Videoconferencing: Ideas, Advice, and Techniques

1. Live From Iceland (not): Ideas, Advice, and Techniques for Videoconferencing Dr. Curtis J. Bonk Indiana University http://php.indiana.edu/~cjbonk cjbonk@indiana.edu

2. Jim Seymour, PC Magazine, Nov 27, 2001 “…in the wake of the terrorist attacks, videoconferencing is suddenly hot—very hot. No one wants to get on planes now, least of all for a semi-meaningful two-hour meeting four hours away. But meet we must, so we're doing more and more of it via video. And I confess that I've found my dislike for videoconferencing softening.”

3. Videoconferencing is hard (Managerial Skills) • Plan for resources, syllabus, and books • Consider developing a Web support site • Visit remote sites (and announce it) • Call on students who are talking • Have an agenda, sequence materials • Contact site coordinator(s)

4. Focus on Managing Learning (Pac Bell Videoconferencing Guide, 1995-2002) • Limit the number of sites to 3 or 4 • Get phone or email of participants • Bring a cell phone to the event • Plan a practice session • Make sure sites call in 30 minutes early • A wireless mic can be passed around • Have back-up tech plan--conference call

5. Focus on Managing Learning (Pac Bell Videoconferencing Guide, 1995-2002) • All sites should mute their mics • Set ground rules on speaking protocols • Site facilitators preset camera settings • Main facilitator should start with purpose, agenda, protocols, etc.

6. Internet-Based Advice(Hazel Jobe, 1999) • Plan it for morning when there is less congestion • Decide on placement or students on camera as well as placement of mics • Plan for the worst. If server if down, postpone it. • Have students do research then share via video • Mentoring is a great option in videoconferencing • Beware of unexpected incoming hook-up requests

7. Videoconferencing is hard (Technological Skills) • Test out the equip 30 minutes prior to class • Test room 1-2 weeks b4 teaching in it. • Set camera presets • Assistant to help b4 teach and for admin (faxing, troubleshooting) • Get some training

8. Videoconferencing is Fun(Social Hat) • Order pizza for remote site and see who is willing to pay. • Introduce students to each other who normally would never meet. • Wear tennis shoes and see if anyone notices. • Ask for mailbox, office space, and parking spot at remote site and do not go back to work. • Try stretching exercises.

9. Videoconferencing Requires Pedagogy (Pedagogical Hat) • Use document camera for sharing • Call on students at remote site first • Vary the activities • Change activity or break into small groups every 15-30 minutes

10. Focus on Learning (Pac Bell Videoconferencing Guide, 1995-2002) • Maintain interest with novel activities • Make materials and learning relevant • Explain differences from passive TV watching • Consider pace; slow for new material • Alternate lecture and activities

11. Focus on Learning (Pac Bell Videoconferencing Guide, 1995-2002) Techniques: • Participant presentations • Role play and debates • Case studies • Semantic maps to minimize text • Brief video clips with discussion

12. Focus on Learning (Pac Bell Videoconferencing Guide, 1995-2002) • Maintain eye contact (look directly at camera, not TV or students in your room). • Repeat questions before answering • See if someone else has answer first • Use names

13. Why Select Videoconferencing? • Reel Em In!!! (new students) • Bring in a Dose of Reality (real world) • I always wanted to teach at XYZ. • It was requested! • It's Cool! It’s New! It’s a Challenge! • Can be in two places at one time. • My students count too! • Convenience: 7-11/Village Pantry Thinking.

14. Videoconferencing Benefits(Hazel Jobe, 1999) • Appeals to diff learning styles • Allows multiple classrooms to collaborate • Improves presentation, communication, graphing, and research skills • Additional audience, peer feedback, university feedback, and other feedback • Cheaper

15. What Worked? • Group Discussion • Variety, Breaks, Acting, Zaniness • Small Group Activities • Experts • Final Presentations • Food and drinks

16. Preparing to Teach With Videoconferencing (A Guide to Vidoconferencing, The World Bank, 2002) • Consider learner prior knowledge • Consider learner technology resources • Incorporate charts and outlines • Use both audio and visuals to increase attention • Organize main points and present them progressively

17. Preparing Slides for Videoconferencing (A Guide to Vidoconferencing, The World Bank, 2002) • Leave 1.5 inch blank frame on edges • Create all page layouts in landscape or horizontal format • Font size 24 to 36 • Max 9 lines and 35 characters/line • Minimum line thickness: 2 pt.

18. Preparing Slides for Videoconferencing (A Guide to Vidoconferencing, The World Bank, 2002) • Keep diagrams simple • Video makes all print hard to see, so make slides twice as large as think • Medium blue to light green backgrounds work best • Limit use of animation

19. The Presentation (tale of “disco Jim”) • Avoid intense colors—they bleed on screen • Avoid bright green, orange, and busy patterns, striped clothes • Avoid all dark or all light clothing • Pastel colors look better than bright white • Blue and medium gray look good on camera

20. The Presentation • Image looks best from waste up • Be natural and maintain eye contact • Pause for delays in transmission • Do not move about too quickly • Avoid gum, rocking back and forth, chewing gum, dangling jewelry, overt hand gestures, tinted glass lenses

21. When using Document Camera (A Guide to Videoconferencing, The World Bank, 2002) • Convert all transparencies to paper copy with background • Avoid touch or moving items under document camera • Use a pen or other type of pointing device • Again, print in landscape format • Print in light card stock, if possible

22. When using Control Panel (A Guide to Videoconferencing, The World Bank, 2002) • Become familiar with basic functions prior to first session • Ask questions of videoconference producers or tech support if present • Consider temporary labels for camera presets • Consider training a student as a helper • Contact student at remote sites to help

23. Atmosphere and Interaction Tips(A Guide to Videoconferencing, The World Bank, 2002) • Break lesson into segments and build in interaction sequences • Delegate part of presentation to others • Remind to ask questions • Perhaps have discussion at start of next session to recap last topic

24. Individual Movement/Presentation 1. Human Graph: • Have students line up on a scale (e.g., 1 is low and 5 is high) on camera according to how they feel about something (e.g., topic, the book, class). • Debrief

25. Individual Movement/Presentation 1. Stand and Share: • Have students think about a topic or idea and stand when they have selected an answer or topic. • Call on students across sites and sit when speak. • Also, sit when you hear your answer or your ideas are all mentioned by someone else.

26. Individual Movement/Presentation 1. Present Presentation: • Assign a task for students to present on. • Have them create PowerPoint slides, bring videotapes or other media, and items for document camera. • Consider have peer and instructor evaluation forms for each group and/or individual.

27. Cross Site Conflict 2. Mock Trials with Occupational Roles • Create a scenario (e.g., school reform in the community) and hand out to students to read. • Ask for volunteers for different roles (everyone must have a role). • Perhaps consider having one key person on the pro and con side of the issue make a statement. • Discuss issues from within role (instructor is the hired moderator or one to make opening statement; he/she collects ideas on document camera or board). • Come to compromise.

28. Cross Site Conflict 2. Double Fishbowl • Assign groups via 1’s and 2’s. The 1’s are considered inside the fishbowl; 2’s are outside. • Give a topic to discuss. • Only 1’s are allowed to talk. • After 5-10 minutes 1’s find a 2’s at their site to talk to about the conversation. • Switch roles and only 2’s are allowed to talk. • All talk and come to compromise.

29. Fostering Idea Generation 3. Tell Tall Tales, Creative Writing • Start a topic of discussion perhaps with an interesting scenario or “just imagine” if this happened or an object obituary. • Pass on the story to a student to continue it at another location or have volunteers. • Continue with story. • Perhaps combine with a Stand and Share activity.

30. Paired Activities 4. Think-Pair-Share • Assign a topic for reflection or writing. • Have share their responses with someone next to them. • Ask to share with class. • Alternatively, ask students to volunteer something they heard from a peer.

31. Paired Activities 4. Cooperative Scripts • Assign a short reading passage and pairs of students. • Have one person summarize passage and the other listen and ask questions or add to it. • Share what learned with class (consider perhaps assigning a different passage to each group or to each individual).

32. Paired Activities 4. Three Step Interview • Assign pairs of students who interview each other. • Pairs introduce each other to another group. • Then they introduce members or another group to entire videoconference.

33. Small Group Activities 5. Phillips 66/Buzz Groups • Assign a topic at the start or end of class. • Assign students to groups of 6 students to discuss that topic for 6 minutes. • Summarize that discussion with videoconferencing class.

34. Small Group Activities 5. Roundrobin • Select a topic • Respond to it • Pass answer(s) to next person in group • Keep passing until everyone contributes or ideas are exhausted • Summarize and/or report or findings

35. Interactive Exams and Assessments 6. Bingo Quizzes • Have questions with answers that complete a Bingo card. Put course related questions or statements on a slip of paper with each #. • Pull numbers from a hat. • Read question and number and students have to put answer in that box if their Bingo card has it. • First one to think she has Bingo reads her card. If anything is incorrect, keep going.

36. Interactive Exams and Assessments 6. Pruning the Tree • Have a recently learned concept or answer in your head. • Students can only ask yes/no types of questions. • If guess and wrong they are out and can no longer guess. • The winner guesses correctly.

37. Cooperative Learning Activities 7. Numbered Heads Together • Assign a task and divide into groups (perhaps 4-6/group). • Perhaps assign group names across videoconferencing sites or perhaps some competition between them. • Count off from 1 to 4. • Discuss problem or issue assigned. • Instructor calls on groups & numbers.

38. Group Movement/Presentation 8. Three Stay, One Stray • Assign task. • Designate one person as a spy who from time-to-time travels about room and looks at solutions and answers of other groups. • Spy reports back to group. • Group reports to larger videoconferencing group.

39. Group Movement/Presentation 8. One Stay, Three Stray • Assign task. • Once completed, post results on wall in a poster session (e.g., showcase model, list of questions, final product, etc.). • One person stays behind to present product and others tour the room. • Report back to videoconferencing group.

40. Remote Site Involvement 9. Swami Questions • Have all sites send in questions during break time (fax or email them in). • At end of session go thru as many of them as you can in last 5-10 minutes.

41. Remote Site Involvement 9. Alternative Swami Questions • Tell them you are out of time today. • take questions home and come up with creative answers (put in sealed envelopes) • Next time start class dressed as a swami and put answers and answer questions before opening envelopes. • Come to session in costume and have some fun.

42. 10. Global Interaction and Mentoring(Carla Schutte, 1998) • Multiple locations work on a project or research • Learn customs of another country • Sharing or informal chats on writing or articles read • Show current events as they happen (cyberevents, NASA flights, etc.) • Plan events (conferences, work, lessons, workshops, interviews)

43. 10. Global Interaction and Mentoring(Carla Schutte, 1998) • Guest experts (e.g., scientists, politicians) for mtg or panel • Guest visitors (costumed as historical or literary figures) thru presentation & Q&A • Provide training in new software or techniques • Virtual field trips (e.g., zoos, hospitals, etc.) • Team teaching and learning • Student competitions across sites

44. So, how might you use it?