Streamed Social Networking Web Video Sites

Intrigued by the phenomenon of online video streaming I have been looking at 2 such sites today.
I caught up with Will Richardson videocasting in Ustream this afternoon quite by accident when following up links from Kim Cofino's Delicious Links. Will had tried out Operator 11 previously and was broadcasting live on Saturday 13th October here is his feed. Todays Weblogg-ed Show was on video gaming at MediaTech


Will who is out there at the edge searching for new ways to deliver Web 2.0 technologies in an educational setting has been using Ustream for some time, tried out Operator 11 with some IT colleagues last week.


In the chat alongside UStream today I asked Will about his take on the two applications... there is an advantage in O11 that you can allow other participants to broadcast (operating like FlashMeeting with each person having air time to talk) - this does not appear to be available in UStream which seems to be what it says - you streaming (there is a chatroom also in UStream - so that participants can contribute - very like webcasting from Worldbridges.) However Will did have a problem in Operator11, even though you have the power as a 'director' to allow people in to participate, it appears that they can come in anyway and could try to take over the conversation - this reminded me of the live 'seat of the pants' When Night Falls, Skypecasts for K12Online06 which made them very difficult to control...
Neither site would not be appropriate spaces for students to access either, due to inappropriate content on start-up pages.
Presentations can be embedded as above though for use if necessary at a later date. Not really in the spirit of live interaction. It is interesting to see how these applications spring up, each having useful elements - both of these would be useful for teacher PD or Workshops with built in interactivity... Follow the developments by keeping up with people like Will, David Jakes et al.

David Jakes made an interesting observation in the chat today, suggesting that there have perhaps been too many new social networking applications recently which has taken educators away from their core role, I for one would agree with that remark. It is difficult enough to get tried and tested Web 2.0 technologies into everyday teaching, we must be looking long term for some of the latest developments to appear in a classroom near you.

Many Thanks to Kim Cofino for setting me off on this research. You can find more at Kim's Delicio.us links.

*apologies for earlier spelling/grammar - I blame it on feeling rotten with a cold when typing up this blog - that's my story anyway !!!! :-)