by Joan Haffey (ARMN), with input from Charlie Haffey (helpful brother)
When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the programming coordinator for a senior services center near me asked if I would do some “Bird Zooms” for isolated seniors. Their clients are often locked down in their apartments or worse, in their room, with few, if any, external contacts. The coordinator knew that I was a master naturalist and interested in birds, and we thought watching birds through a window and trying to identify them might be an entertaining activity that one could do alone, especially with a good app like the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology’s Merlin Bird ID.
The senior center had done an excellent job of orienting their clients to online conferencing and providing both tech and security support before and during various Zoom programs they offer. It also had a number of security features in place, such as only allowing the host to share materials on the screen. While using Zoom to walk through the most basic steps of the app was useful, there were still some challenges.
How could I make sure everyone could clearly see, via video conferencing, the basic steps in action on a smartphone app? And how could I simplify the demonstration so the host did not have to manage the meeting while cueing up relevant portions of excellent resources on Cornell’s website?
Enter my brother, Charlie, a retired science teacher who has made many an educational video in his day. I provided a script, and he made a “Quick Look” video:
It proved to be both easy to use and the highlight of the talk! We have both been surprised at the steady pace of people who view the video. We also decided to make it available to anyone who would like to use it for educational purposes. So, here are some suggestions for anyone who wants to pair this video with a talk about how best to use the app:
Where Are Some Places This Video Could Be Used?
- Senior centers
- Civic associations
- Home or online school programs
- Church groups
- NextDoor groups
- Video conferencing with isolated individuals
Evaluations of this Bird Zoom for seniors show that one of the favorite parts of the talk was the cooperation with my brother. In that spirit, I asked him for a few ideas for successful video-conferenced presentations.
What are the best preparations for a presentation like this on an online conferencing platform?
- It helps to have one person manage the conferencing needs while the other presents. It can be difficult to do both at once, especially monitoring for questions and security breaches.
- Only have open on the computer the files to be shared during the presentation. This minimizes confusion or the potential for shares of information not meant for the audience.
- An alternative to having files open on your desktop is to prepare a slideshow that includes all the information you need. Then you only have to open one file.
Do you have any guidance on clearly presenting information via video conferencing platforms?
- Follow an outline with minimal points
- Stick to these points
- Keep the presentation short
- Minimize visual and verbal information
- Personalize the presentation as appropriate to connect the audience better with the presenter
We hope this video helps widen the worlds of people who really appreciate birds, both now and in the future!