Video conferencing/Mixed Mode Presence Meeting and Videoconference

This learning resource explains how to do a mix of a face-to-face session with multiple participants in one room and remote participants using a videoconferencing system.

Framework conditions

(Equal Condition of Presence and Videoconference Participants) First of all, it should be ensured that remote participants are not excluded from certain information and, if possible, do not feel disadvantaged.
(Plenary hall with Audio-Video Conference System) In this learning resource we will not assume for standard conferences that the meeting room is equipped with an advanced audio-video conference system is also present or set up in the meeting room, which can also be found, for example, in a plenary hall in the Bundestag or at the United Nations. In such a technical solution in plenary halls spoken contributions are transmitted to audience if the speaker button is pressed at the table microphone every seat is equipped with. In such a technical solution the audio button is linked to automatically with the video control and a camera is automatically focusses the speakers seat in the plenary when the talk button is switched on. The camera will then display the speaker on a central projection screen for all session participants. In such a special case with advanced technical equiment, the main presentation of the speaker and audio comments the participants of the meeting are available any with the camera would be fed into the BBB videoconference as one client each. Remotely connected participants would then be displayed as clients on the central projection screen like participants from the plenary hall.
'(standard meeting room) In a meeting room with remote videoconferencing participants, the BBB videoconferencing system itself must replace the function of an audio-video conferencing system for plenary halls. These standard framework conditions are used here in the learning resource as a framework to enable mixed sessions of face-to-face and videoconferencing.

Implementation

Each participant, also in the meeting room, participates with his/her own laptop and headset. The laptop replaces the missing table microphone and the audio-video conference system from a plenary hall.
Participants' requests to speak are centrally controlled via the video conference system.
Coordination of the central beamer presentation is carried out by an additional, organisationally supported person, who displays the person or the presentation in full screen on the central beamer surface.
(optional) Requests to speak can be collected in the shared notes of BigBlueButton in a coordinated manner and processed by the session moderator according to the topic. By collecting the questions, if necessary with a protocol of the answers, a session protocol (or a contribution to the session protocol) is created in parallel, which is displayed for all to see and add to.
(optional) A laptop could be used to record the session room in full length so that the remote participants can see the room situation as a whole.