Technology in use

At MU we have several options available for electronic collaboration. These tools are not limited to a large University, in fact are available to businesses large and small. For example:

• Web based Portal - We use a service that is provided by Microsoft called Share Point Services. This is a user ID and Password secured web portal designed for colleagues to collaborate on projects. This is VERY helpful for our Fire School Command Teams to share documents from anywhere you can access the web.

Think of a multi-station fire department with many members. Instead of a file-server environment where stations have to connect to a central computer system, you can use a standard internet connection to share documents...say time sheets, SOPs, Training Logs, etc. The Portal allows virtually any document to be saved and posted. Even photos, movies, etc. Site Administrator controls what services people can see and access. It also includes a lists (task management and events), discussions, surveys, etc.

• ITV or IP over Video (IPoV)- These are each different, but work similarly. This is like the U Tube videos that have already been posted. The nice thing about IP over Video, is that anyone with a High Speed Internet connection can access the system, where as ITV is limited to only those that have been set up. ITV has better quality, but it also comes with a higher price tag. Central Jackson County FPD has this system in place for their district and uses it for training and even "meeting with he chief." 

• Another service we have access to is a peer to peer computer conferencing system. I will need to research the name and provider. I have not used it, but others in our office have. Essentially, it is a conference call on steroids. It is designed to handle audio and video through an internet connection. Subscribers can view images from the presenter (which can change from computer to computer as assigned), hear audio from all subscribers (if they have a mic and the software on their computer), and even video (again if the user has the hardware and software on their computer).

There are many technology solutions available now days, it depends on what you want to do and how much you want to spend!