates to be installed on their PC and headphones with microphone issued from the IS Helpdesk. This can be done by filling out the required fields in the Elluminate Live! Request Form in step 1 of this process.

4. For the session, the organizers will communicate session details to online participants. Sending notification of such sessions at least five working days in advance would allow online participants to make the necessary arrangements to attend the session. This means that the virtual room will have to be created before the session notification is sent out.

5. The virtual room timings will be set at least half an hour before the start of the session so as to allow for testing of audio-visual setup and connectivity by the IS Helpdesk at AKU-IED and by the online participants. The designate will also coordinate with the remote participants to confirm their participation in the session.

6. The designate will request the presenter to send in the presentation (if there is one) at least a day or a few hours in advance, so as to check ease of visuals in Elluminate Live! presentation mode.

1. 7. The presenter should be informed that his/her session will be conducted via Elluminate Live! and hence animations set in MS PowerPoint will not work. The OL Office can provide support in making the presentation ready to be viewed in Elluminate Live! if it is provided at least one day prior to the session.

During the session

1. The designate uploads the MS PowerPoint presentation (if there is one), moderates (navigates the presentation) and records the session.

2. During the question and answer session, the designate keeps a check on questions that might be asked by remote participants via chat or audio feature and communicates the same to the presenter.

3. The designate ensures that Elluminate Live! is running and moderated at all times during the session and that the microphone button is on.

4. If there is any problem whatsoever with the equipment setup or use with Elluminate Live!, the IS Helpdesk should be contacted immediately.

After the session

1. The OL Office saves the recording in an Mp3 format and sends it to the user or designate so that they can forward the same to the Marketing and Communications Unit at AKU-IED for uploading on AKU-IED’s Intranet site.

Responsibilities of the OL Office

Prior to the session

1. On receipt of the details from the online form, the OL office will contact the designate and train them to create virtual rooms and orient them on using Elluminate Live! for moderating and recording of sessions.

2. Resources such as quick reference guides, on using Elluminate Live! to moderate and record sessions are also available on the OL Website in the Resources section.

3. Provide support for making presentations ready to be viewed in Elluminate Live!. The presentation should be provided at least one day prior to the session.

During the session

1. A representative from the OL Office will be available for troubleshooting and can be contacted through the IS Helpdesk (Ext. 3302) by dialling from the telephone extension available in the meeting/conference room or the nearest one available.

2. Alternatively, the user can also request for technical support by using the chat feature in Elluminate Live! thus alerting a representative from the OL Office who may also attend the session virtually for any online support.

After the session

1. The OL Office will convert the recording to an Mp3 format and will provide it to the user/designate so that it can be sent to the Marketing Office be placed on the intranet.

Responsibilities of the IS Help

Prior to the session

1. On receipt of the details from the online form the IS Help in coordination with the user/designate makes appropriate logistical and technical arrangements for provision of Elluminate Live! related equipment (e.g. laptop, multimedia projector, microphones, internet/LAN connectivity) to be available at the session.

2. The IS Help will install Java updates on the user/designates PC and issue them with a pair of headphones with a microphone at their request.

3. The equipment will be set up at least an hour before the actual start of the session to allow for testing of equipment and online presence of remote participants in Elluminate Live!.

4. The IS will also ensure connectivity to the internet/LAN to avoid unnecessary disruptions during the session.

During the session

1. The IS Help will be available for troubleshooting (microphones, multimedia projector, internet/LAN connectivity etc.) and if required should contact a representative from the OL Office if there is a technical problem with Elluminate Live! that they themselves cannot solve.

After the session

1. The IS Help will remove all Elluminate Live! related equipment and keep it in their custody for future use.

Melaine D’Cruze
June 19, 2009