Videoconferencing: Discover the Possibilities

Janine Lim, PhDjanine@andrews.edu

blog.janinelim.comSkype: outonalimTwitter: outonalim

A little about me…

blog.janinelim.com

“Curriculum Videoconferencing”

If your principal or superintendent walked into your classroom during a videoconference, give five adjectives to describe what they would see happening.

Benefits of VC

• Access to experts and scientists (McCombs 2007)

• Real-world learning (WHMO, 2002)

• “Field trips” to otherwise inaccessible places (Greenberg, 2004)

• Instruction from another perspective (Gage, 2002)

• Address global issues (Morrison & Macquart, 2006)

CONTENT PROVIDERSzoos, museums, etc.

Cost Continuum

free $500

Interaction Continuum

view only hands-on

passive interactive

Preparation Continuum

none

6-week units

Finding VC Programs

www.VCcontentproviders.orgwww.CILC.orgskypecontentproviders.wikispaces.comblog.janinelim.com – click Skype

Evaluating Providers

• Materials• Cost• Connection to curriculum• Interactions• Tailored to your needs• Scheduling procedures

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

ASK PROGRAMS: AUTHOR, SPECIALIST, KNOWLEDGE

authors and guest speakers

ASK Programs

• Author, Specialist, Knowledge• askprocess.wikispaces.com• www.twice.cc/ASK/

• Tuskegee Airman Alexander Jefferson

COLLABORATIONSteacher organized and “official projects”

DefinitionsProject/Event• Centrally managed &

coordinated• Information about how to

participate is provided, dates and times are set

• Monster Match• Read Around the Planet• MysteryQuest

Collaboration• Kid2Kid • Begins with an idea from a

teacher• Requires finding your own

partner• Most classroom

collaborations are point-to-point

• The teacher describes what they want their partner class to do

Glaser, R. (February 1, 2008). Videoconference Glossary. http://www.edlink12.net/vcrox/2008/02/01/videoconference-glossary/

Compare Weather

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/langwitches/

Share Cultures

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/langwitches/

Share Cultures

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/langwitches/

Learn About Snow

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/langwitches/

Talk to an Olympian

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/langwitches/

Collect Data

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/langwitches/

Short Agendas

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/langwitches/

Eco-Conversations

Middle School Science

International where possiblehttp://ecoconversations.wikispaces.com/

Background science knowledgeAnalysis of scientific method's useEnvironmental perspectivesEconomic perspectivesLocal perspectivesRecommended actions / solutions

Carbon Dioxide Emissions Climate Change Warmer Oceans Environmental Clean-Up Fresh Water Water Bottles

• My students absolutely LOVED IT. You know they really liked it when they are telling other teachers and students about it!!! Talking to another country is by far the best VC out there!! When you have students like those here in Dowagiac who have maybe been as far away as Detroit or Chicago (many not that far) they are fascinated with the accents, language usage…….very cool, I would talk to another country any time it was available!

Eco-Conversations: Carbon Emissions

Halloween and Diwali Exchange with India

MysteryQuest Agenda

• Introductions• Presentation of Clues• Time to Research• Clarifying Questions• Sharing Guesses• Revealing the Answer• Sign-Off

Monster Mayhemby Whirlidurb

A few of my reluctant writers shocked me with the quality of their writing and enthusiasm for the project. I think having an audience that goes beyond the building’s walls helps too. It makes the project seem more important.

“Gobbling Up Descriptive Writing”

TWICE, Michigan’s K12 VC

• www.twice.cc• K12 videoconferencing organization• Volunteer board members, mostly from

educational service agencies• Read Around the Planet• ASK Programs & Michigan Week• Discounts with providers

Read Around the Planet

• A directory based on Read Around the Planet

• A way to add VC friends & find new VC friends

• A way to create collaborations• projects.twice.cc

Other Sites for Partner Classes

• Education.skype.com• aroundtheworldwith80schools.net• Global School Net Projects

Registry: www.globalschoolnet.org/gsnpr/

What makes a quality

videoconference project?

Designing Projects

• What is my required curriculum?• What can my students learn from

connecting to another class? • How does it add value to the lesson?• What benefit is gained in greater

curriculum understanding because the students collaborated with another class?

Designing Projects

• ISTE NETS Standards• Technology communications tools

– Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.

– Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.

Scheduling a Collaboration

• Advertise project (date, time, description)

• Select partner• Test call• Teachers talk to each other• Project happens

– or... rescheduling due to snow days, jury duty, substitute teacher, etc. etc.

20 Days to Better VC Projects

http://blog.janinelim.com/?page_id=2795

http://vcrox.com/20days

Roxanne Glaser

Whirlidurb

Challenges to Collaboration

• Snow Days / Rescheduling• Blocked Emails• Lack of Follow-Up• Lack of School-Level VC Coordinators• Project Definition

http://blog.janinelim.com/?p=498

Resources for More Ideas

• Project templates booklet• http://goodsvc.wikispaces.com/

z+More+VC+Projects • https://

collaborativevcs.pbworks.com

VIDEOCONFERENCE TECHNOLOGY

Skype, Polycom, LifeSize, Tandberg/Cisco

VC Continuum

Skype, FaceTime, GoTo Meeting, Adobe Connect

H323 Polycom m100

H323Large Group or Room Systems

Telepresenceproprietary H323 standard

Skype vs. VC Cart

Skype vs H.323

Access to ContentTechnical QualityNetwork Issues

Desktop VC vs. VC Cart: Cameras

Skype / Desktop VC• Unless connected to a

projector; difficult for the whole class to see

• Web cam with no zoom or presets.

• Lower camera quality

H.323 Cart• Monitor/projector usually

designed for the whole class to see

• Camera: pan, tilt, and zoom. 10 or more presets. Additional inputs: document camera.

Desktop vs. VC Cart: Microphones

Desktop VC / Skype Mic is designed for one

person at the computer. Cable length for

microphone can be an issue.

May not have echo cancellation.

Need to be at the mic to talk.

VC Cart• Mic designed for whole group. • 30 foot cord; easy use in room• Built in echo cancellation• Adults speak anywhere in

room• Students best at mic.

Desktop vs. VC Cart: Remote Control

Desktop VC / Skype• Can only control the VC

from the computer.

H.323 Cart• An infrared remote control

allows controlling the VC from anywhere in the room.

Skype vs. VC Cart

• Access right in your classroom all the time. Easy to just jump in and use it.

• Shared cart• Scheduling may be an issue• May only have access in certain

buildings• Cart may be hard to move around the

school.

Skype vs. VC Cart

• Picture quality varies widely

• No multipoint• Free plus $100-$200

webcam

• More likely to have a higher quality picture

• Can multipoint• $2000-$10,000

depending on many extras you purchase

Skype vs. VC Cart

• Authors• Guest speakers (easy

to connect)• Few content providers• Thousands of teachers

and projects on Skype in the Classroom

• International

• Authors• Guest speakers (may

have trouble if they don’t have access)

• Over 250 content providers (zoos etc.)

• Huge community of over 7000 educators in 30 countries

Troubleshooting & Tips

• Re-call• Restart• Reboot• Chat only• Skype Privacy ??!!?

? Help!

Review & Reflect

• What curriculum can be enhanced by using VC?

• How will you organize your classroom?

• How will you involve all students?

• How will you deal with classroom management?

An idea not coupled with action

will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied.

~Arnold Glasow

with thanks to Silvia Tolisano aka

“langwitches”

http://twitter.com/langwitcheshttp://www.langwitches.org/http://langwitches.org/blog/http://langwitches.wikispaces.com/

Bibliography

• Cifuentes, L., & Murphy, K. L. (2000). Promoting multicultural understanding and positive self-concept through a distance learning community: cultural connections. Educational Technology Research and Development, 48(1), 69-83.

• Gage, J., Nickson, M., & Beardon, T. (2002). Can videoconferencing contribute to teaching and learning? The experience of the Motivate project. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the British Educational Research Association.

• Greenberg, A. (2004). "Navigating the Sea of Research on Video Conferencing-Based Distance Education: A Platform for Understanding Research into the Technology’s Effectiveness and Value." Polycom Whitepaper.

• Martinez, M. D., & MacMillan, G. (1998). A Joint Distance Learning Course in American Government (No. ED428005).

• McCombs, G. B., Ufnar, J. A., & Shepherd, V. L. (2007). The Virtual Scientist: Connecting University Scientists to the K-12 Classroom through Videoconferencing. Advances in Physiology Education, 31(1), 62-66.

• Morrison, J., & Macquart, D. (2006). World’s youth connect through Global Nomads Group: An interview with GNG’s David Macquart. Innovate, 2(4).

• Owston, R. (2007). Contextual factors that sustain innovative pedagogical practice using technology: an international study. Journal of Educational Change, 8(1), 61-77.

• Sweeney, M. A. (2007). The use of videoconferencing techniques which support constructivism in K-12 education. Dissertation Abstracts International.

• Warschauer, M. (1997).Computer-mediated collaborative learning: Theory and practice. Modern Language Journal, 81(3), p. 470-481. Also at http://www.gse.uci.edu/person/markw/cmcl.html

• Yost, N. (2001). Lights, Camera, Action: Videoconferencing in Kindergarten. Paper presented at the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International Conference.

• WMHO. (2002). Videoconferencing exposes students to new worlds. T.H.E. (Technological Horizons in Education) Journal, 29(8).

Questions?

Janine Lim, janine@andrews.edu

Blog: blog.janinelim.com

Twitter: outonalim

Wiki: collaborativeVCs.pbwiki.com

TWICE: www.twice.cc

CAPspace: projects.twice.cc