Modeling Web Conferencing

This portion of a training session works best if it can be done as a hands-on session. Think about these things before you begin:

How will you demonstrate web conferencing to multiple people?

You can get audio feedback from multiple microphones and speakers being too close together. Multiple calls in an enclosed space are not going to work well.

Perhaps start by having just two people engage in a web conference--you and one other person. If possible, display your device on a large monitor or screen to demonstrate features to others. People can gather around the two devices that are being used if they're far enough apart.

From there, you can take turns or set up different web-conferencing sessions, either immediately or scheduled over time.

Model a web-conference session.

It's important for you to place the first call so the adults you're working with can experience web conferencing and how much fun it can be. Others can watch as you do it. Then you can teach them how to use the technology. Some things to demonstrate include:

• How to mute their Mic in the web conferencing solution
• Following a link or invitation to join a web conference as a participant;
• Initiating a web conference as a host;
• Adjusting the volume of their microphone and speakers;
• Adjusting their screen brightness, if necessary; and
• How to end a web conference.

You may also need to show participants how to see everyone in the conversation. This depends on the device you are using and how many people are participating. For instance, on a smartphone, you generally see the person who is talking. You have to swipe the screen to the left to see others on the call.

On a device with a larger monitor, you may be able to switch between a large picture of the person speaking (Speaker View in Zoom), a collection of small windows of each participant (Gallery View in Zoom), or Thumbnail View (in Zoom) that is somewhat of a combination of both with the speaker being largest and small thumbnails of others at the top or side of the screen. Even on a larger monitor, when there are a lot of people in the conference, you will have to show people how to scroll through the screens to see everyone. (See more information about this from Zoom, a popular web-conferencing service.)

Many adult residential facilities will have a person that can help seniors place webcalls or join web conferences. Ask at the facility where you're working if that person can be included or referred to in your session.