Become a Videoconference Speaker
Instructions on how to become a speaker
Instructions on how to become a speaker
Minimum requirements for equipment; all users must have some sort of computer/smartphone/tablet and access to a good, stable, internet connection. They must also have access to a mic; phones and tablets have this built in, and most laptops have a built in mic.
Quicktime, Rating: ★★○
This software if free, and is the Skype equivalent for Apple, even though Skype works for Apple also
○ This is only available for Apple IOS or OS X users
○ Available at Online Apple Store
● Skype, Rating: ★★★★★
○ This software is free, ubiquitous, and can hold multiple people on a call for no additional charge
○ Most video conferencing software is made to be compatible with skype, which makes finding recording software easier
○ You have to pay per minute for out of country calls
○ Most audio recording software is made exclusively for Skype
○ Can host a group conversation with up to 10 people
○ Available at “http://www.skype.com/en/download-skype/skype-for-computer/”
● Oovoo, Rating: ★★★
○ Can host up to twelve, which is more than the ten that skype can host
○ I (Gabriel Acosta) have not tested this product, but it has gotten great reviews.
○ Available at “http://www.oovoo.com/Next.aspx?os=downloadwin”
● Google Hangout, Rating: ★★★★
○ Can support up to 10 people, just like Skype
○ Can make international calls for free
○ Available at “https://www.google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts/”
● Facetime, Rating: ★
○ Only Supports up to two callers
○ Is only available for Apple Users
○ Available at Online Apple Store
○ This is only available for Apple IOS (IPhones/IPads) or OS X users (Macintosh/Macbooks)
There are three countries where Skype is not supported because of disagreements between the government of these countries and Skype
○ Egypt
○ Morocco
○ Nigeria
● Besides this, there are several countries where you can access Skype, but the government heavily restricts use of Skype
○ Including China, Oman, and several other totalitarian governments
■ Here is a website that better shows which countries VOIP connections are restricted and to what degree
■ “http://blog.voxox.com/blog/bid/320731/Interactive-Infographic-of-Countries-That-Block-VoIP-DEFCON-VoIP”
■ “http://provpnaccounts.com/List_of_countries_which_block_website_content_VOIP_Skype_including_countries_China_UAE_Oman_Syria_Turkey_Malaysia_and_the_continents_of_Asia_Caribbean_Africa_North_America_Europe_and_the_Middle_East-124-articles”
○ Also; be careful about what updates you accept while in internet restricted countries. There are reports that governments have disguised spyware, and restrictive software, as updates.
○ Although these are secure blocks, there are ways to get around them, albeit illegally
● Are there any other restrictions that a user should be aware of?
○ Besides any government firewalls, the only other restriction is your ability to access a good internet connection. In countries where internet is not widely available, there are usually internet cafes located in major and capital cities that are made for hosting any Skype or VOIP calls.
● Is there a way that I can access these sites (possibly against the law)
○ There are a couple of options, the easiest solution is to use a proxy website to access a restricted website by pretending to visit another (this is explained in more detail later). However, recently governments have caught on to this trick and have started restricting these sites. An example of this site is “ninjaproxy.com”
○ The other common tool is a VPN (Virtual Private Network). This is a program that allows users to send data through a secure network, such as “Hotspot Shield” while using a public network. In laymans terms, it allows a user to use programs like Skype without any of the data being accessible to 3rd parties that would otherwise have access to it.
Disclaimer; After all the precautions that could be taken, this technology is still not 100% secure. Please use cautiously
DISCLAIMER: A dilemma I have run into is that a lot of the information that I find is on blogs, un-certified sites, and the like. These sites, I am afraid, may not tell the whole story. The creators of this FAQ did their best to keep misinformation to a minimum. There is a policy that information about restricted countries and technologies/restrictions used in those countries, is not considered true unless that information comes from two independent sources. The FAQ makers are not native to these countries and have no way of knowing what are considered reputable sources in said countries. This is just a disclaimer to take all of the information in this section with a grain of salt.
○ Here is an example of this methodology in practice;
○ The question was posed whether VOIP connections were banned in Myanmar. I followed several sources, including “Business Insider”, and found that all of the different sources cited one article from “The Irrawaddy”, which claimed there might be internet restrictions. For this reason, Myanmar is not included in the list of VOIP restricted countries.
● Where can I find guides for Skype?
○ “https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA34431/where-can-i-get-downloadable-guides-for-skype-connect”
● How much internet bandwidth do I need?
○ “https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA10288/how-much-internet-bandwidth-do-i-need-with-skype-connect”
● How do I fix problems with my connection?
○ “https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA10309/i-use-skype-connect-and-i-m-having-problems-with-call-quality-what-should-i-do”
● Where can I find any other Skype problem support?
○ “https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA34431/where-can-i-get-downloadable-guides-for-skype-connect”
● How do I change the language for Skype?
○ “https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA73/how-do-i-change-the-language-used-by-skype-for-windows-desktop”
By far the easiest way to distribute is to upload your audio files or video files as mp3 or mp4 files respectively to Youtube. Here any user with internet can see your recordings without any hassle
Instructions on how to do this: “https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1696878?hl=en”
To let users download and listen to podcasts independent of Youtube, it is common to use services such as Libsyn, Castmate or Podomatic which are open for anyone to listen to.
It is also important to start a blog along with the podcasts, named after your podcast, that will provide listeners with schedules and links to the services mentioned above
Online Instructions “http://www.wikihow.com/Start-Your-Own-Podcast”
● Foreign Skype Restrictions Disclaimer
DISCLAIMER: A dilemma I have run into is that a lot of the information that I find is on blogs, un-certified sites, and the like. These sites, I am afraid, may not tell the whole story. The creators of this FAQ did their best to keep misinformation to a minimum. There is a policy that information about restricted countries and technologies/restrictions used in those countries, is not considered true unless that information comes from two independent sources. The FAQ makers are not native to these countries and have no way of knowing what are considered reputable sources in said countries. This is just a disclaimer to take all of the information in this section with a grain of salt.
● Podcast Etiquette disclaimer
DISCLAIMER; My inspiration for these rules have come from listening to the Nerdist Podcast (w/ Chris Hardwick), You made it weird (w/Pete Holmes) and the Howard Sterns show (w/ Howard Sterns). These podcasts I think have some of the best interviews in my opinion, and do a really good job of getting the interviewee to open up and talk freely.
Here is a basic assessment form that we've used to good effect. Feel free to tailor it for your needs.
Assessment for Videoconference with ___________
Intro: We are gathering information on the effectiveness of videoconference guest lectures to assist in planning future curricular initiatives. Please fill out the questions below to the best of your ability. Responses will be kept confidential and your participation is voluntary. You may choose not to take the survey, to stop responding at any time, or to skip any questions that you do not want to answer. Your completion of the survey serves as your voluntary agreement to participate in this project. This survey should take approximately 5 minutes.
First, we'd like to know a little bit about you.
Q 1. Year What is your year in school?
Q 2. Major What is/are your major(s)?
Q 3. MInor What is/are your minor(s)?
Part II: Rating the Videoconference with ___________________
Q4. First, list 2 or 3 details that you remember from the talk:
Q5. On a scale from 0 to 10 how much do you agree with the following statements (with 0 meaning don't agree at all, and 10 meaning strongly agree)
______ The videoconference related well to the course content
______ The videoconference helped you better understand critical issues covered in the course
______ The videoconference provided you with real world experiences, insights, and perspectives about the course material
______ Overall, the experience was very valuable
Q6 What was/were your favorite aspect(s) of the videoconference?
Q7 What was/were your least favorite aspect(s) of the videoconference?
Q8. What would you recommend be done differently for future videoconferences in class?
Q9. Did you tell any of your friends or family (anyone who was not in class that day) about the Skype session? If so, what did you say?
Q10 Would you like more videoconferences in your classes at the university?
Thank you very much for your time and participation! Good luck with the end of the semester!
In general, signing up as a human rights speaker can help you:
1. Promote your human rights work including your issues and geographical region.
2. Better promote your NGO or related organization.
3. Engage in live dialogues with audiences interested in your issue around the globe.
4. Supplement your income through speaker’s fees or raise money for your favorite NGO by donating your speaker fees.
Global Human Rights Direct was originally a brainchild of Bill Simmons a human rights scholar from the University of Arizona (www.williampaulsimmons.com) in the U.S. Bill along with a committee of more than a dozen faculty members and some community members from Arizona applied for a grant from the University's Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry for seed money. GHRD is now run by a committee of faculty members and community activitists. We will also are guided by an international adivsory board made up of many leading human rights activists and scholars from around the globe.
More importantly, we would like to think of the members of GHRD as being actively involved in running GHRD. If you have ideas for potential uses of the site or for contributors, issues, films, etc. please feel free to let us know. We love to hear from GHRD users, and we love to hear new ideas of how to make the site work better to connect the world for human rights!
We have started an entire blog devoted to issues of security and anonymity. Feel free to click on Resources and then Blog and join in the conversation. This is what we've started with:
Sharing information including personal experiences about human rights issues can put some individuals at risk from their governments or other forces. You are best able to judge whether sharing information for this project will put you at risk. If you would like to contribute but with all identifying information removed from your profile page we will be happy to work with you to maintain your confidentiality. We can even direct you to Internet tools that can be used to set up an anonymous email account. However, none of these can absolutely guarantee your anonymity. Please comment below about key issues regarding anonymity and confidentiality. To discuss options for preserving anonymity and/or confidentiality, email the site managers directly at info@globalhumanrightsdirect.com.
There are no strict guidelines for speaker fees, but GHRD is meant to serve as a forum to connect as many people as possible, and to encourage dialogues between folks that don't normally speak with each other. So, large speaker's fees wouldn't fit the philosophy of the site very well.
If you are interested in speaking to more groups, you can take several steps to get the word out.
Inviters who are asking a human rights stakeholder to join their group for a class or other event should provide the following information at a minimum: