Extending Learning Opportunities Through Technology - The Videoconference Option

by

Trish Andrews
Learning Resources Development Unit (TEDI),
the University of Queensland

 

Abstract

Educational Technologies including on-line applications are being rapidly adopted by many educational institutions. However, much of the focus of "online" teaching is concentrating on applications of the World Wide Web and the internet in general with the potential of other technologies sometimes being overlooked.

In this paper, the potential of both room based and networked videoconferencing as teaching and learning tools is explored and the strengths and weaknesses of these technologies highlighted. Some effective approaches are discussed and a number of examples presented to demonstrate how videoconferencing can be used to enhance student learning and provide professional development opportunities for staff. Additionally the role of videoconferencing in maintaining student choice is discussed. In conclusion, suggestions are made as to how videoconferencing can be successfully integrated into the tertiary teaching and learning context.

 

Introduction

In recent years the concept of virtual faculties and on-line teaching have gained considerable acceptance in tertiary institutions as ways of meeting the rapidly expanding requirements for education. However, in many cases the advantages of videoconferencing are being overlooked by the rush to "get on the web" . While cost and bandwidth issues are certainly factors here, some institutions have established their own transmission networks and invested in their own connecting bridges which considerably reduces costs. These institutions also commonly have a centralised funding model for videoconferencing, much the same as many institutions have for their other IT requirements such as network access. Additionally, ongoing developments and advances in technologies are making these technologies more and more affordable and accessible.

 

Common types of videoconferencing

Room based videoconferencing
Videoconferencing commonly operates at two levels - room based or desktop. Room based videoconferencing units vary widely from very expensive purpose built rooms to quite inexpensive roll around units that can be used in a variety of rooms. Room based videoconferencing has been successfully used as a teaching tool for most of this decade and also for meetings, particularly for organizations whose members are widely dispersed but still require regular interaction with each other. The institutions which have adopted videoconferencing as a major teaching and learning tool, tend to be those with widely distributed campus such as Deakin, Central Queensland University and TAFE. However, several other institutions, particularly smaller and regional ones, are finding that videoconferencing is enabling both the continuation of course offerings and access to other courses that may not be possible in other ways. Other Universities are also considering ways in which they can maintain a broad variety of course offerings. This concept of maintaining student choice is a significant one and has major implications for most institutions. While the web can offer support for this, some subjects are not well suited to web based learning and given the current state of technological development and stability can be more effectively delivered using videoconferencing or a mix of technologies including videoconferencing.

Most room based videoconferencing units commonly use ISDN lines or microwave links as a means of transmission. This guarantees bandwidth which ensures reliability and enables reasonably rapid transmission.

Desktop videoconferencing
At the current time, Desktop videoconferencing tends to take two forms - network or ISDN transmission and its adoption as a teaching and learning tool is still fairly limited. At this stage the network options tend to be low cost, such as CUSEEME and Net Meeting, but also tend to be unreliable because of bandwidth issues. While this is less problematical in closed networks, such as Universities' internal networks, it can be very problematical when using public networks, in worst cases situations resulting in an inability to make a viable connection. These applications can usually allow both one-to-one and small group (up to about eight) interaction.

ISDN based desktop videoconferencing has the advantage of reliable bandwidth, but can become quite expensive, particularly where bridging costs are required. These systems tend to be proprietary brands, varying widely in cost and features.

Desktop videoconferencing is an invaluable tool for one-on-one and small group teaching. It is ideal for postgraduate supervision, as many Desktop videoconferencing packages contain additional technologies such as file sharing capabilities, whiteboards and chat programs, that can enable in depth discussion and exploration of ideas. This can be extremely valuable to the distant post graduate student, who, in many cases, may have little or no opportunities for interaction with their supervisors. Desktop videoconferencing can also provide opportunities for peer interaction and group work activities as well as interaction between staff. This later application can considerably minimise time lost in travel between campuses, as well as contribute positively to team teaching initiatives.

 

Effective use of Videoconferencing

Team Teaching
Videoconferencing allows unique opportunities to access expertise, regardless of location. It means that the teaching can come from any location, not necessarily the central campus. It may mean that in a multi-campus situation, someone at a satellite campus can take the lead in the teaching. It may mean that at different times all the staff on the program take responsibility for teaching different segments of the course. These strategies can provide great opportunities to satellite campus staff, who often consider themselves to be at a disadvantage. The use of videoconferencing may also mean that institutions combine together to offer a whole course, pooling their resources and maintaining greater choices for students. These kinds of collaborations provide positive experiences for staff by enabling them to share their knowledge and to learn from each other's expertise, a valuable staff development activity.

Videoconferencing is a powerful tool for providing an interactive learning environment. The interactive applications are numerous and may include discussions, group work, student driven presentations, role plays, demonstrations, peer learning, panel discussions and so on. However, the tendency to present "talking head" presentations is a well recognised predisposition of many users of videoconferencing. As pointed out by Laurillard (1993) it is very easy to use videoconferencing as a tool for lecturing and to ignore the interactive elements of the technology. Students generally find this very unappealing (Schiller & Mitchell , 1993) and seek the opportunities for interaction that videoconferencing makes possible.

Interaction, however, doesn't just happen and needs to be carefully designed and fostered which can require a rethink for both staff and students. For staff there is a need to rethink the curriculum design. There is a need to understand the characteristics of the new learning environment and the way in which this impacts on the delivery of the subject. People such as Bates (1994), Laurillard, (1993) Klease, Andrews & Druskovich, (1996) and Burke, Lundin and Daunt (1997), comment on the problems of transferring existing teaching approaches to new media, the " old wine into new bottle syndrome" and the usually unsuccessful outcomes of taking such an approach. Many teachers and lecturers report unsatisfactory results with using videoconferencing and other technologically mediated forms of teaching and learning and this can be seen as an outcome of the difficulty in adapting to the demands and characteristics of the new environment. Most lecturers find that the spontaneous interactions that can happen in face-to face situations generally don't occur in a videoconference classroom. One lecturer once described teaching with videoconferencing as teaching "into a void", lacking the normal informal feedback and "noise" of just being in the same room together. (Andrews & Klease, 1999)

Students too, may experience difficulties with unfamiliar forms of teaching and learning. They may be ill prepared for the teaching and learning strategies they encounter and feel intimidated by both the technological environment and the kinds of activities they are participating in.

Experience demonstrates that videoconferencing is most effective with small groups of students (twenty to twenty five across three or four sites) as stated by Mason, (1994) cited in Burke, London and Daunt (1997).

small learning groups...show much higher levels and quality of interaction than large groups using the same technology. (1994, p.27)"

Small groups enable opportunities for peer and lecturer interaction not possible with larger groups (Burke, Lundin & Daunt, 1997). Additionally smaller group sizes better support the redesign of curriculum necessary for effective use of technologies such as videoconferencing.

While videoconferencing can be successfully used with other technologies, it requires careful thought and planning. For example, using videos over a videoconferencing network can be quite unsuccessful and it may be necessary to show the video at each participating site and then refer to it in the videoconference part of the class. Equally, computer output can be difficult to interpret and may be more successfully integrated through a separate computer link. When planning for these kinds of events it is best to try them out to find the best possible solution for each particular situation.

Staff and student preparation
Staff need to have the opportunity to develop a thorough understanding of this new teaching and learning environment and it's particular characteristics. There is also a need to develop an understanding of new teaching and learning strategies that better fit this environment and the ways in which the environment can be utilised to improve learning outcomes for students. Students also require assistance in coming to grips with what for many of them is both new technology and unfamiliar teaching and learning practices. Adequate student preparation programs and activities are an essential part of successful use of technology teaching tools.

 

Videoconferencing in practice

Successful interactive videoconferencing can be organized in many different ways. Three examples described here include structured group activities, problem solving activities, a variety of discussion techniques and student presentations. There is no prescriptive answer and often the case of trying things out to see what works best for each particular learning situation.

Interactive Chemistry Project
The Interactive chemistry project was an initial attempt to develop an interactive model for the teaching and learning of Chemistry using videoconferencing. The subject was taught across three campus and involved all staff (lecturer and tutors on other campuses) in delivering the content and fostering discussion between student and staff. Training in the use of videoconferencing for both students and tutors was a critical focus of the project. The professional development activity for tutors was aimed at assisting them to broaden both their teaching skills and their further understanding of the subject being taught. The training for students was aimed at assisting them in coming to grips with the technology, that is, the physical technology and communicating within the restraints of the technology, as well as working in group situations, new experiences for many students.

The project was piloted using the physical chemistry component of Chemistry 1, a large science unit for first year students. All students studying this subject, regardless of campus, participated in the project, and were required to prepare materials, problems or questions for the class at specified times. They usually had two to three weeks in which to organize these activities. Students worked together in groups and the support of the other group members was useful in increasing confidence in both delivering the presentation and in dealing with questions. This approach was successful in fostering interaction. Having had the opportunity to work through the materials students felt confident in presenting and discussing their outcomes with their peers and the staff and appeared to be quite at ease. This was in marked contrast to the situation where students in the same class had previously been reluctant to answer questions put to them, by the teaching staff and had tried to keep out of camera view.

Environmental Science Project
The environmental science project aimed to introduce an innovative model of teaching and learning into the Environmental Science B unit, a second semester, first year unit using a multi-mode delivery approach. It was intended to introduce a student centred, group based teaching and learning model to replace the traditional teacher centred lecture model. This model involved the use of a range of educational technologies including print study guides, videoconferencing, e-mail and the Web. Students were required to work collaboratively in groups to address and discuss the issues outlined in resources made available to them. Engaging the students by applying content to relevant and current issues promoted discussion and argument both within and between the groups. This group learning process, using a problem based learning methodology was particularly effective in encouraging the development of desirable life long learning skills including information literacy skills.

Students worked in small groups to cover both content and to complete assessment requirements which formed an integral part of the activities. These aims were achieved by students sharing their information across all sites in the form of group presentations. This integrated approach to teaching and learning also included innovative assessment strategies of which peer assessment formed a part. Discussion and sharing of ideas and information was encouraged through the use of a Web page and discussion list. The Web page enabled a central point of contact for all students and lecturers across all campuses and provided direct links to a range of current resources. In order to assist students with this different model of teaching and learning, student preparation activities were an important component of this project. Most success in alternative modes of delivery generally require some sort of student preparation.

The Health Sciences
The health science lecturers that were involved in this particular activity were fairly innovative teachers who already incorporated a high degree of interaction and student centred learning in their subject, based on vigorous classroom debate. However, this approach was unsuccessful in the videoconference environment and the staff found themselves moving back to a more didactic model of teaching, which both they and the students found unsatisfactory. In an attempt to solve this problem, staff met fortnightly for one hour sessions with an instructional designer and shared various ideas as to how an effective interactive model could be developed. These meetings were conducted by videoconferencing so all staff involved in the teaching could participate. As an outcome of these meeting staff brainstormed various ideas, tried them out and then reported back on their success or otherwise. In some cases, if staff found that a technique they were using was unsuccessful, they modified the class activities to try and accommodate this. In some cases this was successful and in others it could be seen that a particular approach was unsuccessful for fostering interaction in this particular setting. This resulted in the development of a repertoire of activities, including brainstorming, structured discussions, information sharing, role play and case study exploration that were used to create a vibrant and interesting learning environment.

 

Maintaining student choice

In the current climate of cutbacks to federal government funding for higher education, tertiary institutions are feeling the impact of economic rationalism and many courses with small numbers of students are facing the possibility of being phased out, as they lack commercial viability. In seeking to maintain these courses, institutions are looking to technology and inter-University collaboration as realistic ways of ensuring that students have access to as wide a range of courses as possible.

A successful CUTSD grant in 1997 involving several universities demonstrated that videoconferencing can indeed be successfully utilised to create a "virtual faculty". Senior Chemistry students in small science departments at regional Universities were able to access classes offered by experts at distant centres. This exposure to a range of experts encouraged not only cross fertilisation of ideas between lecturers and students but also broadened isolated students exposure to a range of expert knowledge and subject specialisation they would not normally be able to access. Additionally, the use of videoconferencing in this context promoted opportunities for peer and collaborative learning and thus provided richer learning environments for small groups of geographically dispersed students.

The project demonstrated that videoconferencing can provide a viable environment for developing a virtual faculty, inspite of its current comparative technological fragility. While technical problems are a real issue, students tend to value both the broad and general learning opportunities presented to them, and thus are generally fairly forgiving of technological breakdowns. Students were pleased with the opportunity to participate in a wider range of subject offerings while remaining at their local institution. Staff also valued the opportunity to teach to a wider audience and to gain valuable skills in using videoconferencing effectively as a teaching/learning tool.

 

Conclusions

Videoconferencing is a useful tool in providing teaching and learning in a distributed campus environment, whether that be inter-University or intra-University. As with any successful innovation it requires careful planning, good instructional design and appropriate preparation for staff and students. Most importantly, videoconferencing can be used to engage students in learning activities that have beneficial outcomes, while at the same time providing opportunities for staff to further develop their teaching and learning skills in a new learning environment.

 

References

Andrews, T & Klease, G.(1999) "The Role of Videoconferencing in Enhancing Teaching/Learning Via a "Virtual Faculty" Uniserve News, Vol.12.

Bates, T. 1994 "The Educational Aspects of the Telecommunications Revolution", in Proceedings ICDE-DEANZ, Windows of the Future Conference, Wellington, New Zealand.

Burke, C., Lundin, R. & Daunt, C. (1997) " Pushing the boundaries of interaction in videoconferencing: A diological approach", Distance Education, 18 (2) pp. 350 -361

Klease G., Andrews, T. & Druskovich, D, (1996) "Blurring the Boundaries - Developing Effective Teaching/Learning Models for Multi-site Videoconferencing" in Proceedings 2nd International Conference on Open Learning, Open Learning '96, 4-6 December, Brisbane.

Laurillard, D. (1993) Rethinking University Education: A framework for the effective use of educational technology, Routledge: London.

Schiller, J. & Mitchell, J. (1993) Interacting at a distance: staff and students perceptions of teaching and learning via videoconferencing" The Australian Journal of Educational Technology 9 (1).

 

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The University of Queensland
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Modified: 8 March 2002
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