Autodesk University (Las Vegas) is over, the AU Extension events are wrapping up, and Autodesk is gearing to update the AU Online website in short order to contain all of the AU Virtual (AUv) screencasts, handouts, materials, and course descriptions for AU 2009. It has been a pretty big success this year with the roll-out of AUv and the incorporation of Twitter into socially connecting everyone in Las Vegas and around the world.

I personally participated in the AUv sessions both from the office at work during lunch and in between rush times; and also when I was at home sick the first day of the events. That was part of what made this year’s AU such a great event: no one was left out simply because they couldn’t afford to go to Las Vegas, didn’t have the available time, or had other obligations/geographic constraints that burdened them from making the trip.

Aside from watching 6-7 of the AUv screencasts, I also actively participated in the Twitter interface to keep up a line of communication with event-goers as well as a way to give real-time feedback about the Keynotes, Design Slam competitions, and the classes themselves. As a matter of fact, I had a tweet display behind Lynn Allen while she was discussing the incorporation of Twitter into AU this year during her introduction for Carl Bass’s Keynote.

Although this doesn’t mean much and I’m no more recognized today because of it, the fact that there was another form of communication during the event filled a gap. That gap is the inevitable feeling of being disconnected from everything going on at AU. I had the ability to talk to people attending AU, sitting in the crowd watching the same thing in real life that I was from my computer screen. When I wasn’t able to catch what was going on, tweets from others kept me filled in, and vis-versa while I was watching and others weren’t able to. In addition to the Twitter feed, the Q/A section of AUv screencasts gave instructors a great deal of flexibility in answering attendees questions on the fly as well.

Speaking of the AUv classes. I was very pleased with the layout of the screencasts. Displaying the slides/active window on what was about 3/4 of the video while allowing viewers to still see the instructor was impressive. Instead of just seeing a computer screen broadcast, like in most webinars, viewers actually got to see the instructors expressions, reactions, and overall presentability during the course. This definitely enhanced the experienced and let the AUv attendees feel much more connected.

Of the courses available, I leaned more in the way of AutoCAD Civil 3D, programming, and instruction/education based classes. I won’t go into detail of every class that I watched/participated in, but I learned quite a bit and “virtually” walked away from the event feeling like I gained a lot of practical and applicable knowledge. I also came away from AU with more contacts and connections than when I started, even though almost all of them were virtual connections made via Twitter and/or the Q/A panel.

I obviously don’t represent the feelings of the actual Autodesk University (Las Vegas) attendees. They’ll have their own point of view to express. From where I sit, though, I couldn’t be happier…unless I had actually gotten the opportunity to be there myself in person, that is.