SIX WEEKS
PRIOR TO VIDEOCONFERENCE:
#1:
Begin publicity activities. Place flyers and posters at strategic locations
within your organization. Make copies of the flyer and send to local organizations
(government agencies, health departments, community-based programs, etc.), and
circulate to various departments within your organization (social work, nursing,
psychology, sociology, etc.).
#2:
Develop a plan to make specific preparations for the videoconference. This may
include but not limited to:
- Copying handouts and preparing for
dissemination
- Name tags for each participant (if
desired)
- Maps to local site
- Contact name and phone number for
local facility
- Extra pens and paper for
participants who may run out
- Plan for unexpected situations
(extra walk-in students, etc.)
#4:
Finalize site, equipment and room set-up arrangements:
- Assure enough TV monitors so all
participants can see adequately.
- Assess maximum seating possible to
ensure an educationally sound and environmentally comfortable learning environment.
- Make sure each participant has a
table or desk on which to place materials and write.
- Find out about parking arrangements
for participants.
- Find out if there is access and
adaptive equipment for participants with special needs.
- Verify phone/fax/e-mail accessibility
for interactive portions of the videoconference.
- Arrange for registration tables and
chairs.
THREE WEEKS
PRIOR TO VIDEOCONFERENCE:
#1:
Contact your site technical coordinator and make an appointment to visit the site.
#2:
During your site visit, verify the following:
- Telephone/fax/e-mail to send in questions and comments
during the videoconference
- Location of restrooms
- Procedures in case of emergency
during videoconference
- Rules specific to your
videoconference facility
- Place to post directional signs
- Permission to post directional signs
- Arrangements for registration table
- Arrangements for tables/desks and
chairs for participants
- Parking arrangements/availability
ONE DAY
PRIOR TO VIDEOCONFERENCE:
Prepare the
following for your site:
- Tape with which to post the
classroom directional signs
- Extra directional signs, depending
on the number of entrances to your site
- Course materials
- Telephone call-in sheets (at least
one per participant)
- Extra paper and pens for
participants who run out
- Return addressed envelopes to send
sign-in sheets and evaluation forms back to the UNC Minority Health Project
- Plenty of sharpened #2 pencils
DAY OF
VIDEOCONFERENCE:
- Bring a generous supply of humor and
patience to deal with any surprises that may arise.
- Arrive an hour early to set up
registration table, course supplies, materials, etc. If you have more than 50
participants registered, you may want to schedule assistance.
- Turn on TV monitor at 1:00 p.m.
(EDT) to see the color bars and hear the audio tone. If you are not receiving the
signal, contact your local technician. A phone number will be provided soon for
any Technical Trouble you might experience.
- About 30 minutes prior to going-on
air, assist participants by providing an icebreaker and telling participants what to
expect.
- The goal is to make all
participants in the group comfortable with each other. One suggested
process for accomplishing this is discussed in the section entitled, "Sample
Format for Introducing Videoconference to Participants".
Please do not limit
your self by the "sample format", be creative!