Thursday 5 December 2013

Video Conferencing for Learning

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Prior to this course, I never really thought about using video conferencing in the classroom, except for distance ed.  I have now learned that both students and teachers can benefit from video conferencing.  Skype, Skype in the Classroom, Google Plus, Adobe Connect,and Elluminate are all great tools for conferencing.  Students can use conferencing to collaborate on group projects together. Also, they can connect on video should they need help with assignments. Students could also arrange peer tutoring via video.  Perhaps an older student could conference with a student in a younger grade to help them with homework.  Also I think that getting teacher help via video may be a neat concept, as often students who need extra help, cannot stay after school. So, teachers could arrange meetings with students who need extra help or review to go over an area of difficulty.  Student learning could also be enhanced by connecting your class with “experts” in certain fields, to learn more information.  For example, if learning about advertising, the class can video conference with someone from an advertising agency to learn more about it.

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Teacher’s professional development can also be enhanced through video conferencing.  For instance, teachers could Skype with other teaching professionals and specialists to learn from them (and vise versa).  If you have a concern about one of your students and would like to seek out a specialist, you could set up a video meeting.

Video conferencing really expands learning, as the walls of schools are broken down, and learning is no longer confined to just within the classroom.  We can help to foster more well-rounded students by exposing them to the real-world through video-conferencing.

1 comment:

  1. Skype is good. Additionally, you may try alternative tools like webex, R-HUB HD video conferencing servers, gomeetnow, gotomeeting etc. for all your video conferencing needs.

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