Coffee breaks done :-) what lessons can we learn?
Posted by Andy Ramsden in Uncategorized June 4th, 2009Well, it is done, we ran 4 coffee break sessions using Megameeting, on a range of topics. The attendance was OK – I think we averaged about 2 staff members per session. On the slight negative side, we still hadn’t managed to consistently record the sessions. This is a big shame as the plan was to deliver the session, record it, and stream this into the eLPF Moodle Course, the e-learning web site, and (if appropriate the individual service blog). So it can be re-used all over the place 
A tip I’d suggest based on the last session is to include in the set up instructions information on how to ensure the powerpoint is displayed to fit the viewers screen.
Anyway, I’m very interested in capturing peoples ideas about how to improve these sessions, in terms of management, effectiveness etc.,
The current process should be … book the software, book a room (in calendar, and on megameeting), people reserve places via ASD, send invite a few days before the session, deliver the session (live), upload and supporting material in the eLPF Moodle Course, create a discussion board space for further discussion, email thanks to those who attended.
So people … how was it for you? What might we improve? Please leave comments …
June 21st, 2009 at 5:30 pm
I’ve been thinking about how we can maximise attendance at the coffee break sessions – which you would expect to be quite popular with staff who are time-pressured as:
* it’s only 15 minutes
* they don’t even have to leave their desk
* if something important crops up half-way through (e.g. a visit from a student, a phone call) it’s not a problem.
…and I realised that we really are contradicting the easygoing flexibility that is the real strong point of this method of delivery by requiring participants to commit by signing up in advance.
I bet if we put up an announcement on the home page first thing in the morning – “pop into an online seminar on…, 11.15 today”, with a link to the meeting and joining instructions (if this is possible) we would go over capacity!
Which raises two further questions… if too many people try to join the meeting, does Megameeting simply not let them in, or does it spectacularly self-destruct?
And – do we want to operate on such a last-minute first-come-first-served basis, or do we want to be able to still guarantee places to those who are prepared to commit in advance?
Can we come to a compromise where we are prepared and willing to encourage and deal with last-minute applications to join the coffee break? Perhaps the registration process could be simplified by pblishing the link to the meeting but asking potential participants to e-mail us for the password.
I guess my main point is that staff will be unwilling to commit to something if there is a significant chance that they won’t be able to attend, or just won’t feel in the right frame of mind for at some point in the future; mainly because they don’t want to let us down or take up a space that someone else might want – especially if there are a limited number of places. Re-advertising spare places in sessions at short notice should awaken the opportunism in people (like bringing out the clearance rail).