Unlimited Access to Versatile Web Conferencing

Library and Technology Services has purchased a site license for Elluminate, a web-based conferencing tool that has been used at Lehigh University for several years in various applications, especially Distance Education.

Elluminate is a real-time online learning and collaboration tool that has many exciting uses in online courses, traditional classroom settings, and many other academic and administrative environments.

For instance, this tool has been used by graduate students for their dissertation defense when committee members have been away from campus; faculty that are traveling have taught their classes to avoid having to cancel class; guest speakers from other educational institutions and industry have presented their expertise to students; and meetings have been held with people at various locations without the expense and effort of traveling.

When an Elluminate “room” is reserved, an email with a web link is sent to all participants. After clicking on the link in the email and entering one’s name, a short download of the software will commence after which the Elluminate room will be displayed on the computer screen.

Elluminate allows the sharing of presentations, multi-media, and computer applications with the audio portion made available either through the computer microphone and speakers or using a telephone. There is also a Blackboard course link which gives instructors the ability to schedule their own Elluminate sessions from within their course and students to access those events directly from the Blackboard environment. This tool works on PC’s, Macs and Linux computers.

Elluminate can also be used to reach students, faculty and staff for seminars, workshops, guest speakers, meetings, tutoring and brainstorming sessions, and can facilitate collaboration among students and faculty at Lehigh and at other institutions.

Using Elluminate can help individuals make the most of their time without the need to travel and the associated environmental costs.
The new site license removes the limitation on the number of participants in an event because it no longer references any specific number of seats although there may be some practical limits.

LTS has used Elluminate on campus for three years and thus has good experience to assist new users. For more information, contact Sherri Yerk-Zwickl at shy2@lehigh.edu.

--Susan A. Cady
  LTS Director for Administrative and Planning Services

Article posted November 20, 2009

 

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