Video Conferencing rooms being tested
Previously, I wrote and got a lot of great feedback (thank you those who responded!) about a video conferencing system I was creating and making available. Well, finally it is on the horizon…… I think it quite timely given that Dimdim is being wiped from the sky as a low cost alternative.
We are still testing but I think an update is due. We estimate it to be ready for launch next week.
Watch this “presenter” screencast tutorial to find out more OR go try out sandbox testing room for yourself. The proof is in the pudding. We are still tinkering with audio settings and also our servers. However, most is a go. When we launch we will always have a 5 min demo for all potential users. This helpful presentation will also default launch to help users.
Here are a few things that set the rooms apart:
1. Make rooms “on the go”. No need for a permanent account or to have a permanent room.
2. Simplicity. Not a lot of clutter. The listener comes and can follow immediately. No steep learning curve. (but please use a headset!).
3. Focus. Only the presenter has an operating camera. They control who talks and who else can present on the whiteboard and with a camera. They simply give control to someone else (or take it away).
4. Personalization. The basic rooms allow you to put up your own title that is linked to the homepage of your choice. Add a start up message too.
5. Social Media friendly. Tweet the room. Facebook the room. Let others know about your session with only a few clicks. The first of its kind.
6. Google translate “breakaway” chat rooms. Chat with selected attendees in a breakaway room and also have your chat auto-translated to the language of your choice. Really amazing stuff.
7. Price. The rooms will be a low monthly fee of $25. The annual price $180. Nothing cheaper out there, with the features. Nothing. We will also offer customized service to large schools/organizations. Get your own colors, own server and security salt/key for integration with moodle and other learning management systems. Just contact us.
Your jobs reach more candidates!
We now have more ways to get your jobs “out there”! TEFList is now affiliated with the Indeed job network. Indeed is a worldwide company specializing in the job ad market. Your jobs posted on TEFList or using our affilate code, will now be posted and distributed and seen by tens of thousands, even millions, through Indeed.
Visit our Indeed job board to place ads directly there!
All part of our building strategy to disperse your jobs so you can obtain the best candidates for your teaching jobs.
Updates – What we are working on….
We are working hard to create a lot more here on TEFList. The idea is to get the jobs out there across the netiverse and also allow teachers/employers / recruiters additional tools to use and connect. Here is a brief capsule of what is being worked on or implemented.
1. MailVu email video integration has been improved. You’ll notice the video quality improvement immediately. Record and email a video instantly. It IS that easy.
2. Videoconferencing rooms are still free and we’ve worked like crazy to update and tweek the code. Now, you won’t get much voice delay and there is google translate chat. Chat and have it instantly translated! In the next week, we will improve the rooms even more and come out with a very cheap payment plan as we implement the rooms on more servers.
3. Widgets! You can get all the jobs in ELT on your own site. Just copy and paste the code from any of our widgets (and also format to your own colors/size/liking). A great way to add premium content to your own ELT site.
4. All jobs placed directly on TEFList will soon have premium placement on the main page of EFL Classroom 2.0. Thousands of teachers will view them. Also, soon to arrive – our jobs will also be placed on the Indeed Job network which reaches thousands of potential teachers in the U.S. and Canada.
Quick Search for Jobs
We are trying to make it very easy for teachers to find and share jobs on TEFList!
We now have Quick Search!
It is very simple and I’ll continue to add “quick buttons” and also refine the criteria.
Use the social media buttons to share the page / jobs and search term with others!
Next in line, once we build our resume library, will be a similar thing for employers so they can quickly search the resume database. Stay tuned!
Employers – Hitting a Home Run!
It costs a school or company a lot of money and time to find the right teacher. You want to do everything right so you can “hit a home run” and get lots of candidates replying – increasing your odds of getting the right person for the teaching job.
Here are the top 5 things schools and employers placing ads for teachers should do to ensure they hit a home run:
1. Make your title stand out! Not with *** or !!! but rather put the most attractive feature of the job in the title. It will increase your number of looks. Think of what the key feature of the job is – the pay, the benefits, holidays, apartment. Highlight that.
2. Be extremely concise and coherent. Start with a brief job description. The teacher reading the ad should know in an instant what you want and what you are about.
3. Have a profile. Here at TEFList we allow you to highlight yourself with a profile page or do so on your ownwebpage. Pictures of the apartment, the local, often “sell” the job. Make an attractive profile and even a video about your school or organization (upload here) – teachers will be impressed and you’ll get better candidates.
4. Make sure the job ad is complete. Nothing makes a teacher more suspicious than an ad that doesn’t have the pay, the vacation time, benefits and information about accommodation. Include this at a minimum. I’d even recommend making sure there is a person as a contact – not some anonymous email address.
5. Make sure your ad is professional in both tone and grammar. Just like employers hate and usually toss a badly written resume – teachers get put off by the same. Have another person proof read your ad for clarity and required details.
I think if most schools and recruiters follow these steps, they will indeed hit a home run and get a winning teacher!
What’s Ahead
The Road Ahead On TEFList
I thought that since October will be a “building” month until we launch our full services in November – it would be interesting to give members a glimpse at our future plans.
This is what we are looking at in the near term (3-4 month window):
1. Full set of social media sharing. Share all jobs and everything on your facebook, twitter, linkedIn accounts
2. A Facebook app. to facilitate social sharing and get news about the jobs out there.
3. Direct “Record” buttons on all profiles. Click a button and go record your video introduction.
4. A one stop place for payments. Members can purchase sponsored links (we will approve/verify), purchase ad space, upgrade membership etc….
5. Skype integration with the video conference rooms. Also, version 7.1 will come out shortly with improved audio.
6. Integration of the forum with TEFList. So if you sign into TEFList, you will automatically be signed in on the TEFList forum.
7. Deeper, more specific, easier ways to search all the ELT jobs in the world.
8. Active associations and affiliations with select recruiters and employers around the world.
9. An improved job map directory, fully searchable. So teachers can get anonymous information about job conditions around the world.
Record and Send a Video Introduction
Here at TEFList, we are providing both teachers and employers with the power of connecting by video. You can do so through video conference and now – by recording and instantly emailing a video introduction. (find these under our Video tab at the top of every page).
Teachers can very simply create a video introduction (up to 10 min. in length). Just go to our RECORD page and do the following.
1. Click “allow” to connect your computer’s cam to the recorder
2. Click “record” and start speaking. Make sure to smile when you click record – this will be the first image seen by the viewer!
3. Click “play” and review your video. If you like it, select the options at the bottom and send the video by email.
It is as easy as that! Every member who makes a recording has full control over access to it. Select when you want to delete it or how long you want it to remain active. You’ll also get an email allowing you to instantly delete it at any time.
Employers, if a teacher doesn’t have an uploaded video introduction – click the button on their profile page and request one. They can now record theirs easily and send to you. This will make the candidate interview and selection process much more transparent and effective.
We hope you like this tool brought to you through our affiliation with the guys at MailVU. Let us know how you like this.
Making the best out of “synchronicity”
The video conference rooms are ready for use! Go directly HERE or start by reading more about it first HERE.
I’ve had a busy week working with the developer to tweak this and tune that. Also to set up the servers that are the best available (brand new, using 4 GB of ram and Ubuntu 10.04 O/S). This we hope will make a difference but please provide feedback about your experience – on your own blog, here, on twitter or on the uservoice feedback link available on the video conferencing landing page.
The system has been tested and works well. It is used by many large universities as part of their programs. However, we do need to develop more and there will be improvements. Consider this free period our testing ground.
But let me share some ideas for using the rooms and getting the power out of “asynchronicity” – being live and many places at once.
The rooms might be used for:
1. Interviewing candidates for a job. This was my original purpose for the project. Schools and recruiters spend a lot of money and time getting the right candidate – this can only make that process much better and sure.
2. Professional development. Conference with colleagues about a topic. Invite a guest speaker and have others attend and listen to the lecture.
3. Online office hours. No need to go into the university or be at school during a snowstorm or after hours. Just meet online during scheduled times.
4. Catching up, helping the lower level students. You can meet students who need help during the convenience of hours at home. You’ll be surprised how many lower level students excel when online and in this medium.
5. eteaching. Teach online just like you would private lessons. Instead of traveling across the city, just schedule time in the eroom, think of it as your “livingroom”. Save time and money and be more efficient. Arrange payment on paypal, once payment is made, meet up!
There are many more possible ways to use the erooms, I’m sure. Check them out and be patient with yourself. Takes a bit of learning but I’m sure you’ll find out that these rooms are quite “basic” yet powerful. Perfect for quickly learning their ropes.
Video Conferencing that works!
Coming shortly to TEFList will be fully loaded conferencing rooms for both teachers (to eteach) and schools/employers/recruiters (to communicate with teachers). More info. here and for the rooms here.
I’m busy setting it up but it will be the best on the internet at a fraction of the cost. Abode Connect now or HP – two of the best outfits out there, charge hundreds of dollars a year for a comparable room. While we haven’t decided on a final pricing model, you can bet it will be a mere fraction of that – still with the same quality.
The key is the programming and using top quality servers. We are busy at that – getting you the best possible way to connect. Here’s a sneak peak of what it will look like and what it offers.
1) can hold up to 300 attendees/students/teachers Or just speak to one person.
2) has file sharing that is instant.
3) audio/video capability of the highest clarity and response
4) full white board capability
5) chat and private ongoing chat
6) desktop sharing that doesn’t drag but works
7) simplicity – no sign up, no installs. Click and use.
8. make multiple rooms for each of your classes with a click.
9. fully secure and private, encrypted data transmission.
Test the new conference rooms with us!
We are almost ready to make available, social media friendly, video conferencing/eteaching rooms on the go.
Busy making this a great system and we need your help! Please jump into a room and leave us some feedback. Either here or on our uservoice. Much appreciated!
1. Coming soon to the rooms will be full flash recording.
2. Also planning on youtube integration. Share a video, pause, use to instruct online!