Multi-tasking and Large Conferences

February 29, 2008

Yes, we had a lot of stuff going on this morning.

1. Ten sites connecting to the World Famous Sweetwater Jaycees in Snake, Rattle and Roll. We had two interactive sites in both sessions, so we did not have all sites muted on the bridge.
2. A high school class participating in a COSI Autopsy
3. Two Read Around the Planet connections
4. Several classes (you know, regular stuff like math, history, economics!)
5. Mandatory department meeting

Yesterday, we spent a great deal of time discussing how to handle large, statewide conferences and what to do when a student says something inappropriate. We also discussed open mics and the disruption that they cause in a statewide connection. Yes, we ALL know that. Well…flash forward to today.

Shane and I were quite busy connecting and testing and double-checking that everyone was where they need to be. All was working well until I lost video on my desktop unit. I rebooted it and the video came back and all was well. Until the snake handler put the snake on the document camera and the forensic pathologist sliced off some organ in the autopsy…I saw both things at the same time and (like the English major that I am) I said, “EEEWWWW” (really loud). Then I heard Tommy say, “Roxanne, we see you and hear you!” Then our phones start ringing and our schools are calling to say that they are hearing us!

Yes, in a HUGE statewide conference that Shane and I were both monitoring, I am the one with the open mic! Janine has blogged about this event over at her blog.

Lessons learned–

1. If you are rebooting your system during a conference, PAY ATTENTION TO IT and mute when it reboots. (I started the reboot and then checked email in between.)
2. If you are at the bridge and you see a site drop, move them to another conference, reconnect and check on them and THEN move them back into the conference.
3. Don’t multi-task in a large conference(s)! (We were having to watch all conference and run back and forth to our mandatory meeting.)
4. Set endpoints to mute when autoanswer.

Any other suggestions to help with things like this in large conferences?

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