The world of webinars

Webinars (or web-conferences) are in nowadays. It’s a good and cost-effective alternative when face-to-face meetings are just not possible. The amount of webinar software hence is also growing. Who of you had not the possibility to try one of the following technologies (Web-Ex, Adobe Connect, Wiziq, Go-to-Meeting, Elluminate, . They all share a common set of features that enrich the entire on-line presentation and knowledge sharing experience. The presenter shares the slideshow, streams video’s, engages with participants through live text chat, sets up polls, invites the participants to discuss through raising hands and asks them to take note on the shared whiteboard, uploads documents that support the lecture or discussion and finally records the entire meeting to be shared for those who could not make it. If the technology is out there, including a diverse set of interesting functionalities to interact with your audience, why are there still so many webinars out there that are not engaging enough?

First of all the same can be said of traditional face-to-face meetings. But more specifically to webinars we can see that adding pedagogical value to the webinar not only requires understanding the technology but also more specifically adapted webinar didactics.

ITC-ILO has been launching a series of webinars now with partners at the ILO and UNHCR and will collect for you a series of interesting articles that might give you additional ideas on how to set up engaging webinars: (Feel free to add yours)

Article 1: How to conduct engaging webinars
Article 2: Webinars. Learning Solutions magazine. Beginner guides. Part A and Part B.
Article 3: Conducting a webinar
Article 4: Facilitation techniques to lead effective online webinars.
Article 5 How to create and run winning webinar series
Article 6: How to chair a socratic webinar

and last but not least these webinar templates.

ITC-ILO is currently delivering tailor-made “How to set up engaging webinar series” for interested groups and institutions. (Feel free to us at delta@itcilo.org ). For participants that are looking for an open, longer certified webinar programme we can refer to ASTD’s offer on Facilitating synchronous Learning programme.