It is reported that around 80% of the people associated with the education sector believe that web conferencing has significantly helped schools globally in achieving their goals of academics, according to Online Teaching and Learning Resource Guide. This sudden rise has proven how efficient and effective this tool and method is in the education sector. Web conferencing is an interactive method of implementation especially in the online classrooms. It has several benefits to offer to the students.
There are several innovative software related to web conferencing that have yielded magnificent benefits, not just for the students but also to the teachers. These interactive and synchronous tools add the factor of accessibility. Accessing lessons from anywhere in the world has become easier than before. The concept of active learning has experienced a humongous rise due to the introduction of this method. Active learning has been witnessed by the teachers as well as the students due to the introduction of various visualization and feedback methods.
Improving Teacher Student Interaction
Interaction between the student and the teacher has enhanced to a phenomenal degree, according to Faculty Focus. It has been observed that learning through interactive web conferencing has added substance and variety to the learning methods.
This method triggers the sensory and auditory senses of the student or the learner and result in better understanding the content it has to offer to its students. These sessions can also be recorded. This way, a student studying in a classroom does not have to worry about accessing it later. Various companies like Blue Jeans offer phenomenal services that can be used to carry out this method in the classrooms easily.
Web Conferencing in the Classroom
Incorporating web conferencing in the classrooms is a task that requires an extensive understanding of the entire process, tools involved and a support system that can troubleshoot anytime in case of a glitch or malfunctioning. In order to carry out this effective learning method in the class room one has to go through the following phases.
1. Pre-Setup Phase
Setting up the software, and required hardware is the first initiative to take to set up web conferencing in the class rooms. Web conferencing is believed to offer the facility of distant learning in the most effective fashion. This indicates that different companies like Blue Jeans offering a similar tool is known to be an effective, easier, and pretty quick to set up. The installation differs based on the medium it is used for. It can be locally installed, or shared hosted service can be used, or even hybrid installation can be done.
2. Management of Classroom
Class room management mainly deals with understanding the software and its related services. This process generally deals with understanding and familiarization of the user interface of web conferencing. Web conferencing has helped the educators a great deal to carry out their goals of academics. Sharing information with students through web conferencing software and speaking with students, and not taking up valuable office time, allows educators to get more done.
3. Technical Support
An aspect that needs to be paid heed is the vendor you are purchasing the tool from. Technical support staff and troubleshooting mechanism of web conferencing companies have proven very effective. Familiarization of the software and hardware can allow you to handle minor problems without any help. When you do need help, you can tap on the professionals to help you with manipulating software and hardware, so you get the help you need.
The implementation of web conferencing in the class rooms serves a real purpose. Virtual office hours are set up for the students in which they can pursue the teachers and instructors online to resolve the queries they put up. Distant learning has been made a lot easier due to this incredible tool, since now, people can actually pursue their studies from distant schools and colleges without the need of having to be physically present there.
Collaboration and interaction between the students is also an incredible facility which is provided by the web conferencing. The interaction between students and teachers result in better understanding of the subject and learning is greatly affected due to this process of interaction. Interaction between the students results in merging of several perspectives which have been understood by the students. This gives a chance for everyone to improve on their part and to get to know different ways of understanding a certain subject. This tool helps in the provision of non-linear learning in an environment that is linear in nature.
This method results in promoting critical thinking skills of the students as well as the teachers. Problem solving skills are also enhanced through this tool. This teaching technique is widely known to be interactive and dynamic in nature that stimulates active learning among the students and give them a chance to explore beyond the horizon.
Multiple Benefits
The easy to use interactive interface makes the usage pretty easy and familiar for the instructors and the students. This real-time collaborative environment is designed in a fashion that it can efficiently carry out discussions, lectures, and webinars. This tool has benefited the students across the globe by providing them with education at their doorstep. This environment is cost effective in nature and helps the educators to educate at their ease. Students on a global scale have observed a massive difference in the academic learning due to the introduction and accessibility of this service. Active learning is the biggest benefit that it serves presently.
Students who may not traditionally have the ability to attend certain schools or academic programs appreciate the ability to attend more schools. Colleges can expand their student body without having to build any new facilities. The result is an increase in the ability to educate, while keeping prices low. More students are getting a quality education without ever having to leave the house. Tests are taken virtually and homework can be submitted directly through web conferencing software. While this has not been implemented at every school, more academic institutions at every level of education are including this powerful and important addition to the curriculum.