Tips for a Rich Environment in the videoconference classroom

Personal Distance
Image distance is an important consideration.  Just as people are comfortable with a certain distance between them when talking in person, students will find a comfortable distance from which to be captured on video camera.  If the camera is too close, students will be uncomfortable and conference time will be lost as everyone reacts to the discomfort.  If the camera shot is too wide, students at the far end will fail to “connect” with the speaker.  Except during solo presentations, it is advisable to include more than one person on camera to simulate group discussion and reduce discomfort.  The teacher or facilitator may choose to include the entire class in the picture at certain points in the activity, but must keep in mind that widening the camera shot for the full class picture will extend the distance between speakers and listeners. Posting student pictures and brief autobiographies on a shared page on the World Wide Web gives students a closer look at each other.  If web space is not available, a bulletin board in each classroom with the same information helps students to get to know one another. Exchanging seating charts can be helpful.

Great attention must be given to preserving sound quality.  Although visual content can be accessed in part and remain valuable, disruption of sound quickly causes a disconnection, often with a serious loss of content.  Equipment problems should be resolved quickly and attention must be given to controlling any noise or side discussion which interferes with communication between the linked classes.

To maintain a rich learning environment in which students are actively engaged with curiosity peaked, an emphasis on interaction is recommended:  presentations that encourage class participation; calling for questions and comment; short presentations or discussions which rotate among small groups; switching focus from one class to the other. The successful use of videoconferencing strategies can be tracked and developed with the Video conference Checklist.

Synchronous Support
Desktop videoconferencing, if available, allows students to get acquainted with each other visually as they work together on projects.  Small groups can gather around the computer to exchange ideas, ask and answer questions, and share resources.  If desktop videoconferencing is unavailable, some of the same can be accomplished as small or large groups meet through online chats, typing questions and answers to each other.  With either approach, it is important to plan the meeting in advance with clear objectives, specific questions, and identified resources to share.  A Focus Form helps students stay on task and accomplish stated goals for the conference.