Communications & Publicity
Webinars:
Learning at Your Fingertips
By Eileen McNally
It's time to check your emails—a task you dread
because you know you are going to see 10 or more
emails added to the hundreds, perhaps thousands, in
your inbox! You don’t delete many emails— you may
need the information contained in them—but the
few times you did need information, you couldn't find
it anyway! There has to be a better way! Fortunately,
you run across information about a webinar* dealing
with this issue. You sign up, participate in the webinar,
and come away with marvelous ideas for streamlining
your email experience— a welcomed stress reducer.
The word “webinar” is a portmanteau from
“web seminar.” A webinar is a presentation, lecture,
workshop, or seminar transmitted over the Web
using video conferencing software. A key feature of
a true webinar is its interactive elements: the ability
to give, receive, and discuss information in real-time.
However, recorded webinars also provide great
potential for communication!
A webinar is an ideal way to convey information
to others, and the Communications and Publicity
Committee is encouraging the use of webinars as
training tools. Recently, one such webinar explained
the DKG app, delving into its many parts and
functions and showing attendees at the regional
conferences how to create personalized schedules,
check information about sessions, and access
handouts using the built-in QR reader. Other non-
interactive webinars are currently being developed by
Headquarters personnel and others.
Common Traits of Webinars
Webinars include an audio component.
Participants can listen to the presenter by using the
speakers on their computer or by dialing via a regular
land or cell phone.
50 · Volume 84-2
Check out this
archived webinar
regarding DKG
Orientation:
Webinars typically include a visual component
of some sort. Usually the presenter shares her desktop
with the audience and shows participants a slide
show or other documents. But presenters can also
show live examples from the Web or demonstrate a
particular piece of software. Such sharing can include
PowerPoint slides, Google Slides, Excel, Google
Sheets, blog posts, Pinterest, Facebook, or any other
social media. One is only limited by her imagination.
A true webinar is a live event. The presenter
is speaking to a live audience. Live webinars can,
however, be archived for viewing at a later time.
The presenter uses a webinar tool to run
the event via the Internet. Webinar creators at the
international level use GoToWebinar, the companion
tool of GoToMeeting. Others potential tools include
Click Webinar and Adobe Connect Webinar. These
tools can handle everything from advertising an event,
providing a way to sign up, notifying participants that
the webinar is beginning, allowing chats during the
webinar, keeping track of questions, taking surveys
during the presentation, and thanking the participants
after the program is done.
The goal of most webinars is to teach the
attendees or answer questions. Thus, a typical
webinar structure might include
• 5–10 minutes of introduction, including the
agenda;
• 60 minutes of how-to content (with
presentation slides or live demo);
• 15 minutes of Q & A.
Webinars can be free (and may include some sort
of pitch of a paid product or service) or paid (as part
of a paid class or workshop).
Webinar attendees can attend the event from
anywhere or any time zone. They only need an
Internet connection.

Why People Attend
Webinars
Webinars appeal
to all learning styles:
Because webinars have
both an audio and video
component, learners can
use their strongest learning
style. If the webinar is
interactive, they can
choose to participate by
asking questions, giving
their perspective, or just
observing.
No travel is required:
Unlike attending
traditional conferences or
seminars, webinars involve
participation right from
Communications & Publicity
one’s desk or home office.
That means the sessions
are more cost effective and
convenient.
Webinars are
interactive: At most
conferences or seminars,
you are one of the masses.
In a webinar, you can
participate by chatting with
other attendees or giving
feedback to presenters.
You are in a position to
exchange ideas with your
peers.
“Bailing” is easier: If
you are at a conference or
seminar, it is difficult to
bail—i.e., leave when you
want. In addition, you lose
both travel and attendance
money. Leaving a bad
webinar is as easy as closing
a computer window.
They are archived:
Did you miss something
or want to clarify a point?
Most webinars are archived
so you can watch the
session later to review.
Archiving also allows
learners to participate at
their own pace by stopping
and reviewing material,
choosing the time for
the webinar, and even
participating from their
favorite chair.

Webinar Resources
edWeb.net: Webinars for Teachers
• free
• CE certificate for attending
• Publishes monthly calendar: 35 in April, 17 in May
• Sample topics: Building Blended Learning Teacher Leaders in Your District; Early Number
Concepts: Turning Misconceptions into Meaning 4-5
• Presenters file an application to present a webinar
• Archives to edWeb.TV; individual subscription $4.49 per month

Education Week Webinars

• Live and on-demand (latter available for a limited time)
• Many free; “premium” access—$195 per webinar
• No certificates, but live viewers receive a post-event confirmation

Simple K12 (PD in Your PJs)

• Some free; some members only ($397/year); group enrollments available (contact for quote)
• For members:
• 1000s of on-demand videos
• CEU certificates and transcript reports
• Unlimited access to live webinars

ASCD
• Free webinar series (2 or more per month) for all; members-only webinars as well (4 per year)
• Archives webinars dating back to 2010

Collegial Exchange · 51
 Communications & Publicity
A webinar (web seminar) is an educational,
informative, or instructional presentation
that is made available online, usually as
either video or audio with slides.

Speaking of Archived
Sometimes a presenter limits who can
view an archived video. For a paid webinar,
only those who signed up and paid have
access. Other providers make a webinar
available to anyone for a limited amount
of time. However, most webinars allow
unlimited access. Technically speaking an
archived webinar is better described as
a “webcast” or “on demand.” The Figure
illustrates some of the relationship among
key terms applied to webinars in their
varied formats.

Webinars of Interest
The C&P committee is curating and
publicizing webinars and instructional
videos for members. Those interested in
pursuing webinars on their own may want
to consider the following sources.Webinars
and Videos?
One might wonder, if a webinar
is archived and can be watched via a
recording, how does it differ from videos
on YouTube or Vimeo? Such videos
usually do not originate as webinars. They The Bottom Line
are recorded with no interaction from If you want to learn all about the DKG app, simplifying
an audience, and their sole purpose is to email, Google Drive, a piece of software, making a website with
entertain or educate. You can search for Weebly, or a million other topics, a webinar is a viable option.
almost any how-to on YouTube or Vimeo Entire series of webinars exist that have been developed for
and find many from which to choose. teachers and that provide CEUs. If you have a computer or tablet,
Granted, many are far from professional, you have access to a webinar of interest.
but you can usually find one that is exactly
what you need. You can also check out *Overcoming Email Overload: 3 Steps to Inbox Zero on the
a variety of videos available on the C&P Dotto Tech YouTube Channel with Steve Dotto at https://youtu.
page of dkg.org. be/IxS7Dc63Tck

52 · Volume 84-2
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