Videoconferencing
Welcome to Nassau BOCES' Videoconferencing Service!
As part of the VC service, your district will have access to experiences and experts around the world, through the power of videoconferencing tools like Zoom.
Take a peek below at some of the great things happening with our service.
We are continuing to expand our Global Connections program. See below for some amazing pictures from connections.
Students from Freeport and Hewlett participated in a Global Connection with students from Taiwan.
Contact Us
Technical Support
- Join Nassau BOCES Videoconferencing Services!
- Curated Provider Demos
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Zoom Account Options
- Best Practices in Zoom Presentations
- Zoom Support Resources
- Zoom Webinar Information & Sign-up Form
Join Nassau BOCES Videoconferencing Services!
Nassau BOCES Videoconferencing service assists subscribing districts with all aspects of videoconference program coordination and professional development. Videoconferencing takes students out of their classrooms and communities for enriching experiences that break down barriers and prejudices. Students have an opportunity to meet with experts at museums (below), zoos, and cultural centers as well as their peers at other schools around the world to share their ideas and expand their awareness of themselves and the world.
What comes with the subscription?
6 paid VCs:
- Choose from our catalog or CILC- Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration website
- Any 6 (up to $1050) that you choose are included in your subscription
2 days of PD:
- Customized to district needs
- Zoom support
- Facilitating VCs in hybrid/remote environment
- VC Best Practices
Access to the listserv:
- Access to over 1,000 educators who are part of our VC service
- Post to ask for recommendations, ideas etc.
- Free and new opportunities are frequently posted
Monthly Newsletter:
- Curated timely offerings
- Free VC opportunities
VC Catalog
- Curated listing of popular VCs and providers- PDF, print form and digital.
Monthly Class to Class Collaborations and Career Connections
- Opportunity to participate in monthly themed collaboration opportunities and career connections with experts
- Support in creating new class to class collaborations within your school, state or the world!
Booking Support
- Support through all aspects of booking process
Opportunity to Purchase Velex Package
- Velex Packages can be purchased which comes with a bundle of 16 (up to $2800) VCs
Member's Corner
The Member's Corner, which is only accessible to members of the Nassau BOCES Videoconference Service, offers many resources to educators who are planning videoconferences in their schools.
- Documents and tutorial videos to help you set up and run videoconferences using Zoom, technology that every member district has access to.
- A searchable PDF of the latest Videoconference Catalog will guide you to finding and booking engaging educational videoconference experiences for your students.
- Monthly Newsletter- Reports videoconference news from member districts, technology updates and more.
Curated Provider Demos
Frequently Asked Questions
What is videoconferencing?
Videoconferencing is a real-time, interactive connection between two or more distant sites.
What equipment is needed to videoconference?
All you need is a computer with internet, a microphone, and a camera! Most providers are willing to work with whatever videoconferencing tool your district uses; Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Webex, and most popular, Zoom.
Can I videoconference anywhere in the world?
You can videoconference with any distant site that has videoconference equipment and transmission capability. However, some faraway places might be problematic because of the time difference.
Can my class videoconference with a museum or educational center at any time?
Yes. You just need to schedule an appointment to meet the distant site via videoconferencing. Museums and others will schedule around a school's bell schedule. When you're making plans, be sure to verify the distant site's time zone.
How do I find videoconference programs that will enrich my content area?
If your district is a member of Nassau BOCES Videoconference Services, you can search the Nassau BOCES Videoconference Catalog. It's located in the Member's Corner.
How do I know if a videoconference program is a good one?
Service members can learn about good programs by reading, looking for recommendations in the catalog, or reviewing the results of the VC Yelp Review sheet.
Are museums and educational sites willing to tailor programs?
Educational sites aim to please. They will tailor a program according to your grade level and curriculum objectives at no extra fee. Many sites will also create original programs for you for an additional fee.
Is it okay if my class skips the pre-videoconference activities?
No. The purpose of pre-videoconference activities is to prepare students for the videoconference. If students aren't properly prepared, they are less likely to interact with and ask questions of the expert. You don't want to reduce the videoconference experience to a TV watching experience.
Is it all right to put two or more classes together for a videoconference program?
Perhaps, the biggest benefit of videoconferencing is that it gives students the opportunity to have a face-to-face conversation with an expert. If a large group (more than one class) connects with an expert, only a small percentage of that group will have a chance to interact. If the students aren't interacting, the experience quickly becomes one of watching television—not videoconferencing.
How do I get access the Member's Corner?
To access the content (the Videoconference catalog, current videoconference newsletter and more) in the Member's Corner, educators must be a member of the Nassau BOCES Videoconference Service. Learn how to join the Videoconference Service.
Zoom Account Options
EdLaw2-d compliant Zoom licenses are being offered through a contract with Erie2 BOCES. All accounts through this contract are part of a state-wide domain system that will be in effect for the 2024-2025 school year.
Districts purchasing 20 or more licenses will be given administrative rights to their own sub-account.
2024 - 2025 Zoom Costs: (includes Nassau BOCES administrative fee)
Zoom Subscription Fee: $150 (waived for districts subscribing to our Videoconferenceing Service)
Pro Account: $27
Webinar (500 participant): $792
Webinar (1000 participant): $3,490
Large Meeting Room (500 participants): $616
Large Meeting Room (1000 participants): $1108
Room Connector: $512
Zoom Order Schedule 2024 - 2025:
Google form sent to districts (approximately date): | 4/19/24 |
---|---|
Google form & LOA due back from districts to Nassau BOCES by: | 5/9/24 |
Licenses allocated by: | July 1st |
Process:
- Complete the Zoom Order Survey: 2024 - 2025 Zoom Order Form
- If your district is purchasing over 20 licenses, you will have your own dashboard. Please email Robert Mascolo, rmascolo@nasboces.org, the email address (example: zoom@publicschool.org) and password for the administrator account that should be associated with your subdomain so it can be created.
- District Zoom administrators will be notified when the Zoom accounts have been activated.
Helpful Information:
Best Practices in Zoom Presentations
How do you deliver an effective presentation over ZOOM? Practice, Practice, Practice.
ZOOM is a user-friendly platform for those joining and viewing presentations. However, as the presenter or “host” of a virtual event, you’ll want to become comfortable with ZOOM’s basic and advanced features. It’s a good idea to practice using ZOOM with family and friends before your first event. Once you feel comfortable with ZOOM basics, you’re ready to plan a virtual event.
Pre-Event Considerations
Schedule a Meeting
The following features are available when scheduling a meeting...
- The Registration feature is a useful tool for meetings attended by adults.
- Automatic or unique Meeting ID # helps to protect your PMI (personal meeting identification).
- ZOOM has other security features. Some features are default settings (such as, Only the Host can Share Screen and the Waiting Room so the Host can screen for necessary participants). Note: You can change default settings.
- When you schedule a meeting, you can also require a password and/or require participants to wait for the host to join the meeting. Again, these options are available when scheduling a meeting.
Useful Advanced Features
You have access to basic meeting settings when you are in a meeting. Some basic features are currently default settings. You may change those at any time. To access advanced features, log in to your account at https://www.zoom.us/ and go to Settings.
Note: If you activate any of these advanced settings, it doesn’t mean you have to use them. Some advanced features (ie, Waiting Room) can be deactivated when scheduling a new meeting using the basic features. If you make changes to advanced settings while you are in a virtual meeting, you will have to log out of that meeting to activate the setting changes.
Settings
Participant Video/Audio: You have the option to turn off the audio and video of participants entering your event. However, once in the meeting, the participants can activate both. If you want participants to stay muted and without video, you must instruct them in your invitation email. Once in the meeting, you will have the option to “mute all” participants. See Participant Management below.
Private Chat: De-activating this setting (turning the button grey) will prevent participants from sending chat messages to other participants.
Polling: Simple polls created and activated during an event can provide useful information and keep participants engaged.
Non-Verbal Feedback: Activating the “Non-Verbal” feature allows participants to give quick responses, such as “yes/no” or “thumbs up/down.”
Waiting Room: If you activate this, it doesn’t mean you have to use it with every meeting. You can de-activate when creating your invitation.
Annotation and Whiteboard: These are both options you might use when sharing your screen.
What to Include in a Virtual Meeting Invitation
Whether you send an email with a copy of the meeting invitation or a link to register, it’s a good idea to encourage participants...
- To connect early and test audio (speakers)
- To keep their audio/video off, if the event has many participants
- Provide a telephone number for tech support during the event
Plan a Welcoming, Professional Environment
The beauty of virtual events is that the host and participants can connect from anywhere. Since it’s important for the presenter to be “on camera” as much as possible, both the presenter and her surroundings should be welcoming and professional.
Wardrobe: Keep it simple. Avoid very bright or very dark colors, patterns, and sparkly, noisy jewelry--all of which can interfere with video and/or audio quality.
Well lit: The best environment is one where you can control the lighting. Avoid setting up with a window nearby, especially behind you. Make sure you have adequate lighting so everyone can see you. Adjust lighting to present the best you.
General Meeting Setting: The best presentations are ones that “mix it up.” That is, the presenter should plan to share his/her expertise, useful content, and, when appropriate, include participant activities. All these things are easy to do with ZOOM's controls at your fingertips. Most likely, you’ll want to conduct your virtual meeting at a desk with easy access to your computer. The background (what’s behind you and your computer) should be neutral and professional looking. A virtual background offers an easy solution (without the need for a green screen) if your computer meets the option’s tech requirements.
Meeting Design Considerations
Prepare to Engage:When it comes to engagement, there are pros and cons to both in-person or virtual meetings. Since you don’t have the advantage of physically being with and responding to your group, you’ll have to rely on other strategies.
Keep it Simple:A 45-50 minute length is optimal (less is fine, of course) for most virtual meetings. It’s better to break the topic into a series of presentations at different times than to try to cover it all in one long virtual meeting. If you need to run a longer meeting, be sure to give breaks.
One exception might be workshops, during which participants will be collaborating and/or planning. For such meetings, you might want to create Breakout Rooms.
Be On-Camera:Your participants are excited to learn from you. They want to see you. They want to sense your enthusiasm for the topic.
Share different media: (ie, PowerPoint, video, whiteboard). Breaking up your presentation with different media will help to keep participants engaged. Visuals, such as PP slides and short videos, reinforce your messages and make what you're presenting more memorable. However, participants want to see you, so close out of screen sharing frequently.
Note: When sharing a videoclip, be sure to click the “Share computer sound” button
Create Polls: This isn’t a virtual meeting “must,” but it’s a simple way to interact with your group and quickly learn about them.
Practice:Just like your in-person presentation, it’s a good idea to do a run-through prior to your meeting. Get used to switching to different media and Zoom features such as polling, chat and breakout sessions.
Time to Connect
Set Up
Be sure to connect a few minutes early.
- Activate “mute all” in the “Participants” box.
- Allow a few minutes for everyone to enter the meeting.
- You might want to play a video during this time, so participants know they are properly set up to see and hear your presentation.
- You’ll want to pin your video, especially for large groups and if you plan to record the session.
Ice Breaker
Once the presenter is on-camera…
It’s nice to begin with a little “happy talk.” This allows latecomers to join without missing anything important and lets participants know that you are “live” and excited to meet with them.
Asking participants to answer a question in the chat box is another way to quickly connect with participants before starting your presentation. A presenter might ask participants to “chat” where they are from (what state or school district?) And then welcome them.
Housekeeping
Your participants may or may not be familiar with Zoom. Let them know how you’ve set up your presentation. For instance, inform that…
- Everyone should click “speaker view.”
- Everyone is muted
- Everyone can chat with the host.
- For smaller, more interactive meetings, you might allow participants to use the non-verbal signals.
- When sharing content, participants can increase the size of the presenter’s PIP by going into “View Options” and clicking side-by-side mode. This allows them to watch content and the speaker at the same time.
Start Your Presentation
Remember...
Stay on-camera as much as possible. You want them to see your enthusiasm for your topic.
Break up your presentation by sharing media and engaging with participants via chat, polling and if a small enough group, an unmuted exchange.
Consider…
Co-host. If you have the luxury of a co-worker’s help, you can make that person your co-host. The co-host can monitor the chat and polling options, share content, control the recording and more. For more interactive sessions, co-host might manage “mute/unmute” and “non-verbal signal” activity.
Enjoy!
Zoom Support Resources
Zoom Webinar Information & Sign-up Form
Nassau BOCES is proud to offer the loan of its 1000-person Zoom webinar room to all COL and Videoconference subscribers. If you are interested in booking a session to use this webinar service, first read through the information below. To book a session, check the calendar to the right to see if your date and time are available, then fill out the Google Form.
The Google Form asks for necessary information to help set up the webinar. Most of the questions are required, which are indicated by a "*". Once the Google Form is filled out, we will be in touch to confirm your booking and provide you with the necessary information to access the webinar.
*Nassau BOCES requires that, if you decide to use this service, you have tech support on hand from your district to help make sure these sessions run smoothly and are able to help troublehoot any possible issues that may arise. We cannot guarantee that our staff will be available to help at your event.
*Nassau BOCES will not keep recorded webinar sessions. If a recorded session is needed, make sure the recorded session is downloaded locally. Nassau BOCES will remove any recordings that are saved to the cloud to protect your privacy since this webinar will be shared.
*Contact Robert Mascolo at rmascolo@nasboces.org or at 516-396-2050 with any questions that were not covered on this page
Zoom Webinar Articles
- Getting Started with Zoom Webinars
- Scheduling Webinars
- Hosting Webinars
- Attending Webinars
- Settings and Configuration for Zoom Webinars
Zoom Webinar Video Turtorials
Nassau BOCES 1000-Person Zoom Webinar Sign-up Form
Monthly Newsletter
Check out our Monthly Newsletter for Curated Timely Opportunities, Free VCs as well as District News and Service Updates!
May 2024 VC Newsletter Homepage by Katherine Yodice
April 2024 Newsletter by Katherine Yodice
March 2024 VC Newsletter by Katherine Yodice
February 2024 VC Newsletter by Katherine Yodice
January 2024 VC Newsletter by Katherine Yodice
December 2023 VC Newsletter by Katherine Yodice
November 2023 VC Newsletter by Katherine Yodice