Videoconferencing on a Small Budget

In a phone conversation, Christy Hubley, technology integration specialist at Timberlane Regional School District in Plaistow, New Hampshire, shared some valuable, yet inexpensive ways to use videoconferencing. Perhaps they would work for you as well!

For Students
Here are some ideas for providing content to students. Use your technology to connect with

• college professors to present on specific topics.
• colleges who offer informational sessions to prospective students.
• individuals and/or organizations who will share information on careers.
• hospitals, colleges and courts will speak to students IF you are willing to work around their schedules
• content providers who offer free sessions
• Many of these providers are quickly booked during the school day, but will offer the same programs after school for enrichment and/or after school programs.

"Family Nights"
Family Nights at Timberlane are frequent and yet special events for children and parents alike. They come to school to visit places such as the San Diego Zoo, the Great Barrier Reef and NASA!

Christy’s Tips for Family Nights:

• Choose a particular grade level or range. Ex. K-2 or 3-5
• Send a note home to these parents letting them know attendance is limited. At Timberlane most of the Distance Learning labs have a limit of 55 participants.
• Sign them up on a first come first serve basis.
• Parents must return a sign-up slip.
• Our sign-up slip includes
• Student Name
• Parent Name
• Number Attending
• Phone Number for contact during the day of the event
• Have enough seating for all.
• Take advantage of your captive audience
• Before the “show” begins,
• explain Distance Learning
• showcase the equipment
• share examples of previous student involvement in videoconferencing
• Have Family Nights often!

Value of Family Nights

• Parents get to see videoconferencing in action
• Parents and children have a common experience which promotes a lot of communication between them.
• School becomes a place for “fun” for parents as well as students

Ideas for Funding Virtual Fieldtrips

• Get them in your budget as a line item – even if it’s not a great amount.
• Sell coffee cakes! Use part of fundraising dollars to support videoconferencing programming.
• Collect printer cartridges and/or cell phones — Some companies will pay for them.
• Solicit the PTA.
• Sometimes it takes ALL of these together!

CILC thanks Christy for sharing with all of us!

Do you have other ideas for Videoconferencing on a Small Budget?
Join us on the NING Site Coordinator’s Community. We’ll have started a discussion thread there. Christy has also posted her Family Night Sign-up Sheet on this site.

Contact Information
Christy Hubley
603-382-6541 Ex. 278