Thursday, September 9, 2010

BP-4 BRIO

Figure 1 - BRIO-Web 2.0 tool for Web Conferencing


The Web 2.0 Tool chosen for this assignment is BRIO, a FREE Adobe beta tool for web conferencing.

This tool enables the host of a group to conduct a meeting in one’s own on-line meeting room – LIVE – while sharing one’s screen with anyone by inviting others to attend the meeting at the same URL! This tool also allows the host to interact online through notes, audio, video, and chat.  A good feature of the tool is that invited guests only need the free, downloadable Adobe Flash Player to be a participant.  BRIO is accessible with any browser, and is PC and MAC compatible. 

Figure 2 - Host page for BRIO

 
Once joining the site, the Host page appears very user friendly!  Using the pull down menus, inviting guests is only a click away.  Other great features include sharing the host’s computer screen, uploading a file, chatting, etc. and appear to make using this tool VERY EASY!

I chose this tool because the Critical Friends for my Action Research are educators outside of my classmates at Full Sail.  The friends I chose do not have Mac computers.  This tool has built in functionality that will enable me to hold meetings with them on-line – whereby I will not waste time traveling to them – yet we will be able to see each other, chat, share notes, and collaborate. 

I am really looking forward to using this tool!  I believe it will prove be an invaluable resource!    

6 comments:

  1. Brio sounds like a great tool for meetings. It reminds me a little of using the Wimba tool, but then also with the ability to screen share. The greatest benefit that I see is that it's free and can be used on Mac or PC platforms. I'm sure Brio will be very helpful for you to meet with your critical friends on your projects.

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  2. Mary-Ann,

    Having used other web conferencing tools like Bridgit, Adobe Connect, and Live Meeting throughout my career I find that this is a neat addition to my toolbox. To be able to have a meeting without worrying about computer platforms and ease of use is a definite plus in my book. Did I read Maia's comment correctly? Is this a free tool? Where do I sign?

    Thanks for posting this information.

    Manny

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  3. Maia,

    Yes, I am really excited about finding this tool. The only drawback I see is that the last update for it still kept it in the 'beta' (testing) stage. Knowing that it is cross platform is really what drew me to it.

    Thank you for your comment!

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  4. Manny,

    Yes, BRIO is a free tool!!! That is another feature I liked about it! In my blog entry above, if you click on the word, BRIO, you will go directly to the sign up page. Sounds like you have a lot of experience using conferencing tools - I'd be curious to have your comments on BRIO and its' ease of use.

    Thank you for your comment!

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  5. I wish something like this was available when I was traveling all over the country in the 90's, conferencing with my company's out of state mfg plants and contracted facilities. Just before I left at the end of 1998, a conferencing "room" was established with specialize speaker phones, cameras and TV's to accomplish the same thing this free tool does. Now my brain is working to figure out how to use something like this in school, maybe bringing two classes from different schools together for a collaborative project. . . .

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  6. @ Sandy,
    Great idea as a way to utilize this tool! Many times, schools and/or companies that are a distance from each other can feel isolated. This tool would certainly curb that problem! So many mobile devices today would have also eased the strain you felt being 'out of touch' while traveling.
    Thanks for your insightful comment!

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