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Learning Technolgies 2008 Conference
Wednesday 5th Nov
Carol Daunt Skyring’s workshop
Carol’s energy and passion for the content of this workshop had us all champing at the bit to get back to our workplaces and try out audio conferencing, web conferencing, video conferencing and Skype.
This workshop explored the differences between these three different forms of online conferencing.
Online conferencing is used to provide learning environments for students who are off-campus. The online conferencing classroom can provide for multiple students from a variety of remote locations. However, because the ‘classroom’ is effectively a computer interface, the teacher needs to adopt new pedagogies to be effective in the management of this classroom model. Learning in a remote location whilst sitting alone at a computer screen is not an ideal way to learn fro most people. The technology enables access only; it is the teacher who develops the learning environment to bring the various users (students) together in an effective learning community.
Whilst audio conferencing is relatively simple technology that’s been around for a while, it is dependent upon a ‘bridge’ operator (service provider) who enables the whole process.
Web conferencing is more complex, but offers the user exciting interactive options that facilitate student engagement beyond voice. The visual interface provides the teacher with what resembles an interactive whiteboard, where student responses can be noted and group comments documented. This opens the way to collaborative learning opportunities and can create a more dynamic learning environment for students, if used to its advantage. There are loads of good applications out there such as ivRoom, palBee, lluminate, DimDim etc
Video conferencing seems to be the way of the future however. It looks great and offers consumers a range of options. When introduced a decade ago, it was expensive at the top end and raw and clumsy at the bottom. Carol explained that current solutions are both affordable and accessible. Video conferencing does not have to be a high end solution to be successful! OoVoo, Skype, PalBee and iChat are some examples of applications.
Whilst it looks like TV, its important to note that if students use it like TV, they may fall asleep! An effective teacher will create a dynamic learning community: they will engage students and monitor their active participation and contribution to the online classroom. They will also pull apart what they might normally ‘do’ in the classroom and repackage it for the online elearning environment. This is a real skill that may require a bit of practise.
Carol threw loads of information at us, challenging us to consider useful ways of using these technologies in our teaching, and asking us to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of each conferencing technology, when setting up online learning environments. All in all, an exciting, informative and thought-provoking session!
