Megaconferences and Spinoffs Dr Bob Dixon Chief Research

Megaconferences and Spinoffs Dr Bob Dixon Chief Research Engineer OARNet and Ohio State University Internet 2 Commons Site Coordinator Training September 27, 2004 Austin. Texas

Megaconferences and Spinoffs § Megaconference V - Dec 10, 2003 http: //www. megaconference. org § Megaconference Jr. - May 6, 2004 http: //megaconferencejr. cciu. org § Keystone Conference - Oct 25 -26, 2004 http: //www. keystoneconference. org § Megaconference VI – Dec 9, 2004 http: //www. megaconference. org § Megaconference Jr. II – May 5, 2005 http: //megaconferencejr. cciu. org 2

The Megaconference is: World’s largest Internet video conference. EVERYONE is invited. H. 323 Standard. A professional conference with no central location. The speakers and audiences are distributed throughout the world. Fully interactive. Worldwide network of Multipoint Control Units, cascaded together. A test of and a push for the state of the art. 3

Megaconference V December 10, 2003 13 Hours, in 3 sessions because of global time 200 Organizations 1000 People 27 Countries 5 Continents 4

Some of the Presentations Remote Music Education - Canada Research Collaboration between Germany and New Zealand Lewis and Clark Expedition Re-Enactment Lockerbie, Scotland Syracuse University Joint Memorial Poland, Finland, Greece, United Kingdom Educational Collaboration Rural West Texas K-12 Education 5

Some of the Musical Events Recorder Ensemble - Pennsylvania Fifth Grade Chorus - Texas Folk Song Sing-Along - North Carolina Tennessee Schmaltz - Tennessee Digeridoo - Australia Megachoir - EVERYWHERE 6

Other Events Roll Calls, to give everyone a chance to say hello to the world. Fantastic Door Prizes. The Megacon café, where anyone can talk to anyone. Forbidden Prank 7

Megaconference VI Dec 9, 2004 - All Over the World Theme – Let’s Talk: Global Communications Innovation Participatory Videoconferencing Registration Opens – Oct 8 Deadline for presentation proposals – Oct 29 8

Megaconference VI New Features This year Special Emphasis on Interactive Presentations Simultaneous Multiple Locations Audience Participation Take Advantage of New Technologies SIP Gateway Fast Software Endpoints Encouragement of K-12 Presenters 9

Megaconference Jr. §May 6, 2004 (Mega Jr II May 5, 2005) §Uses the Megaconferences Format §For the K-12 Audience §All presentations by kids, to kids § 120 Schools § 29 States § 11 Countries § 4 Continents § 12 Hours, moving westward around the world 10

Some of the Presentations § A field trip by Singapore students to rural Borneo. § Discussing summer camp, by deaf students in Maine. § Re-enacting the Oklahoma land rush, by students from Oklahoma. § Protecting the Sea Environment, by students from Hawaii. § Steroids in Sports, from students in Rhode Island. § Building Hurricane-Proof Houses, by students from Florida § The Role of Women, by students from North Carolina. 11

Some of the Musical Events §A young violinist from the Cleveland Institute of Music. §Traditional native dances and singing by students in Alaska. §Maori singing and dancing by students in New Zealand. §Bongo drumming ensemble by students in Michigan. §Native Hawaiian songs by students in Hawaii. §“Waltzing Matilda” sung by students in 12 Australia.

Singapore 13

Michigan Drummers 14

Spain 15

Maine Campers 16

Australia 17

Hawaii tired kids 18

Keystone Conference §Organized by Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) §Audience is K-12 Teachers and Administrators §Uses Expanded Megaconference MCU Topology §Four simultaneous conferences §IP, ISDN, ATM video types, intermixed §USA and Canada §Universities and State K-12 Networks §Two days, 6 hours/day §Local audience in Indianapolis. Remote audience 19 everywhere

Summary §Huge Unique Events §Challenging technical problems §Many people help in many roles §Months of planning §All volunteer effort §Very rewarding §Makes people aware of what is possible §Applies modern technology for public good §Makes the world a better place §“The more we get together, the better it will be” 20