5 Ways to Use Videoconferencing in Education – eT@lking

Carol Skyring a global expert on videoconferencing due to her work with Learntel and Polycom videoconferencing equipment gave us an interesting insight into some of the most valuable uses that can be made for videoconferencing in education. Thanks Carol for sharing your knowledge and giving up your time. Listen to the recording, read Carol’s blog post and join Carol’s newly formed Visual Communication ning.

Here are  5 ways to use Videoconferencing in Education:-

1. Extends the availability of more courses/subjects eg specialist maths, physics etc to remote rural schools.
2. Collaborating with other students, teachers – locally, nationally, globally. Make sure you look at the surgical lesson.
3. Virtual excursions, field trips – the zoo, museum, art gallery etc
4. Linking to experts – authors, scientists etc
5. Professional Development – locally, nationally, globally

From the chat, came comments from teachers who have experienced some of the above uses.

• Gary Schultz, using polycom equipment has just linked a large group of students at a Water Conference in Horsham, Victoria, Australia, to New Zealand and Malaysia.  See blog post
• My students think that videoconferencing with other global students is one of the best things that they can do in education.
• Global nomads group
• Why would you use videoconferencing to connect with experts for my PD cf eg elluminate.
• Good Professional Development could be done at 4pm in Melbourne by videoconference.
• We need FREE servcies that teachers can use for collaborative learning – it becomes political -it is a hard job pursuing all these links.
• The Wimmera Virtual school has 16 classes operating via videoconferencing in Senior School area.