What is WebEx?

WebEx is a tool you can use to connect with your peers in an interactive classroom online.  This is great because there are times when you need to talk to other people but you aren't always able to meet face to face.  This is the closest way to being in the same room as someone without actually being there.  It works the best when you connect through your computer because all of the features are available to you like you can assume control as the presenter and you can share your desktop which aren't available if you use another device like an iPad.

To use WebEx you need to first go to the website itself by typing it into your internet browser.  When there you can create a free 30 day account so that you can try out the program and see if it's right for you.  You create the account and then activate it through an email they send you.  When you get on your account you can start a meeting by clicking the button that says start meeting.  You will now have a WebEx application that pops up and you can wait for other people to join.

When it comes to actually being in the meeting there are 7 key controls on the bottom which are as followed:

• Connect audio and video
• Share content
• Recorder
• Participants
• Chat
• More options
• End meeting

Although these aren't the only controls and options for WebEx, they tend to be the most useful especially when you are first getting used to the program.  The connect audio and video button helps with getting your voice to work so you can ask questions during the meeting as well as being able to hear others.  The video part helps with getting your webcam to work so that people can see you in the meeting if that is something you want to do.  The share content control allows you to share your screen with other people in the meeting so that everyone is on the same page.  This is especially useful for a student so they can literally show their teacher what is on their screen.  The recorder option allows the meeting to be recorded so people can look back at it and remember what was said.  The participants button lets you see who is in the call.  The chat button allows you to write messages to anyone that is in the meeting.  You can write a question privately to the teacher or you can write something that everyone can see.  More options allows you to lock the meeting, invite people, take polls, and write down notes for your personal keeping.  Lastly, the red X lets you leave the meeting.
These are the essential controls for using WebEx but they are constantly adding new features so it's important to play around with it and get a feel for it so that in no time you'll be a pro as well.  I have listed a video below to give you a more in depth look at how how WebEx works as well.

As an educator we don't have time to mess around with complicated programs because our time is limited as it is but this application is great for quickly meeting with other teachers to bounce ideas off of.  For example, if you don't have time to do it while in school you can have a meeting from somewhere else.  If you are sick as a teacher this even allows the possibility to still teach from the comfort of your house so you don't get students sick but are still able to keep everyone on track so they don't fall behind.  If a student has a question on their homework they can actually call you on WebEx and you can quickly help them by having them share their screen with you.

WebEx has a bright future ahead of it, especially, with the fast moving world we live in today.  It is getting harder and harder to meet in person so being able to meet with people with a few clicks of a button is a great thing to be able to do.  Online classes are becoming more prominent and as teachers we need to be able to adapt.  Being informed teachers on the latest technology will only help us in becoming the most effective teachers we can be. 

References
WebEx logo [Online image] Retrieved from https://www.hipaajournal.com/cisco-webex-hipaa-compliant/

WebEx video [Online video] Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oosepdu-yjA