I had the opportunity to participate in my first web conference with my EDLD 5306 professor and cohorts this week. I really didn’t know what to expect as I’ve been rather reluctant to even consider exploring the possibility of communicating with others using a webcam and microphone.
About fifteen years ago, I remember accidentally launching some type of chat feature on Netscape that required the use of a brand new tool called a webcam. I didn’t even realize that I had launched the application until a window popped open with a stranger’s face staring at me. I was so scared that I immediately closed the window and ran out of the room. My first instinct was that the strange face in the pop-up window could see me. It was late at night and I wasn’t wearing any makeup. Once my heart rate returned to normal, I laughed at my ignorance. The strange face obviously couldn’t see me, but for some reason I found the whole idea of webcams very unsettling. Needless to say, the experience made a lasting impression on me.
Fifteen years later, I finally took the plunge and logged-in to my first face-to-face web conference. I loved the fact that we all had the opportunity to put a face to names that show up on the discussion board for our class. There were some technical difficulties, but it went remarkably well on my end. The audio was a little choppy, but that was due to the number of students participating in the web conference. I was relieved that all of us seemed to be overwhelmed with the assignment for the first week. I’m still overwhelmed, but at least I know that I’m not the only one feeling the pressure. I also appreciated discovering that if we have to miss a course, we can continue with the program and go back at a later date to complete the missed course.
Overall, I was really glad that I overcame my reluctance and took the time to actively participate in a web conference. I’m really looking forward to the next one!
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