Virtual Real-Time Collaboration
As we increasingly need to collaborate with each other across space and time, getting together with peers and colleagues gets more and more complicated. We’ve got a free tool that might make your life a bit easier: Yugma.
Yugma, whose name in Sanskrit means roughly “the state of togetherness”, is a free web conferencing tool that’s been gaining popularity in both business and academic worlds. Its key features include:
- Desktop Sharing
Allows you to share your computer screen with others, no matter what application, software or operating system you’re using at the time. You can also share mouse and keyboard controls at anytime, so creating slides or reports together flows smoothly. - Teleconferencing via telephone, Skype or other VoIP apps
If you don’t have cell phone minutes to spare, or find yourself working in a quiet space, you can communicate via text in the chat window. - Presentation Tools
Highlight what you’re presenting and brainstorm your ideas using intuitive whiteboard drawing tools. You can save it all in a digital format you can review later or share with others.
You can use the free version of the tool to collaborate with up to ten people at a time. Click here to learn more and set up an account.
The College of General Studies hopes to receive a number of education accounts (with additional features such as recording) to share with faculty, students and administrators in the Penn community. Contact me if you’d like to try out a version of the tool with more features.
How could this tool help YOU? Have you used any similar tools you’d like to share? Have any ideas for how you might use the tool to improve engagement?
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Comments
I’ve already submitted an application to the Education Program and expect to hear back from them this week. Have even spoken with Justin about “SPIA-fying” Yugma so that we move forward with privacy systems in place. I think we’re on solid ground for getting some trial accounts, but will let you know more at the end of the week. We’d be happy to share the accounts with everyone, or even hand it over to WIC for a more “central” distribution.
- Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Have you considered testing Mikogo for your online presentations and desktop sharing?
Mikogo is completely free with all features included, and without any limitations or trial periods. You can start a free Mikogo meeting and share your screen with your participants in real time and true color. Some of the features (all 100% free) include:
- screen sharing
- switch presenter
- remote keyboard and mouse control
- application selection and sharing
- file transfer
- Skype Extra: for combined calls and screen sharing at no cost
- 256 bit AES encryption
Very easy to get started and to use. No configurations or network changes required. No registrations on the participants side. Check out the website, and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Regards,
Andrew
The Mikogo Team
http://www.mikogo.com
I tried checking this out and when I opened the .exe file to install Mikogo, I got an error message and it erased everything in my desktop folder on my U drive! In other words, all but the application shortcut icons disappeared from my desktop. Now, that wasn’t very nice!
Thanks Lisa – I have enjoyed exploring Yugma. There is some interest in joining the Yugma Education Program – I’ve discussed with Carolyn Cannuscio and the next steps are to get the application signed. Have you looked at it? Here’s the link: http://tags.library.upenn.edu/makerecord/url/31467
- Anu Vedantham