Recording Skype-calls

We had one evaluation discussion which had to be recorded. Student was abroad and we had to save this discussion to be used later in a project report.

Main idea was to use Connect Pro but the student did not manage get in Connect Pro (I found out reason later). So as a backup we had Skype. Only problem was that I had to save that discussion.

I googled for Skype recorders and first one was this Skype Recorder. It is made by Extra labs www.extralabs.net. Price is $18.95. You can test this software 15 days for free.

I had good experience using this program. Program is very simple and it starts recording automatically when the Skype call starts. Program creates automatically MP3-encoded files after the call.

Our discussion lasted about one hour and it worked fine during that time. After this session I browsed latest Skype's extras menu. I found out that there's also a free call recorder available. I'll have to test that also later. I found also solutions for sharing desktop and capturing screen.

Using Adobe Connect Professional in educational purposes

I have some experiences about using Connect Pro in educational purposes.

My experiences are divided mainly into two different categories:
- synchronous usage during the lessons
- teaching pure elearning courses and using Connect Pro as a guidance tool

Synchronous usage

I have a couple of courses which students have an option to study them virtually. Virtual presence has a couple of rules:

• student must let me know in advance if he's going to attend lesson virtually
• student must be online in Connect Pro during the lesson
• student must return his work in our elearning environment (Optima) in the end of the lesson
• in the end of the lesson I check students work from Optima and comment if they're OK

Virtual presence has worked well in courses which envolve certain program that we are learning to use (for example Adobe Photoshop and 3DS Max). During the lesson I can share my screen when i have something to teach to all students together (screen is shown to the students at class through data projector). The virtual students see my webcam, hears my voice from webcam microphone and sees my computer screen from Connect Pro.

Virtual students can ask if they have a problem through chat or voice. And it's also possible that user shares his screen and lets me take control of his computer to solve a problem with a task.

Guidance tool in elearning courses

I also have couple of courses that are pure elearning courses. Course material is in Optima and assignments are returned to Optima. You can also find a course forum from Optima.

These courses we have one weekly meeting with students in Connect Pro. This lesson is held weekly at the same time. In weekly meeting I reveal that weeks assignments and tell them more about assignments. Questions are asked freely and if they have something in mind they can ask. After that they're free to begin working together with a method they prefer. Some students work in school, some students work in home or library.

Students have reserved time in their timetables to study the course. During that time I'm online in Connect Pro if students have questions about their assignments. I give evaluations and comments about assignments to Optima so the students can see them also from there.

ConnectPro works fine with twenty students online. I'll tell later more about problems with sound when using Connect Pro abroad.