Pedagogy

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Pedagogy VideoconferencingUsing new
technologies in the classroom

• Using Videoconference Technologies Effectively in
  the Classroom

Robert Gusnowski October 2006 Buffalo Trail
Public Schools
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Good Teaching is Always Good Teaching

• In the simplest of terms technologies and
  classroom environments are always secondary
• The principles of Good Teaching remain fairly
  constant no matter what mode of delivery is being
  used

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Loss versus Gain

• Some may view videoconferencing as a loss
• i.e. they lose the presence of physical teacher
  in a classroom to a virtual teacher elsewhere
• The FACT, however, is that videoconferencing most
  often replaces paper based distance education
• The reality is that students participating in
  programs using videoconference technologies have
  far higher completion rate than students using
  traditional paper based distance education

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A Look At Two Separate Parts

• Classroom management and the logistics of working
  with this new environment are one issue
• Second what are the Exemplary Practices that
  can be used as a starting point for effective
  delivery of curriculum using these new
  technologies

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Classroom Management

• Always start with planning

One hour of planning saves three in
execution Anonymous
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Procedures For The Use Of Videoconferencing In
The Classroom

• Establish rules, guidelines, and standards of
  behavior for videoconferencing sessions
• Prepare the audience for any new terminology that
  may used during the videoconference
• Create a timeline for the video conferencing
  session

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Procedures For The Use Of Videoconferencing In
The Classroom

• Determine the need and establish goals for the
  videoconference
• Learn the basic set up of the equipment and how
  to operate all sending and receiving equipment
• Learn the basic skills of using any related
  software or hardware such as Bridgeit,
  Smartboard, document camera, etc.

Remember to smile and be yourself. Whether in
person or on the screen you are still the same
person and projecting the same self-image.
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Classroom Management Issues and Videoconferencing

• There are many components to the classroom
  management issues in a regular classroom
• Videoconferencing plans should include management
  issues in the design of sessions
• Videoconferencing adds additional management
  issues because of the new and unfamiliar
  environment, the collaboration with others at a
  distance, the management of technology equipment,
  and the newness of the situation

Teachers should guide without dictating, and
participate without dominating. C.B. Neblette
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Classroom Management Issues and Videoconferencing

• Classroom Management issues can often be
  mitigated by using these strategies
• Preparation and delivery - allow more prep and
  delivery time, have materials ready, follow a
  schedule, and be flexible
• Development of videoconferencing plans with the
  collaborating team
• Working with student behaviors to have active
  roles in the videoconference session
• Working with technical support to mitigate
  technology problems

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Classroom Management Issues and Videoconferencing

• Make sure that the classroom is set-up to work
  for videoconferencing
• Communication - display a clock to follow the
  timeline, display an image to identify each site,
  designate a spokesperson for each site, and plan
  ways to communicate offline between teaching
  partners and students (e-mail, chat, etc.)
• Follow-up - make contact with teaching partners
  after the session to discuss the
  videoconferencing issues and solutions for the
  next encounter

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Videoconferencing Etiquette

• Otherwise known as Netiquette in the networking
  world, these e-rules for behavior simply take
  common sense and modeling of appropriate behavior
  in all settings. These are a few guidelines to
  follow to make sure that all students are aware
  of the extra care that needs to be taken in a
  videoconferencing setting.
• Voice Be sure that your speech is clear and
  loud enough to be heard
• Noise Be aware that regular classroom noise
  must be kept at a minimum to insure that the
  far-end site can hear
• Interruptions Plan ahead for interruptions and
  have a plan for how to handle them.
• Lighting Be sure that all participants are able
  to be seen when on camera
• Body presence on camera Be aware of camera
  placement and image you are projecting

This is not all that different than what needs to
be considered when in a traditional classroom.
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Student Interaction strategies for
videoconferencing

• Students who are practiced and comfortable with
  the videoconferencing environment will take the
  actual connected time more seriously if the roles
  and responsibilities during the conference are
  spelled out. It is important to make sure that
  all students have the experience of time in front
  of the camera prior to the videoconference.
  Experience in front of the camera will alleviate
  some of the behavior problems that can occur due
  to nervous energy and the discomfort of not
  knowing what is happening.

Make the students active participants in the
teaching process as opposed to passive listeners.
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Student Interaction strategies for
videoconferencing

• A few strategies and types of interactions that
  might be included in a videoconferencing
  situation are
• Student self introductions should be scheduled at
  the beginning of the session to get students
  talking to each other. Student lists with first
  names and personal profiles can be exchanged
  electronically before the session to stimulate
  interest in student partners
• Question and answer periods should be included in
  the planning to stimulate conversation about the
  project
• Pair students at one site with students from
  anotherto focus on the project with outlined
  areas for discussion. Students need a personal
  connection and reason to interact

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Student Interaction strategies for
videoconferencing

• Plan for interaction with a sequence and student
  list of those participating in interactions for
  each scheduled session. Be sure all students are
  included in a planned interaction
• Record student interaction instances with a
  checklist to make sure all are participating in
  free-flowing events
• Follow-up with individual students to comment on
  interactions

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Its All About Engagement

• It requires no research other than our own
  memories about being in school to recognize that
  engagement is key in the learning process
• When we or students are active engaged in
  anything we remember the event
• It is these moments moments when we are engaged
  and acutely aware - that we remember
• In the classroom when students are actively
  engaged in an activity the maximum potential for
  learning is achieved

As in a traditional classroom engagement has been
identified as critical factor in terms of student
success.
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Instructional Approaches for Videoconferencing

• It all comes down to presentation and
  communication
• Good teaching techniques in any classroom
  translates to good teaching
• It is important to balance face-to-face
  interactions with the more anonymous interactions
  of cyberspace
• The use of email, chat rooms, phone calls, etc.
  must be included as a means of allowing students
  to speak privately with the teacher and with each
  other
• It is important to develop inter-site group
  cohesiveness

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Instructional Approaches for Videoconferencing

• Teaching is more than just talk and chalk
  good program design should utilize all available
  resources web/technology based, paper based and
  people based
• Technology is blurring the boundaries between
  what classroom education is and what education
  as a whole can be.
• Videoconferencing should be used to facilitate
  the best of distance and conventional teaching.
  Distance learning is normally associated with
  more class materials and better preparation of
  teaching materials. Conventional with lectures
  and face to face meetings.
• Video conferencing does not support open
  learning, students must still register and attend
  classes at pre-set times and progress at the pace
  established by the course.

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Start With A Structured Plan

• It is vital to have a videoconferencing plan of
  events, or timeline, in order to maximize the use
  of the videoconferencing connection time. The
  plan can be a simple outline, a detailed chain of
  events, or an outlined step by step process.

The additional challenges associated with
delivering program and content to multiple sites
makes planning a critical step in the teaching
process. Trying to wing it or make it up as
you go is not only not sound educational
practice but rather a recipe for disaster when
used in a videoconference environment.
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Stick to the plan

• Whatever method is used, it is vital to develop
  the project/lesson plan with the
  videoconferencing partner in order to ensure
  smooth sessions during a videoconference.

Have a plan, work the plan and, if necessary,
adapt the plan. Start with the end in mind and
have a clear roadmap of what, how and why.
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What if technical problems arise?

• You may experience problems with the technology
  during a session.
• Bear in mind what you, and others, need to know
  in this eventuality
• make sure you know where to get help
• check that participants at the remote site know
  enough about using the technology for it to run
  smoothly
• make sure they know where to get help
• have the telephone number of the remote site you
  are contacting at hand in case your connection
  goes wrong

Always have a plan B
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What if technical problems arise?

• You should also - as much as reasonable - have
  some contingency plans in case the link does
  fail. Does it make sense to continue on audio
  channel only if that is still working? Is it
  possible to provide overheads or handouts to the
  facilitator at the remote end so that some useful
  work can continue? Can some of the work be done
  via bulletin boards or computer conferencing? If
  the session is critical, are there possibilities
  of rescheduling the session or delivering it
  conventionally?

Always have a plan B - if in doubt have a plan
C
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Be adaptive and responsive

• As with any new technology, successful
  integration of video conferencing into existing
  activities requires attention to the needs of the
  people who will be using it
• The determination of what is acceptable and
  useful must be based on the reaction and comfort
  level of the end users
• In the case of simple point-to-point meetings,
  there is not a lot of new learning required for
  participants to successfully interact with each
  other as long as the video and audio quality do
  not interfere
• Care should be taken to ensure that participants
  feel they can see and hear each other clearly

Work your plan!
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Critical Factors for success

• Most projects have initial teething problems,
  sometimes with serious negative consequences for
  learning such as cancellation of courses. There
  must be a back up to established in case the
  technology fails!
• Prepare students to understand that this is new
  technology and that we are all learning and that
  things may go wrong. Admit there are special
  challenges in video conferencing
• Prepare students for the form of learning to be
  adopted during the course. Ask students to take
  some responsibility for their own learning
• Plan for a large amount of instructional
  preparation time (including running a pilot
  trial) if you have not used video conferencing
  before

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Critical Factors for success

• Sessions should be well structured and defined
  with clear time constraints
• Allow each site to work by itself on various
  things and bring people back at a specified time
  and with a specified signal. Build site
  camaraderie as well as cross-site relationships
• Voice, animation, energy and enthusiasm are
  critical motivating factors in distance learning
• These key factors are also critical in a
  traditional classroom
• Practice participation and involvement
• During each session ensure that there is a lot of
  opportunity to interact with others, either at
  the site or across sites. Individual reports,
  team reports, presentations and feedback etc.

The nature of the technology and the environment
necessitates that creating presence is of even
greater importance than a traditional classroom.
The end goal is to make the technology
transparent creating presence for both the
teacher and students is what makes whats
happening in the classroom of greater importance
than the technology being used.
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This Really Is Important Enough to Repeat
The nature of the technology and the environment
necessitates that creating presence is of even
greater importance than a traditional classroom.
The end goal is to make the technology
transparent creating presence for both the
teacher and students is what makes whats
happening in the classroom of greater importance
than the technology being used.
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3 Most Important VC Factors Identified By BTPS
Teachers

• Smartboard Bridgit collaboration server
• Sound quality
• Picture quality

Based on BTPS survey results, VC Teachers all
seem to agree that the Smartboard and Bridgit
collaboration server is perhaps the most
important and critical factor when it comes to
delivering curriculum.
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Work cooperatively

• This is a new and evolving area in the world of
  education
• Share what you have learned and look to others
  for new ideas
• You can observe a lot by just looking around.
• Yogi Berra

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The Journey

• The path to our destination is not always a
  straight one. We go down the wrong road, we get
  lost, we turn back. Maybe it doesn't matter which
  road we embark on. Maybe what matters is that we
  embark.
• Barbara Hall, Northern Exposure, Rosebud, 1993