Speaker Tips
Background
The Departments of Horticulture, Plant Pathology and Entomology jointly host a webinar Plant Clinic for Horticulture Extension Agents and Master Gardeners across the state. This two hour, live, two-way interactive program is offered the second Tuesday of the Month in March, May, July, September and November.
The program is broadcast via Blackboard Collaborate from 10:00am - 12:00pm.
We will be set up to broadcast PowerPoint, Elmo/document camera, microscope, and digital video.
Blackboard Collaborate
Preparation for the Collaborate Session:
* Use a computer with a high-speed connection. Wireless is too slow for presenters.
* Use a headset with a microphone and headphones.
* You will need to go on-line at least 24 hours ahead of time, on the computer you plan to use, with the headset you plan to use, and "Pre-configure" your system to ensure that both the audio in and audio out are set. You may need to download software (this could take up to 20 minutes)
* When you first log in, please run audio set up:
-----Go to the menu bar and select tools.
-----Scroll down to Audio
-----Select Audio Setup Wizard
-----This will run you through audio setup for your headset.
Mac Users may also try to go to system preferences
-----The button that looks like a light switch
-----Go To Sound
-----Make sure Input is selected as USB
-----Make sure Output is selected as USB
*Polling
Collaborate has a built in polling function. Participants can respond to yes no questions, or multiple choice questions with up to 5 choices (A, B, C, D, or E). Results can be displayed immediately. Use PowerPoint to scatter questions throughout your talk to invite interaction. For Example:
Do you have a rain garden in your landscape?
On-Line Training and Documentation for Blackboard Collaborate:
-----NCSU DELTA
You may want to print a hard copy of the Quick Reference Guides to have handy during your presentation
-----Participant
-----Moderator
*Collaborate Support
NCSU DELTA's LearnTech, available Mon-Fri, 9 am - 5 pm:
- Available for NC State faculty and staff
- 919-513-7094 learntech@ncsu.edu
Blackboard Collaborate's 24 hour/7 days a week support:
- Available for all users
- 866-388-8674, option 2 (please inform them that you are at NC State using “ELM”)
- Blackboard Collaborate Support Portal
When searching the support portal, note that we are using Blackboard Collaborate version 11.
Technology
* We will broadcast live video, dissecting microscope, compound microscope, document camera, and white board as well as pre-packaged video and PowerPoint.
Please get your video and PowerPoints to
Leigh Jay Temple, leighjay_Temple@ncsu.edu, 919-513-8147, and
Lucy Bradley, Lucy_Bradley@ncsu.edu, 919-513-2001
at your earliest convenience, no later than the Friday before the show. If your PowerPoint is too large to email, you can use http://yousendit.com to send it free via the web.
Please send Lucy all the handouts and links you would like to share with participants via the web site. Many of the Master Gardeners have requested to have the handouts prior to the presentation so they can be better prepared for the program.
* PowerPoint
-- Font MUST be 20pt or larger
-- Leave an open area around the edge as the broadcast truncates the edges of the slide
* We will be using NetCam Client to display images from the microscope. To display the NetCam image on your screen, it is necessary to have both the Java Runtime Environment (JRE 1.5.1 or higher) and a Java-enabled Browser installed. The JRE is available as a free download from the Sun Microsystems’ Java Technology Web site.
* We will be capturing digital video to post on the web.
Requests from Agents:
* Focus on current problem topics, not amazing weird things.
* Add text on screen to spell out disease and insect names.
* Leave plenty of time for questions.
Questions?
Send them to Lucy Bradley<Lucy_Bradley@ncsu.edu>
