Come join the fun as the Adobe Connect team, Brookwood Media, and several other Adobe teams will present at the mLearnCon 2013 Mobile Learning Conference & Expo, happening June 18–20, at the Fairmont in San Jose, CA. The conference focuses on the management strategies, technology alternatives, and design and development considerations for mobile learning; and is sure to enable those tasked with mobile learning initiatives discover the ideas, information, and community that will help drive success.

The Adobe Connect team will be presenting a session on designing engaging mobile virtual classrooms, as well as participating in a DemoFest booth where we will showcase an innovative use of Adobe Connect mobile to deliver a virtual field trip on a canoe expedition on the Florida Everglades. Also, our partner Brookwood Media will at DemoFest showcasing a field training use case, again powered by Adobe Connect Mobile.

Below are the sessions related to Adobe Connect, which are only a subset of the full agenda. Register today if you haven’t already. We’ll see you there!

Designing Effective and Engaging Mobile Virtual Classrooms
Jump into a mobile virtual classroom and learn about the setup, presentation tips, and engagement tools and techniques that will give you the confidence to encourage learners and SMEs to attend and contribute to your classes from anywhere.
Time/Location: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM, Mobile Design Strategies Stage in the Expo area

mLearning DemoFest
Topic: Virtual field trip: Mobile learning on River of Grass Canoe Expedition, presented by Peter Ryce and Rocky Mitarai of Adobe Systems.
Time/Location: Wednesday, 6/19 from 5pm-7pm (Pacific), Regency Ballrooom, Table 2

Topic: Live training via Adobe Connect Mobile: Field Coaching/Training, presented by Jacquie Beck of Brookwood Media, Inc.
Time/Location: Wednesday, 6/19 from 5pm-7pm (Pacific), Regency Ballrooom, Table 6

Adobe Connect is a web conferencing platform, powering complete solutions for web meetings, eLearning, and webinars, on any device.

What would it be like to select the best graduate and undergraduate programs from around the country and put them into one university? That is the goal of 2U, which partners with major universities from across the U.S. to deliver marquee programs through its virtual campus.

2U develops state-of-the-art technology so universities can deliver curricula in a unique online learning environment. From more than 200 products, the company chose Adobe Connect, a web conferencing and elearning platform, as the foundation of its virtual classroom environment and interactive solution.

“The choice was clear, and we’ve never looked back,” says James Kenigsberg, CTO and co-founder of 2U. “Students and instructors participating in virtual higher education programs need the flexibility and ease of use that encourages adoption, and customizable interfaces to facilitate meaningful conversations. Adobe Connect offers it all.”

Adobe Connect enables instructors to enhance lessons with on-the-fly activities, such as polls, video chat, whiteboarding, and breakout sessions, helping to create a true classroom experience that can be accessed from any device. By combining quality content, world-class instructors, and the advanced virtual campus enabled by Adobe Connect, 2U and its education partners are seeing more students from more regions participating.

Read more in a case study about 2U and its innovative learning platform by clicking here.

Adobe Connect is a web conferencing platform, powering complete solutions for web meetings, eLearning, and webinars, on any device.

Using Adobe Connect the U.S. Naval Safety & Environmental Training Center, in partnership with EnvolveMEDIA, created an online version of its annual Safety Professional Development Conference. The virtual training conference saved taxpayers $1.5 million in travel costs and increased attendee participation by 50%.

More than 1,500 virtual attendees participated in the week-long conference, featuring 80 speakers and 52 unique safety topics—including ergonomics, workplace inspections, and hazardous waste handling. Using analytics capabilities in Adobe Connect, event organizers found that more than 92% of all participants reported positive attitudes towards the virtual conference.

“Using analytics capabilities in Adobe Connect, we can measure and evaluate the success of the event clearly and from multiple perspectives,” says Dean Pianta, Chief Learning Technologist at EnvolveMEDIA, Adobe’s implementation partner for the project. “We can support our projected return on investment and cost-benefit ratio figures, as well as track user experiences and engagement—proving that this is an effective solution to situations where travel simply isn’t an option.”

Read more about the conference in this case study here: http://adobe.ly/15ILsIf

Adobe Connect is a web conferencing platform, powering complete solutions for web meetings, eLearning, and webinars, on any device.

We’re excited to announce that we’ve released Adobe Connect Mobile 2.2 for iOS and Android devices, providing several enhancements over our 2.1 client.  With the new release, we’ve continued to focus on enabling the ability to fully host meetings from any device, as well as enable mobile learning.  Here’s a closer look at the key enhancements we’ve added in the latest update.

Widescreen (16:9) webcam viewing support

In Adobe Connect 9.1 (released August 2013) we enabled better overall video quality with the display of webcams in widescreen (16:9) format.  With Adobe Connect Mobile 2.2, we’ve extended this to mobile, enabling users to view webcams in widescreen format as well.  (Note that webcam video remains in 4:3 format when shared from mobile.)

Manage audio conferencing from all devices (not just tablets)

While the majority of features for hosting, presenting, and interacting are available across both tablets and smartphones, managing the audio conference was not available from smartphones or small form factor devices until now.  With version 2.2, you can start or stop the audio conference bridge, VoIP, or both, for even more control.

Enhanced mobile learning, with additional quiz types in virtual classes

In Adobe Connect Mobile 2.1, we enabled support for learners to join virtual classes on mobile devices, and take courses (in Adobe Presenter format) with tracked quiz results.  In addition to the multiple choice, true/false, and matching question types supported, version 2.2 now supports fill-in-the-blank and hot spot questions, adding an even greater level of interactivity for learners on mobile.

Optimized support for high-definition Android and iOS Retina displays

Adobe Connect Mobile 2.2 has been optimized to support high-definition Android and iOS Retina displays, providing better usability and picture clarity on these devices.

And more…

More information on features and updates can be found in our release notes here.

Adobe Connect Mobile 2.2 is now available for free download on iTunes Preview here, and the Google Play Store here.

The app supports the following devices and operating systems:

Apple:

• Devices (validated): iPad (2, 3), iPad mini, iPad with Retina display, iPhone (4S, 5, 5S), iPod touch (4^th and 5^th generations)
• Supported OS versions: iOS 6 or higher

 Android:

• Devices (validated): Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1), Samsung Galaxy (S3, S4), Nexus 7, Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX, Motorola Atrix, Motorola Xoom
• Supported OS versions:  2.3.4 and higher

Adobe Connect is a web conferencing platform, powering complete solutions for web meetings, eLearning, and webinars, on any device.

Last week, Defense Connect Online (DCO) reached 1 million self-registered users who have participated in the mission-critical online collaboration environment, powered by Adobe Connect and Adobe’s digital government solutions.

DCO supports the Joint Information Environment as a popular enterprise-wide DOD managed service for communicating information in real time while increasing efficiency and security. DCO leverages Adobe digital government solutions including Adobe Connect web conferencing and Adobe Experience Manager, as well as Jabber XMPP services, to provide advanced web conferencing, presence & awareness, and chat capabilities to the Department of Defense. This same technology, based on Adobe Experience Manager and HIPAA-compliant Adobe Connect, is leveraged across other government agencies, as well as  top Fortune 500 companies and healthcare enterprises worldwide, for their mission-critical collaboration, content management, eLearning, and telemedicine needs.

DCO has seen incredible growth since its launch in October 2007, with users from both the classified and unclassified networks. Accessing the service through their computer desktops and the mobile app, these users have consumed over one billion meeting minutes in 2012 and 2013 combined (with over 670 million minutes in 2013 alone).

Additionally, DCO has accomplished:

·         50 million minutes of web conferencing per month

·         315,000 web conferencing sessions per month

·         1+ million chat messages per week

DCO services, including the DCO Connect mobile app, are free of charge to all DoD personnel and contractors who have Common Access Cards (CAC). To sign up for a DCO account, visit https://www.dco.dod.mil.

When thinking of moving an activity that is traditionally done in a physical setting to a virtual format – such as new-hire onboarding or training, there is sometimes a perception that the activity will be significantly less effective, or can not easily be replicated when brought online. And this is for good reason – a critical best practice we have observed in keeping an audience engaged, is to get them to participate. When everyone is sitting in the same physical location, it can be relatively straight forward to break the audience into groups, facilitate discussions, ask questions, and run activities.

However, if using the right technology (which is key – since not all solutions are equal in this area), delivering an immersive, participatory experience can not only be replicated, but enhanced beyond the possibilities of what can be done in a physical environment – and done in a much more consistent and scaleable fashion.

Adobe’s Digital New Hire Orientation program is a great example of this. You may have read a previous post by Alistair Lee around Adobe’s digital new-hire orientation and how the Adobe People Resources team recently moved to a completely digital orientation for new-hires using the Adobe Connect web conferencing platform, which highlights some of the ways that the team is enabling new methods of participation and engagement in a virtual setting.

We recently dug deeper into this, really looking at the benefits and end results of this transition, and published them in a new case study here: http://adobe.ly/1mbvBqo.

Of course, the findings do not just apply to onboarding, but to a variety of activities that you may be trying to move from a physical to a virtual setting, or virtual programs (elearning, webinars, or web meetings) that you may be trying to enhance with deeper levels of interactivity.  Have a look at the results!

We’re happy to announce the latest release of the Adobe Connect mobile client, available now for iOS and Android.  One of the key trends we see as we talk to our customers is that the usage of mobile is increasing across their user bases – and the expectation continues to move well beyond the ability to join a web conferencing session, but fully host, present, and interact  – whether it is a virtual training session, a collaborative meeting, or large webinar.

It goes beyond just enabling a similar experience from the desktop on a mobile device – but leveraging the advantages of mobile devices to enhance the web conferencing experience beyond what can be accomplished on a desktop.  For example, we see an increasing number of in-person events often being streamed to a virtual audience at the same time.  Leveraging the mobile client, our customers are able to load content, advance slides, and annotate on them with a finger without being tied to the podium.  In training scenarios, the ability to deliver virtual field trips is possible – for example hosting a training session while on a canoe expedition down the Florida Everglades – streaming video and interactivity for students in classrooms.

As we release Adobe Connect Mobile version 2.3, we have introduced several key enhancements to take these advantages further – especially related to whiteboarding and annotation, which are much more natural when done with a finger or stylus on a mobile device vs a mouse.

New drawing tools for a life-like whiteboarding/annotation:

Leveraging Adobe’s legacy of creating some of the most powerful drawing tools for both desktop and mobile devices, we’re bringing that technology into Adobe Connect with much more precision and a variety of new tools – like new pen and pencil tools, and an improved marker and highlighter.  You’ll also see a brand new color picker and the ability to arrange layers.

Critically – this something that we’ve heard is needed, especially from our customers delivering training, who want to leverage their Adobe Connect whiteboard just as they would in a physical classroom.  When combining these new, high-precision tools with a mobile device, it makes for a completely natural way to write equations or notes in a virtual setting, using a stylus or fingertip.

New high-precision whiteboarding and annotation tools provide a natural writing experience

Simplified workflows for enabling participant drawing

We’ve made it easier to grant rights for participant use of the whiteboard tools – enabling hosts (on the desktop) to grant whiteboard/annotation rights to both mobile and desktop participants, with the click of a button – ensuring that anyone, on any device, can easily participate in whiteboarding activities.

All of these updates above are available with Adobe Connect Mobile 2.3 in conjunction with Adobe Connect 9.3, which is now released and rolling out across customers throughout the month.

For a full list of features available, you can see the release notes available here.

Adobe Connect Mobile 2.3 is now available for free download on iTunes Preview here, and the Google Play Store here.

The app supports the following devices and operating systems:

Apple:

• Devices (validated): iPhone 4 S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5 S, iPad 2 or higher, iPad mini, iPod touch (generation 4 and 5)
• Supported OS versions: iOS 7 or higher

 Android:

• Devices (validated): Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4, Samsung Galaxy S3 & S4, Nexus 7 tablet
• Supported OS versions:  3.2 or higher

New E-Signing Pod for Adobe Connect enables live document signing within your online meetings

We’re excited to announce a powerful new integration between the Adobe Connect web conferencing platform and EchoSign, Adobe’s electronic signature solution, developed by eSync Training, an Adobe Connect authorized training partner and developer.

One of the biggest game changers in speeding up business processes has been electronic signature technology – enabling documents to be signed securely and easily from anywhere, eliminating the time and costs involved in sending documents back and forth via overnight mail or fax. EchoSign enables this and streamlines the process further by supporting workflows for multiple signers, automatically generating a full audit trail of the process, and securely archiving the signed documents for easy access.

Adobe Connect web conferencing enables organizations to improve productivity and drive critical business processes by enabling instant collaboration, easy access to key documents, rich interactivity, and the flexibility to tailor or embed the meeting experience directly within specific business workflows.

Through the E-Signing Pod for Adobe Connect, get real-time document review, signature, and audit, right from within a live Adobe Connect online meeting, powered by Adobe EchoSign.

Step through and collaborate around documents leveraging review and annotation tools

Capture signatures in real-time during the meeting while sharing video and voice for enhanced authentication

Record the signature process for auditing and review

Send out documents for signature directly from within Adobe Connect for signature any time

There are a variety of use cases for this technology that we’ve heard described by Adobe Connect customers excited about this integration – from sales teams that want to review contracts virtually, but also capture signatures and ultimately close business directly within in the meeting, to realtors that want to get business done more efficiently through virtual meetings, but also complete the paperwork to speed up transactions.

Another great example is in law enforcement, where agencies want to cut back the time to execute police warrants.  The integration revolutionizes this process, enabling a judge to visually swear in a police officer, sign the required documentation, and have a recorded audit trail of the event, reducing a process that is normally 4 to 12 hours, to as little as 10 to 15 minutes.

We’re thrilled that EchoSign integrated with Adobe Connect will help customers move business faster through these important workflows.

The integration is available now, and requires Adobe Connect and Adobe EchoSign, as well as the integration (E-Signing Pod for Adobe Connect).  The integration itself is available for a fee, starting at $250 per host per year.

To learn more about the E-Signing Pod for Adobe Connect and how it can help you drive your business forward, please visit www.esynctraining.com/EchoSign.

We see Adobe Connect being used by an array of organizations across industries and use cases, and it is often times impressive to hear how our customers are using our solutions as a platform for driving change.  We recently had the opportunity to interview Campaign Consultation, Inc., a company that helps not-for-profit organizations cultivate the interest and funding required to drive social change.

Education is a major part of the company’s offering, and it turned to Adobe Connect to increase interactivity and personalization within digital experiences to connect with audiences. Campaign Consultation provides knowledge and support in areas including community development, fund raising, diversity utilization, issue advocacy, media and marketing, public policy, and organizational and business development success. Using Adobe Connect as a scalable web conferencing platform for webinars, eLearning, and digital meetings helps the company flexibly communicate complex ideas to wide audiences.

“With our previous solution, we were limited and could only offer audiences very linear experiences,” says Robyn Stegman, Project Specialist at Campaign Consultation, Inc. “Using Adobe Connect, we have a lot more flexibility with how audiences can engage with presenters. We can also offer greater consistency across devices and better manage larger events.”

After switching from another web conferencing solution to Adobe Connect, Campaign Consultation has improved their results significantly. In the first year of using Adobe Connect, Campaign Consultation has delivered 58% more webinars over the prior year, and has boosted attendance by up to 20%, while at the same time delivering more personalized, interactive experiences across audiences. Read more about Campaign Consultation and how they achieved these results in this case study here: http://adobe.ly/1vMTr3S.

You may have read about our recent release of Adobe Experience Manager Communities, an offering geared toward field and channel enablement use cases – and how it can be part of a broader Adobe Connect solution, adding social and mobile learning capabilities to course authoring and virtual classroom workflows.

One of the key issues we have heard from our customers – especially those with users who work outside of the office, from sales teams to those on a manufacturing floor – is the need to be able to provide those users with access to content when network connectivity may not be available. Despite improvements in network connectivity outside of the office, access can be spotty and certainly is not guaranteed, making it challenging to view the content when it can be most conveniently viewed, such as in an airplane – or when it is needed most, such as on a manufacturing floor where step-by-step instructions are required to complete a task.

We’ve just released a new feature for the Experience Manager Communities mobile client, enabling users to download MP4 video content to their mobile device for viewing offline, making the content truly available from anywhere, anytime. Publishers can enable (or disable for security purposes) video content to be available for download, and viewing metrics and completions are synchronized with the server when users are back online.

Download video content directly to your mobile device

View content in your offline library when not connected to the network

We’re excited to deliver this new feature, which provides an organized way for users to discover, download, and view content regardless of connectivity, and is a step in the right direction in solving the challenge of providing access to insights at the moment of need.