Online Conferencing: Lessons Learned

Abstract

This guide summarizes lessons learned from the author's experience of organizing and moderating five non-pedagogical online conferences that use World Wide Web-based conferencing software, whether synchronous or asynchronous. Seven sections cover the following topics: (1) the pros and cons of online conferencing; (2) setting objectives; (3) understanding the target audience, including access to the conference and characteristics of the participants; (4) understanding the conferencing facility, including a comparison of asynchronous/synchronous conferencing facilities; (5) designing the conference, including decisions about asynchronous versus synchronous, open versus closed, length, size, setting the agenda, using experts, clarifying expectations, circulating information in advance, confidentiality, and unilingual versus bilingual; (6) organizing the site, including the welcome message, background documentation, introduction of participants, and help features; and (7) running the conference, including the role of the moderator, technical support, encouraging participation, summaries, and closure. An appendix lists resources. (AEF)