Classroom Basics

When might you use videoconferencing in your classroom?

As described in the beginning of the Cookbook, videoconferencing is a medium that enables the exchange of external/remote information in a real-time, sensory rich (audio and video), interactive (two-way) mode. Though the term conferencing is considered to be the quality of human-to-human interaction, it is worth reminding ourselves that videoconferencing can also be used to connect people with remote data, events, places and objects in real-time fashion.

Videoconferencing is also a tool for enhancing, improving, or even enabling communication and teaching capabilities. Improving and enabling teaching capabilities includes being able to see and demonstrate what would otherwise be hindered by geographic separation.  As an example, enhancing communication in educational settings may involve serving the needs of teachers needing to communicate with a variety of people resources (i.e. faculty, other teachers, content experts). The use of technology (videoconferencing) does not exclude traditional methods nor does it replace teachers. You cannot replace the quality of face-to-face mentoring but you can enhance it with videoconferencing.  The ability to overcome distance and, to some extent, time is what expands our capacity to communicate and/or teach.

When should you use videoconferencing?  When it improves or enhances traditional methods, is cost effective, and/or it improves the capacity for teaching and learning.

We provide three categories for consideration: 

• If it provides more and/or more appropriate information: it brings sensory rich (condensed), authentic information that can be effectively used to advance learning.

Example: moving images bring condensed information about certain subject sand therefore can be far more effective than textual information in many (but not all!) cases. Viewing a video of a biology experiment being conducted at a remote site is more effective than reading about the same experiment and trying to visualize the entire process. Having interactive access to those who are doing the experiment is richer yet again.

• If it is more motivating and engaging for learners: even if videoconferencing is used only for the fraction of entire learning time, it has the potential to energize learners and motivate them in their learning.

Example: seeing and talking to the scientists or students from other classrooms even for only 10 minutes, can have great impact on the rest of the class and students' learning.

• If it is the only (practical) way to achieve some teaching and learning goals: it brings remote people and events to the classroom in sensory rich fashion; this may be the only way we can bring much needed and missing expertise. This is especially true when using a multidisciplinary approach to explain certain subjects - a technique that is very fruitful, yet extremely demanding on teachers whose daily work is already overloaded with numerous requirements.

Example: videoconferencing may be the only way to bring in the expertise for squid dissection and guide students through their own hands-on experience. Another example is access to hazardous areas - with videoconferencing, students could talk to a vulcanologist that may be standing right next to the live and brewing volcano.