Room with a Vyew

Vyew is an online java program that allows you to meet and share content in real-time or anytime. Upload images, files, documents and videos into a room. Users can access and contribute: white boarding, video conferencing, screen sharing, Voice-over-IP.  You can save your "rooms" so any document or video window or image open in a room will still be there when you come back.

"The most basic Vyew is free. It has all the same functionality as the paid packages. There are some usage limits, such as less people in a room at a time, and the free version includes advertising in the interface. The free version is NOT a time-based trial. It is always free forever."

Learn Central®

Join LearnCentral®! Why? In their own words if you are "passionate about teaching and learning? LearnCentral® is all about YOU!" Once you have registered and been accepted, you'll receive a free 3-seat Elluminate virtual meeting room, with a whiteboard, audio, video, and more. Elluminate is a great real- time collaboration tool. The full program is expensive; it's really stunning that they are giving educators the use of it free. Only restrictions: limited to 3 and cannot record. Other than that you have access to the full program.

Want to see what it looks like? The online Global Education Conference session about the Global Virtual Classroom program was recorded and is available for playback at anytime using this link: http://tinyurl.com/GVCsession. You will be asked to accept a plugin from Elluminate, the program used for presenting and recording. Session is approximately 45 minutes.

Virtual Whiteboard

Sneffel describes itself as a collaborative doodle pad. There is practically no learning curve to begin use. You man sign up, but it is not required. The product is in development, created by a young programmer attending University College London, who is interested in tools for education. He is open to suggestions also, so jut email him: matthew@sneffel.com or use the feedback button on the bottom of the board. Sneffel is donation ware (young programmers DO need to pay for their education.)

After creating a 'doodle pad' you can just send the URL to partners. [example] If you are working at the same time, you will actually see it happening in real time. Pads can also be embedded in a website.

Tip: Higher math teachers who are teaching how to solve difficult problems, use Sneffel. Create a step by step demo of how to solve. Embed it on a page or in a blog. Students can then go to it and hit the 'replay' button to see the steps worked out.