The term video conferencing sometimes conjures up ideas of adult distance education or business meetings. However, that is only the tip of the iceberg. At my school, many students come with personal experiences in video conferencing. It may be keeping connected with grandparents across the country or with fathers serving in our military. Additionally, for many years, schools have been using this exciting and engaging technology in a variety of ways.
First, real time video conferencing is a unique way to apply technology to many areas of the educational curriculum, from math to music. Students can engage in the sharing of ideas with other students across the district, the state, and even the globe. This provides an opportunity to share expertise as well as expose students to different social and cultural ideas. Students actively engage with experts in many fields without the cost of transportation but, still provide that one-on-one feel. One example happened in 2008. The students at North Ridge Elementary school in Moreno Valley, California watched their own teachers who had traveled to NASA in Houston, Texas perform an experiment involving how a stream of water reacts in zero gravity. NASA chose North Ridge along with fourteen other schools to participate in NASA Explorer which is designed to “incorporate science, technology and math with NASA content for fourth- to ninth-graders” (Eiselein, 2008). The article can be found at the Moreno Valley Press Enterprise.
A second way that video conferencing is useful in education is with professional development. It is very costly for a district to bring in an expert to train teachers. Video conferencing allows for the development minus the travel costs of the speaker.
Thirdly, the Bangkok Post offers one additional thought to the opportunities offered by video conferencing. While, the article, Teleconference: Meeting Efficiently, speaks specifically to the business world, it provides suggestions of proper etiquette for participants of video conferences especially when speaking to those in different cultures. However, our students could truly become twenty-first century learners if they could appropriately engage with other cultures.
As our world becomes smaller through technology, I am sure video conferencing will become more and more a part of student’s everyday experience instead of a special and rare occurrence. It is a natural fit to professionals seeking expensive or hard to find training.
Aronowitz, S. (2010, June 6). Videoconferencing saves southeastern schools professional development costs. THE Journal. Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/06/09/videoconferencing-saves-southeastern-schools-professional-development-costs.asp
Eiselein, M. (2008, February 18). Moreno Valley elementary school teachers, science club students participate in anti-gravity experiment. Press-Enterprise Company. Retrieved from http://www.pe.com/localnews/morenovalley/stories/PE_News_Local_C_rgravity19.3cff2f2.html
Szente, J. (2003). Teleconferencing across borders: Promoting literacy-and more-in the elementary grades. Childhood Education, 79. Abstract retrieved from http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst?docId=5002542443
Tuohy, T. (2009, November 24). Teleconference: Meeting efficiently. Bangkok Post On-line. Retrieved from http://www.gankokpost.com/life/education/28023/teleconference--efficiently
I have personally seen video conferencing in action. For one, my husband works from home twice a week, and he uses it with his job. I have seen him do this many times, and it seems like a very efficient way to collaborate with others. Also, we used it this past year in Pasadena for a meeting across the district about the state's new initiative to fingerprint. Every campus had their own time slot, but this way the district could meet with everyone without us ever having to leave to go to another location.
ReplyDeleteYou're right about students having the knowledge already to do video conferencing, so why not use it in the classroom for learning. Sometimes, I think as teachers we are afraid to integrate technology because we have this notion that it will be too difficult for the students. However, this is not true, because for the most part, they probably already have used the technology and can teach us a thing or two about it.
I cannot wait until vidoeconferencing in schools is an everyday reality instead of a "special" occasion. I tried to get a unit on videoconferencing together for my Communication Applications students with the teachers from the other high school in our district. I did not get much enthusiasm in reaction.
ReplyDeleteYou gave me an idea though. If I can get the librarians from both schools on board, we might be able to pull it off!
The reasons I got for not doing the project were numerous, but having the videoconferencing take place in the library between all four teachers' classes would eliminate almost all of the objections that were voiced!
Thanks for this super idea!
Video conferencing has its advantages however the big problem has been and will always be scheduling the conference so that all intended participants can get together at the same time.
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