A Virtual Web Conference using Asynchronous Distance-Learning Technology (in 1999)

The Web Based Asynchronous Virtual Conference frees systems and software engineers from the constraints of attending conferences, continuing education classes and project reviews in real time. At first glance, the conference web site appears to be a traditional conference web site. The major innovation in Web Based Asynchronous Virtual Conference is that the participants can view the presentations by clicking on the appropriate title.
The advantages of the Web Based Asynchronous Virtual Conference include - participants no longer miss sessions because they are attending another one, travel time and costs are reduced to zero, the session is available for posterity long after the conference is over.
The initial Web Based Asynchronous Virtual Conference was built by a group of students to meet the requirement of their final project in the Master of Software Engineering Degree at the Graduate School of Management and Technology at University of Maryland University College in 1998.
The first use of the Web Based Asynchronous Virtual Conference was in the Summer 1999 Semester of the graduate on-line class on Software Maintenance. The Web Based Asynchronous Virtual Conference allowed students to make audio presentations to their peers as if they had been in the classroom.
This paper describes the Web Based Asynchronous Virtual Conference, its advantages and disadvantages as compared to a traditional synchronous conference and the initial troubles, tribulations and results in summer 1999.
The prototype also provides a way to capture the intent and other tacit knowledge now lost in system and software acquisitions.
This presentation was actually given remotely, the video was played locally in Brighton and the questions and comments dialogue took place using VOIP from my desk at UMUC.
This is one of the seven supporting presentations for Improving E-learning with systems thinking: anecdotes and lessons learned, can be found as shown below. A hyperlink on the title opens the conference paper.
• 1998, Systems Engineering to Sydney , • Systems Engineering to...
• 1998, Case Study: “Producing an Asynchronous Environment”, • Case Study: “Producing...
• 1999, Bringing the Master of Software Engineering Program on-line at UMUC, • Bringing the Master of...
• 1999, A Virtual Web Conference using Asynchronous Distance-Learning Technology, • A Virtual Web Conferen...
• 2000, Isolating the barriers responsible for the reluctance of students and faculty to enhance their asynchronous on-line presentations with the addition of audio, • Isolating the barriers...
• 2000, How Collaboration via the World Wide Web Can Provide the Student with a World Class Education, • How Collaboration via ...
• 2000, A Web Based Asynchronous Virtual Conference, • A Web Based Asynchrono...