Contents Page
AN INTRODUCTION TO E-LEARNING
3: Building learning and performance solutions
Ustream Mini Tutorial

What is Ustream?

Ustream is a website where you can watch live video broadcasts and broadcast live yourself. You can also use it to record video and upload it to YouTube. All you need is a webcam and an Internet connection.

• Go to www.ustream.tv/live

Take a look through the list of live shows and select ones of interest to watch. Just click on their image and they will load. Note some shows are ongoing, e.g. a webcam

Note each Show has a show page URL where you can find details of the show, including often a live chat. Shows (and chats) can also be embedded into web pages, as the 25Tools Show below, which is probably off air when you view this page.

Broadcast live yourself

To broadcast live you will first need to set up an account.

• Go to www.ustream.tv/get-started

You will then see the following page that shows the process.

1. You provide here the account information and sign up to the terms and conditions of use. You then need to provide your profile details. You will now be logged into Ustream
2. When you select My Shows, you need to name the show and then either decide to Save show settings or broadcast immediately. The former allows you to customise your show page with background images, etc. Note too that you can password protect your show so that only people you want to see, can see it (go to Advanced to do this). Very useful also if you just want to record a video (to host on YouTube).
3. When you are ready click BROADCAST NOW
4. Make sure your webcam is plugged in!!
5. Ustream will launch the recorder window.
6. You will then need to allow it to access your camera and microphone
7. When you are ready START BROADCAST. Note viewers can also have live chat amongst themselves unless you disable this.

• Make sure you have good lighting
• Make sure you have a good internet connection - this prevents frame loss and choppy video
• Make sure you close programs on your computer that you aren't using - computers bogged down by other programs can cause your stream to be lower quality.
   
• Make sure you have good content!

• Go to How to stream your computer screen capture

If you have a blog or website then you can embed your Show (and associated chat) in it.

In My Shows, select Share and you will find the URL. the embed code as well as the Wordpress code.

Now, try embedding your Show into your own blog or other web page.

UStream is a very new tool, but it has already reached a high ranking in our Top 100 Tools for Learning. Read what learning professionals think about it who selected it as one of their Top 10 Tools for Learning:

• Top 100 Tools: Ustream

1. What do you think of Ustream?
2. Share the URL of Ustream Show you have created
3. How could you use Ustream within your organisation for learning or performance support?

Go to the 25Tools Community and share your thoughts in the Ustream Forum Discussion.

Read more about Ustream

• Ustream Reading List