<<March 19, 2006>>
Archived distributions can be retrieved at;
<http://makeashorterlink.com/?G28312E0C>
This archive includes a html version of this list distribution and its MS/WORD version with its filename as “month-date-year.doc.”  You can also access all of its attachments, if any.

Jennifer Oxenford <jmacdoug@isc.upenn.edu>

Arif Khan <akhan@oar.net>

Dr. Edwin H. Gragert <edl@us.iearn.org>

Frank Melli <fmelli@greensphere.org>


Dear Jennifer and Arif:

(1) Many thanks for your msgs (ATTACHMENT I and II).

Upon your request, I am distributing your announcement of Mega-videoconference Jr on May 18th to our list (more than 3,100 members).

I wholeheartedly support your promoting global awareness and collaboration, particularly among youngsters, which goes well with the theme of your last Mega-conference; "Increase Empathy through Videoconferencing!"  Wishing you a very good luck.

Dear E-Colleagues:

(2) I strongly commend you to participate in this event, if you have enough bandwidth at 384 Kbps and videoconferencing equipment with H323 protocol.

(3) I know that this is a very tall-order for those people in developing countries with only 128 Kbps (or, at the best, with 256 or 512 Kbps).

However, you may try to passively retrieve this event at their web site with Window Media Player, RealPlayer or QuickTime with instant chatting on your keyboard, as I did during their last Megaconference on December 1st, 2005.

Your attempt may trigger opening eyes of your administrators and politicians for deploying broadband Internet in your country.

Particularly if you have their children in your class, they would tell the excitement of talking with their counterparts in far-away countries at their dinner table to their parents — this is a back-door lobbying of deploying broadband Internet — the technique often used by the politicians in the US.

Frank is the technical director of Channel 11 in Manhattan and has produced several documentary films with the then Vice President Al Gore (4 documentaries) and Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai, Nobel Peace Laureate, (2) and one of them was nominated to Emmy Award.

ATTACHMENT I

From: Jennifer Oxenford <jmacdoug@isc.upenn.edu>
Reply-To: <jmacdoug@isc.upenn.edu>
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2006 15:25:06 -0500
To: <megacon@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Subject: Megaconference Jr. 2006 - General Registration Now Open

Colleagues,  

Please help us circulate the announcement below in your areas.

General registration for the upcoming Megaconference Jr. 2006 event has now opened.  

Please go to: http://www.megaconferencejr.org and click on the "Register" link.  Read the explanation and review the schedule and presentations prior to completing the registration. You now have the ability to interact live with one of the presentations.  You will be asked to make your selection towards the end of the registration form.  When you have completed all fields click the "Submit" button.  You should receive an email confirmation.

The interactive registrations with presenters are on a first come first serve basis.  Once we have five for each presentation, interactive registration will be closed. General registration will continue through April 28, 2006.  

You will receive an email from the technical testing team to do an intial test of your videoconferencing system. Once your endpoint has been verified you will see your name/site added to the list of 2006 participants.  

Please forward this message to anyone you feel would be interested either as a participant or a presenter site, anywhere in the world.
 
Can't wait to see everyone on May 18th!
- Megaconference Jr. Strategic Planning Committee

--
Jennifer Oxenford  
Associate Director, MAGPI  
jmacdoug@magpi.net
phone: 215.898.0341
cell: 267.322.0036
fax: 215.898.9348

www.magpi.net
215-74MAGPI (215-746-2474)

ATTACHMENT II

From: Rajiv Rangarajan <rajiv@osc.edu>
Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2006 10:48:29 -0500
To: <utsumi@columbia.edu>
Subject: Megaconference Jr. May 18 2006 - An Event ForandBystudents of the World (FREE REGISTRATION)

Greetings,
Megaconference Jr. is once again approaching us and I would like to request your kind assistance again this year to get the word around.  In an effort to Bridge the Digital Divide; please help us circulate this open free registration announcement for the upcoming Megaconference Jr. 2006 to anyone who may be interested in your areas. Megaconference Jr. "An Event For and By Students of the World"; in its third year had over 320 sites connected last year from all over the world.  It was a  tremendous success.
 
General registration for the upcoming Megaconference Jr. 2006 event has now opened.
 
Please go to: http://www.megaconferencejr.org <http://www.megaconferencejr.org/> and click on the "Register"
link. Read the explanation and review the schedule and presentations prior to completing the registration. You now have the ability to interact live with one of the presentations. You will be asked to make your selection towards the end of the registration form. When you have completed all fields click the "Submit" button. You should receive an email confirmation.
 
The interactive registrations with presenters are on a first come first serve basis. Once we have five for each presentation, interactive registration will be closed. General registration will continue through April 28, 2006.
 
Again this year we look forward to your involvement!
----------------------------------------------------
 
1) What is Megaconference Jr.?
Megaconference Jr. is an international project designed to give students in elementary and secondary schools around the world the opportunity to communicate, collaborate and contribute to each other's learning in real time, using advanced multi-point videoconferencing technology. Now in its third year, Megaconference Jr. brings together students from countries all around the world for 12 hours of interactive presentations, cafes, and forums. Megaconference Jr. will take place on May 18, 2006. For more information go to http://www.megaconferencejr.org/ .
 
2) WHEN IS IT GOING TO BE?
The event will be on May 18, 2006, and it will run from 7:00 am until 7:00pm EDT (UTC-4). The 12-hour duration will make it possible for schools from many time zones to participate during their regular school hours.
 
2) What do I need to participate?
Connected sites need H.323 videoconferencing capabilities and access to a national research and education network such as Abilene (Internet2) in the United States, CA*net 4 in Canada, or Gèant in Europe, GLORIAD in China Central Asia. Numerous other state and regional networks and GigaPoPs (ie:
OARnet, MAGPI, SURA, SOX, NOX, IHETs, MERIT, CENIC, MAX, NYSERNet) are available. If you are not surewhether you are connected to such a network, you can download the Internet2 Detective (http://detective.internet2.edu/),
ask your local network person, or contact us at (megajr@sccresa.org).
 
3) Do I have to be on Internet2 to participate?
Sites are strongly encouraged to connect over Internet2 or other high speed networks for the best quality videoconference experience.
 
4) Do I have to go to a university to participate?
No. You can participate through a local university or other organization, but you can also participate from your own office or classroom if your Internet connection is sufficient. We can work with you to determine if your connection will work.
 
5) How much bandwidth do I need to participate?
The preferred connection speed for the event is 384 kbps. If you do not have access to Internet2, your local university may have a site you can use. We can work with you to arrange a site if needed. Cable modem service usually works.
 
6) Why isn't the commercial Internet good for Megaconference Jr.?
The commercial Internet (i.e. Yahoo, AOL, Netscape), is generally too slow and too unstable to support the high-quality interactive video and audio that takes place during Megaconference events. And ISDN videoconferencing is too expensive for multi-site international interactive videoconferencing events. However, if you have a high bandwidth Internet connection, we can work with you so that you can participate in Megaconference Jr.
 
7) How can so many sites be connected simultaneously around the world?
The Internet2 Commons (jointly operated by The Ohio State University and the Ohio Supercomputer Center), makes this possible by connecting sites through its remote collaboration service. You can learn more about the Internet2 Commons at http://commons.internet2.edu/.
 
8) What kinds of presentations/activities will my students see?
Presenters design and conduct videoconference-based presentations and activities focused on academic, cultural, scientific, social and a host of other issues. Participants will be able to ask questions of presenters and to collaborate with geographically diverse peers in collaborative learning activities, thus building international cultural awareness. Examples of previous presentations include: "Being Australian"; "Hurricane Houses"; "Hatching Chicks and Birds of Prey"; "Commonality, Connection, and Conversation Across the Continents"; "Bums on Drums"; "Flamenco Dancing and Walking Around Barcelona"; "Open Forum on Bullying"; "Reenactment of the Oklahoma Land Run"; "Robotics"; "Native American Comanche Tribal Dancing"; and an interactive quiz game between students in Taiwan, Ohio and Australia.
 
9) How much does it cost to participate?
Participation is free and open to everyone. The Megaconference Jr. event is a volunteer effort made possible through the dedication of students, teachers and technologists around the world. We only ask for your active engagement in helping to make Megaconference Jr. a fantastic event for all!
 
10) How can we participate in other Internet2 videoconferencing events?
People enjoy Megaconference Jr. so much that they often want to participate in similar events. In addition to Megaconference Jr., there is also the annual Megaconference event, on which Megaconference Jr. was modeled. The Megaconference, now in its 8th year, is open to K-12 schools as well.
Megaconference Jr. was designed to help foster collaborations among schools worldwide, so we encourage you to start your own Megaconference-type events locally. Many have already been created including state-wide mini-Megaconference Jrs. such as "Texas Connects: A Statewide Videoconference for Texas Elementary Students" and a "Holiday Megaconference Jr." event. For more information go to http://digitalunion.osu.edu/megaconference/index.html.
 
11) Do I need to register if I connect through a local organization?
Yes, or else you will not be listed as a participant, and you will not be called in the roll call, or be eligible for door prizes.
 
12) Do I have to be there for the whole 12 hours of the event?
No, most people do not participate for the entire 12 hours.Please see the Megaconference Jr. home page for important dates and deadlines, www.megaconferencejr.org .
 
NOTE:  Please forward this message to anyone you feel would be interested.
 
Kind Regards
_____________________
Arif Khan
Global Internet2 H.323 Services NOC
OARnet - A Division of Ohio Supercomputer Center akhan@oar.net Ohio Supercomputer Center http://www.osc.edu <http://www.osc.edu/> OARnet http://www.oar.net <http://www.oar.net/> Third Frontier Network http://www.osc.edu/oarnet/tfn/
Internet2 Commons http://commons.internet2.edu <http://commons.internet2.edu/>
 
Some Useful Videoconferencing Resources:
 
Videoconferencing Cook Book and check the section on H.323.
http://www.videnet.gatech.edu/cookbook.en/

 
 <http://www.oar.net>

List of Distribution