Amplified Events Exploiting Technologies to Enhance the Impact and Learning at Events

Key Technologies

What Is An Amplified Event?An amplified event exploits various technologies in order to extend the reach of an event. This can include:

• Enhancing discussions at an event through use of technologies such as Twitter.

• Enhancing access to talks to remote audiences through video or audio streaming.

• “Time-shifting” access to resources.

Captioning Videos using Twitter

The increasing use of Twitter at events led to development of a Twitter captioning service at RSC Scotland North and East called iTitle.

Tweets posted at an event are extracted from the Twapper Keeper archiving service and converted into a caption file format which can be replayed with audio or video clips. This allows users to replay conference sessions augmented with the original back channel communication.

At UKOLN’s IWMW 2010 event videos of plenary talks were combined with the #iwmw10 event archive using iTitle. 

17-02-2011

Case Study: IWMW 2010

UKOLN have provided amplification of its IWMW event since 2005. The IWMW 2010 event featured:

• Live video streaming of the plenary talks.• Over 3,00 tweets from over 270 users using the

#iwmw10 Twitter hashtag (there were ~170 attendees).• A ‘Twitter wall’ providing a display of event tweets near

the registration desk.• An official ‘event amplifier’ (@iwmwlive) summarising

plenary talks on Twitter and posting summaries on the event blog.

• An online barcamp enabling the remote audience to participants in a discussion session.

A summary of the Twitter statistics is given below.

Key technologies which can be used to provide amplified events include:

• Video and audio streaming: to amplify events to remote audience.

• Video and audio recording: to provide ’time-shifting’.• Real-time communications channels: to support

discussions at the event and with remote audiences.• Resource-sharing services: to share resources such

as slides, bookmarks, etc.• Archiving services: to keep a record of the resources

and discussions and support re-use of the content.

People IssuesWhen organising an amplified event you need to consider various non-technical issues such as:

• The purposes of the event amplification.• Concerns that use of devices may be considered

rude or distracting to speakers and others.• Concerns that inappropriate tweets may cause

offence.

An Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) can help establish appropriate behaviour. A ‘quiet zone’ could be provided as a device-free area. Evaluation can provide feedback for planning future amplified events.

Summarizr Statistics for the IWMW 2010 Event

Twitter captioning using iTitle

JISC-Funded Greening Events II ProjectsUKOLN is supporting ILRT in the JISC-funded Greening Events II project which builds on the Greening Events project, funded under the JISC Greening ICT programme.

UKOLN’s work involves:• Gathering further evidence on approaches to the provision of

amplified events and feedback from various stakeholders.• Publishing a report on best practices.

The report will be made available under a Creative Commons licence.

Further InformationFurther information about amplified events is available at:<http://bit.ly/jisc11-amplified-events>.

Can use of devices at event be distracting? Is such use rude?