Link to PDF Schedule

Rob

Just reading your posts, I'd say that your club probably has more problems than just not wanting to use an online agenda. In your situation, I'd be totally frustrated, too (and, being me, probably looking for another club). Is there any chance of success with a future exec committee?

Don't think, though, that the work you put into your videos was a waste of time. They're available to Toastmasters worldwide for use and inspiration. That means that anyone looking to transition to the online agenda isn't starting from scratch but has a model to follow.

Thanks Jane and everyone else too. The videos are there and I hope that others use them. We are keeping them just in case another Exec Committee decides to use the online agenda.

It is actually a very good club, one of our members won the District Evaluation Contest this year and another won the District Humorous Speech Contest last year. People are very friendly and helpful, just not interested in using computers.

I also hope that these posts help other VPPRs to implement their website successfully.

At our meeting just last night the new VPE expressed a reluctance using FTH. Instead preferred to use Word to manage agendas.

At the end of the meeting I gently asked why. Reasons were the agenda does not print on one page and she can see who is signed up for what role.

Digging deeper revealed a lack of knowledge on how to use the site. We have a date scheduled so I can show her one-on-one how to use the site. I had no knowledge of her FTH frustration until last night.

In my experience it seems the older 'lifer' Toastmasters are somewhat more reluctant to use the club site than newer members. Not an age thing but I believe its a we've always done it this other way thing.

In my club, I am pretty much driving the use of the FTH 2 agenda. We were using the FTH 1 agenda system before, so we were already used to using an online signup system.

However, even with that, I still have to print off the multi-meeting signup form and make sure I circulate it at all our meetings. I have to then take that sheet and enter the role signups from it myself. If I did not do this, I am not sure how many people would go online and sign up. (probably not many) It is the only way I can ensure that less computer savy members are signed up for roles and actively participating.

I really like the multi-meeting signup form... glad we got it back in the row and column format. It allows me to accommodate the "old and the new".

I am not sure what will happen after I stop driving the use of the FTH 2 agenda. I have basically built out the use of it entirely myself.

I do believe that there is a lot of room for usability improvements in FTH 2 that would benefit less computer savy members perhaps keep them from "straying from FTH". For example, not everyone is comfortable with doing drag and drop so reordering agenda items can be a bit intimidating to them making the agenda seem harder to use.

In one club I belong to, we are implementing the online agenda in place of using a word document. I'll be giving a presentation on how to use it, so I'm interested in other people's experiences.

One objection I've come across a couple of times now: that with the ability of members to sign up and (especially) remove themselves from the agenda, the VP Ed loses control. I did know of one individual who would log in and remove self from agenda without telling anyone - to the point where, if I saw that name at the top of the recent logins, my first reaction was to check the agenda!

However, at the end of the day, what's the difference between a person who's quietly taken themselves off the agenda and one who just doesn't turn up? As I see it, the end result is the same: a last-minute agenda change.

I've also come across the older (as in age) member who is not happy using computers. In one case, all they needed was their own computer and the freedom to learn at their own pace. So many training programs have time limits, and if you feel you're a bit slower at learning, you could end up feeling you don't have a chance to absorb the material in the time available. Plus, there are differences in learning styles and it can be very helpful to have a tutor who understands this and can adapt. Probably more easily done in a one-to-one situation than in a group, though.

Ultimately, I think it comes back to what's in it for them. If it's sufficiently worthwhile for them, they'll be interested in learning. I have a friend who largely avoided online stuff; that all changed when it came to planning and organising the trip of a lifetime.

I agree, quietly removing yourself at the last minute is just like not showing up when you are scheduled. A sad unfortunate truth of Toastmaster meetings. We have a Cancellation Policy that requires a member to contact the TOE if they are in a major role like Speaker, General Evaluator, or Table Topics Master. Other roles we just fill from whoever shows up. In the policy and videos we talk about how it is polite and courteous to inform the TOE if you can not make it. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't.

The Board had to enforce it about a year ago because one member was not coming whenever he were scheduled but showing up when he was not scheduled. The board made a decision that he would not be placed on the schedule but, could volunteer when roles were vacated or unfilled for a meeting (another member didn't show up).

I also used to put a bunch of stuff on the top of the agenda. There was too much because no one was reading it and it pushed the agenda to two pages. Instead I changed it to links on the website. This way they could read what they wanted to read, and not see what they didn't want to see.