Video conferencing is an accepted mode of instruction in education these days. It is very close to normal classroom instruction in the sense that it is live. A two way connection using audio video equipment is established between multiple locations and visuals and voice are transmitted back and forth.
The advantages of Video Conferencing in Education are:
- Allows the students and the teachers to be at different locations;
- The students can be spread over multiple locations;
- Helps create a global classroom;
- The students are exposed to diversity in terms of culture, society, thought process etc;
- Geographical limitations are eliminated;
- Helps schedule learning as the student is not left by himself as in the case of a correspondence course;
- Is a preferred mode of learning for working professionals, as they do not need to relocate to the city of the college or university and classes can be scheduled during off hours from work;
- It is close to classroom instruction; communication between student – faculty, student – students can take place on the spot;
- Promotes collaborative learning.
It is a technique which is heavily dependent on means of communication and technology. This requires the teacher as well as the students be well adjusted to the technology being used. Normally, there is a technical person available on both sides, but a comfort level with technology at both ends does no harm.
For a Video Conferencing session to be successful it requires preparation. The level of preparation is more than what is required for a normal face-to-face class. The preparation needs to be done at both the ends. The following points need to be remembered before starting a class through video conferencing:
Technology: Both ends need to be accustomed to the equipment being used. Understand the complete functioning of the system. Running a test run can be of additional help. In case the technical person is not present do not miss to record his contact information for emergencies.
Lightning & Voice Transmission: The lightning and voice transmission equipment needs to be more than sufficient. Any kind of shortcoming could affect the quality of transmission and reception. The micro-phone, the camera, the lights all need to be placed carefully. Echo is something that can be a problem in Video Conferencing.
Video Conferencing Etiquettes: The students need to be apprised of the etiquettes that have to be observed during a session. Ruffling of papers, tapping of pencils, desks could be major disturbances.
In case the number of students is on the larger side, decorum or an order regarding communicating needs to be pre-decided. Since it is a two way communication, many people should not end up speaking at the same time.
Body Gestures and Movement, Voice (Volume, Pitch, Tone) all need to be worked on carefully.
Coordination: The faculty as well as the student needs to move in a planned and a scheduled manner. The students need to know before hand what content has been planned for a particular session. The students need to have before hand the necessary hand outs for a particular session.
Stimulating and Enriching: Since the teacher and the students are not present at the same location, there is a tendency to get into the lecture mode by the faculty and the passive mode of learning by the students. The session has to be kept interactive and interesting to avoid the pitfall of monotony.
With some sensitivity, it can be customized for students with special needs. It works well for courses offering higher education to professionals. There are a few short comings involved in this system like, the expense involved, dependence on technology, and non- involvement of active student participation. But the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
