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Platforms Available for Hybrid Meetings & Events
This document will provide an overview of online platforms that can be used for meetings and events with remote attendees and associated considerations. The goal of this document is to help users choose the correct platform for the needs of their event.
Platform Availability
At EMCC, all employees currently have access to WebEx and Google Meet for web conferencing and YouTube for streaming. *Note: A limited number of employees have access to licensed Zoom accounts which are funded separately.
● WebEx is a licensed platform and all Maricopa employees and students have access to all of its features, including cloud recording, meetings up to 1000 participants, and meeting length up to 24 hours.
● Google Meet is included in the free Google Apps for Education platform. It is a limited version of Google Meet which is generally just for basic meetings and does not include the ability to record meetings.
● YouTube is included in the free Google Apps for Education platform. It provides employees the ability to upload and/or stream video from a YouTube channel associated with their employee account. Events that are streamed to a college YouTube channel are set up in collaboration with IT.
Types of Platforms
Streaming Overview
Streaming platforms are used to broadcast videos live so that it can be viewed by anyone on the Internet. YouTube is the primary streaming platform available to EMCC employees. While there may be chat or comment features available, this is mostly a viewing only experience like watching any other video on YouTube.
Advantages
● Can easily be viewed by anyone with an internet connection.
● Streaming is generally available without needing to login to watch
Disadvantages
● Remote attendee participation is restricted to viewing and chat or comment feeds.
● There is also a slight delay of 20-30 seconds, depending on internet performance.
Web Conferencing Overview
Web conferencing platforms are generally used for online meetings or events that utilize collaborative real time features such as participant video, chat, screen sharing, and host controls. All EMCC employees have access to WebEx and Google Meeting.
Advantages
● The real time functionality allows for participation from remote attendees.
● Other advanced features like breakout rooms are available
● Login is generally required, so meeting can be secured and is not generally available
Disadvantages
● It can be challenging to manage both in person and remote attendee participation
● External attendees may have difficulties joining
● Recordings can be cumbersome to share without external individuals
Choosing the Type of Platform
When hosting a hybrid meeting or event, it is important to choose the right platform based on the needs of the event and the attendees.
Level of attendee interaction
The level of attendee interaction that is expected will drive the decision on the platform to use.
● For events that will have remote participation, it is generally best to utilize a web conferencing platform like WebEx or Google Meet that provides real time collaboration features
● For events that do not have remote participation and intended to simply be viewed rather than participated in, either a web conferencing or streaming platform (YouTube) can be used
Internal vs External Remote Attendees (or Both)
The type of remote attendees (external vs internal) attending an online event should also be considered when choosing a platform.
● Web conferencing platforms can add additional complexity for external users. Software clients may need to be installed or updated, may require a login, or attendees may need to be admitted to the meeting by the host.
● Sharing the recording of the event can be more complicated on web conferencing platforms for external users
● YouTube is very easy to join and view on demand or after the fact since they are public by default, only require a web browser, and its use is ubiquitous on the internet.