Teleconferencing
What are some practical benefits in incorporating teleconferencing into the learning environment?
Exchanging ideas and teaming up with others who share common pursuits are invaluable experiences which benefit the work of educators and have very positive repercussions on their students. Teleconferencing can greatly enhance these efforts by bringing together educators and guests who can contribute to promote knowledge and stimulate further interest in topics that are being discussed.
Philip Cunill
Teleconferencing can be very beneficial in online learning. This is an added advantage as it creates a real life interacting experience between students and the instructor.
Teleconferencing is real time. I is very useful in providing real time discussion and interaction.
This can help connect distance learners who may feel disconnected in the online learning environment where applicable.
I think this is very beneficial to ithe classroom. I do not have the opportunity to teleconference within my classroom. I know that a lot of corporations use it to have meeting with multiple people all over the country. No need to travel.
Within a classroom, just like in corporations, you can interview a senator or politician without leaving the classroom.
Hello,
Teleconferencing gives the students a direct use of real world tools when they are interacting directly with a professional in their field.
I think it gives a one on one type thing that the student feels that they're getting more with the teacher or instructor it can also be easy for busy schedules cause it can be done from a remote locations even if your out
Susan,
Many K-12 schools utilize Skype when a student is hospitalized for an extended amount of time or undergoing treatment that prevents them from attending class. It is a great way to keep the student engaged with his or her classmates and not fall too far behind in their studies.
Here is a touching story I came across about a young girl with cancer who would Skype in to class while undergoing treatment:
http://www.childrenscancer.org/main/kids_stories/lauras_story_surviving_osteosarcoma/
Theresa Schmitt
Skype "office hours" interest me, since I do not have a private office in which to meet face to face with students.
Rebecca:
What a great point!!! This videoconferencing has great potential to aid with instruction by bringing in all sorts of new perspectives into the classroom both on ground and virtual. I still believe that nothing takes the place of a face to face meeting, but when time and money are considerations, this is a great substitute.
I teach massage therapy and think livestream would be a good thing for me. I could teach the hands on portion in class and then use livestream to help students remember the strokes when practicing at home. When learning massage strokes you sometimes forget exactly how the stoke is and this method would allow the students to see it again at home.
by using teleconferencing - drive times / computing to class can be cut down but still allow instructor and student interactions.
I believe teleconferencing is an invaluable tool and resource. I have yet to capitalize on it, but will soon.
Having the ability to bring another instructor into the classroom with more, similar, and or different approaches to similar topics, can drive home reality in the workplace and create a learning advantage.
I think the obvious is being able to access a variety of "experts" without the need fo travel. I have seen students really open to this and appreciate the "expertise" given to them
With "open Skype" time as office hours are you just live on skype for that scheduled period and students can opt in at their leisure or is it one on one as they make appointments with you?
Teleconferencing is an excellent way to bring face-to-face for faculty Professional Development opportunities. It is possible to communicate with well-respected educators from all over the world to present and share ideas and problem solve right on the spot. A word of advice, however, is to make sure to "test" the equipment well in advance of the meeting. I am sure we all know to do this.......
The idea of "Open Skype Time" is really good. I have students who want extra help in solving problems, and with this I can be available to them from home.
Being that I teach online, I already do teleconferencing twice a week for students. The nice thing about it is that they can be anywhere and attend the lecture. Some have to be home with children and others actually attend during their lunch breaks from work on their computers or Ipads. Convenience is the number one benefit in my view.
Teleconferencing is a great opportunity for people to lecture and exchange ideas across distances. Students who are primarily just online students could benefit from occassionally seeing their instructor, and students who attend classes in person can benefit from having access to a number of guest speakers who would not otherwise be able to share with them, due to distance or time restrictions.
