Faculty here at PNC are using a variety of technologies to virtually connect with colleagues and students.  In doing so, they are able to invite guest speakers to share their expertise with students, foster opportunities for virtual team projects, hold online class lectures in real time, and more.  The Office of Learning and Technoloy recently held a workshop and webcast on Adobe Connect and Google Plus. Professor Bob Mellin and Erin White co-facilitated the brief webcast, which covered the benefits of these virtual conferencing tools.  Both Adobe Connect and Google Plus 'hangout rooms' have video, audio, and screensharing capabilites that allow for online interaction and collaboration.

Adobe Connect  

Bob Mellin

Professor Bob Mellin teaches online and frequently utilizes Adobe Connect to communicate with his students and provide personal feedback.  Recently, he has been exploring how he can utlize the new Bamboo Connect tablet to edit documents while also conducting a virtual session in Adobe Connect. - For additional information on using Adobe Connect, visit:      http://www.pnc.edu/distance/connect.html

Google Plus "Hangout Rooms"   

Dr. Anne Christo-Baker's students are utilizing Google Plus to conduct virtual team meetings and even share their screens with one another for group work and presentations.  Part of the students' team project is to meet weekly via their Google Plus "hangout rooms" in which they work together to create a final product.  Not only is this helping them to save time as well as money spent on fuel, but it is also giving them a chance to practice managing team projects and conducting team meetings in a virtual environment- skills that are essential in today's globally-connected contemporary workforce. - To get started with Google Plus, view pdf guide. - Read a Chronicle article about Google Plus in education.

Anne Christo-Baker

Skype

Ken Kincaid

Dr. Ken Kincaid doesn't let geographical distance stand in the way when it comes to connecting with scholarly colleagues that can benefit his curriculum.  He has utilized Skype technology on several occassions to conduct live virtual interviews with researchers and authors who have made significant contributions to his field of expertise, Modern Latin American History.