Video\Web+Conferencing

 =** Video/Web Conferencing **= Hinna Ahmad

**Description and Uses of Technology **

====__Web Conferencing __ - Simply put, this is an online communication tool used to hold synchronous meetings. There can be an any number of reasons to hold meetings via web conferencing, however the most common use is to connect group of people who are geographically separated. Web conferencing allows communities to connect at a more interpersonal level, allowing information transfer to happen more fluidly, and with a level of candidness. Web conferencing also provides a broader access to presentations, trainings, lectures, or even conferences for those who may not be able to attend. People often think of web conferencing as being useful in physical distance situations. While they are most typically used under these conditions, there are many different types of web conferencing and each developing its own specific purpose and use. There are web meetings, webinars, webcasts, and as previously stated various online presentation and collaboration tools. As comfort with video conferencing and use becomes more commonplace, we will likely see the use of video conferencing being used beyond a way to bridge a gap between physical distance. ==== ====Within the classroom context, web conferencing can be used to provide students with an interface that allows more interpersonal connections to people and resources. Teachers and reach off-site locations, people, and access more information within a more personal environment. Video and web conferencing have many overlaps, however Video conferencing  allows users to work under an asynchronous format. ====

 **Important Findings on Student Outcomes **  Reactions to student outcomes using video conferencing have been mixed, on the one hand, a study conducted for third-year pharmacotherapy courses concluded that There was no difference in learning outcomes in pharmacotherapy courses between local and distant students using videoconferencing in terms of GPA outcomes (PharmD, 2004). On the opposite side, "in most ABEL learning projects, students displayed higher levels of engagement than was typical in other classroom contexts. Videoconferencing proved to have a notable, even dramatic impact on most students’ engagement levels in ABEL projects, and not just during the videoconferencing event itself. Students reported finding videoconferences interesting and exciting; they enjoyed opportunities to see and talk to students from other schools and regions, and to discover differing regional views on topics and issues being studied (such as energy use and conservation). They were also highly attentive when experts or participants in significant events participated in a videoconference. But the novelty of the medium, which no doubt contributed to student excitement, also had a tendency to limit meaningful dialog, as most students appeared quite inhibited about speaking “on camera”—a reaction that would likely diminish given greater exposure to the experience" (Wideman, Owston, Morbey, & Granger, 2004). These studies show us that videoconferencing is a tool which must be handled with the same forethought and planning with any other form of technology. Students must be presented technologies within appropriate contexts and with proper training in order to foster positive student outcomes.

"The present study was designed to investigate the effects of conveyance system design and social presence, in the form of teacher immediacy behavior, on perceived student learning and satisfaction in the televised classroom. Results indicate that system design and teacher immediacy behavior strongly impact student learning and satisfaction. System variables such as interactivity and clear audio and video transmission positively influenced perceived learning and satisfaction. Further, instructors who engaged in immediate behaviors such as encouraging involvement, offering individual feedback, maintaining relaxed body posture and using vocal variety were viewed more favorably" (Hackman & Walker, 2003). The Hackman and Walker study show that video conferecing can provide a more informal/relaxed context with students and instructors. This could be potentially helpful for students who might have difficulties with public speaking. Video conferecing is a great way to maintain a level of personal privacy, but still present and teach new media to students who would not typically engage in the class. The possibilities available for instructors is dependent on the level of investment teachers are willing to put into the new media. When video conferencing is fully working and engaged, it can produce positive student outcomes and classroom environments.

 These outcomes will improve and become more reliable as the concept of video/web conferencing in the classroom and for educational purposes improves and becomes easier to access/more common. What these studies have shown, is that students and instructors alike base many opinions and usage of video conferencing by the way the product was introduced to them and how the product was managed. When managed properly and within the appropriate contexts, students and instructors were able to relax and possibly have more engaged discussion, build on opportunities provided to them through video conferencing which they would not otherwise be able to access, and engages the class in a unique way which is not automatically provided in face-to-face interactions.

 **Emerging Trends and Open Issues **

Crede & Sniezek developed a 2003 study which investigated the group dynamics between face-to-face groups and video-conferencing groups. While there were no siginificant differences between accuracy, there were differences in the way students reached decisions and reported confidence. This tells us that teachers and instructors need to develop a separate set of rules and expectations when having students use video conferencing in the classroom because social interactions change and affect the way students socialize and develop final products. While socialization may be different, Luppicini's research does support the original statement that video conferencing can provide a level of integrated and developed task work. Activities such as "task focused discussion, collaborative decision-making, group work, and active involvement in knowledge construction during group interactions" all showed partial advantages when using computer mediated technologies (2007).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">Video/web conferencing up until now has been used mostly as a ‘makeup’ tool in school contexts. Specifically, students who might not be able to access information in the classroom, or readily cannot attend, use video/web conferencing as a means to access information or resources that they originally missed. Educational contexts could take a cue from business models when <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">considering using web conferencing in their classroom because the media is used more much commonly. An example for how this might be used differently is using web conferencing as a practicing/quizzing tool among students when studying or preparing for a test. This allows students to discuss and work on problems assigned for homework in a more collaborative manner.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"> One interesting issue web conferencing presents is how privacy contexts adjusts for minors within these contexts. Students are more open, and vulnerable, to a variety of contexts and individual using this resources and protection is not as easy to provide for students. The various minor laws and acts developed to protect the exposure of students has not yet caught up to online technologies and it is a concern for parents and educators alike. Educators should be a part of this conversation if we are interested in taking advantage of the educational technologies available to us. Another aspect to video conferencing in the classroom is that students can be more advanced and developed in technologies than the instructor themselves. Prensky (2001), points out that students socialize differently than what most adults do in this day and age and part of that socialization tends to be online. Thus, when incorporating technologies children typically use to socialize, teachers must be wary and stay vigilant about the class staying on task. In an environment where students are growing up with technology instead of around technology, it poses an interesting juxtaposition for educators who are not as adjusted or well-versed to using newer technologies in the classroom such as video conferencing.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> **References**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> Banados, J, & Emerita, K. (2008). Virtual interaction through video-web communication: a step towards enriching and internationalizing language learning programs. //ReCall//, //20//(20).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> Crede, M, & Sniezek, J. (2003). Group judgment processes and outcomes in video-conferencing versus face-to-face groups. //International Journal of Human-Computer Studies//, //59//(6), 875-897.

Luppicini, Rocci (2007) Review of computer mediated communication research for education. //Instructional Science// 35(2)

Prenksy, M. (2001b). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Part II. Do they really //think// differently? //On the Horizon,// 9(6). []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Quillen, I. (2010). Web conferencing finds a niche in the elementary grades. //Education Week//, //29//(29).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> Odom, L. (2010, January/February). Mapping web 2.0 benefits to known best practices in distance education. //DE Oracle @ UMUC.//

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> //What comprises an effective videoconferencing "best practices" video?//. (2009). Informally published manuscript, Board of Regents, University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin. Retrieved from http://www.uwex.edu/disted/training/article.htm

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6pt;">Reviewed By: (Michael Thaxton, Jennifer Becker)