Student Perspectives on Videoconferencing in Teacher Education at a Distance presented by Lynn Senette EDAE 637 Source: Gilles, D. (2008). Student perspectives on videoconferencing in teacher education at a distance. Distance Education , 29(1) 107-118.

Problem “ Growing their own” Scottish Context: How to supply Gaelic-medium teacher training while remaining close to suitable schools and other Gaelic speaking teachers who carry out placement visits and classroom assessments Purpose To examine pedagogical and social issues related to videoconferencing from students’ perspectives Part of an action research project to increase practice and quality of the course “ The medium is part of the message”

“ Growing their own”

Scottish Context: How to supply Gaelic-medium teacher training while remaining close to suitable schools and other Gaelic speaking teachers who carry out placement visits and classroom assessments

Purpose

To examine pedagogical and social issues related to videoconferencing from students’ perspectives

Part of an action research project to increase practice and quality of the course

“ The medium is part of the message”

Research Questions What do students think of teacher approaches (pedagogy) and student engagement? How can they best be approached by the v/c format?

What do students think of teacher approaches (pedagogy) and student engagement?

How can they best be approached by the v/c format?

Literature Review Teaching Issues Tech experience of tutor and awareness of importance of interaction needed to perform role Constructivist approach Social interaction vs cognitive interaction Student Engagement Multi-sites decreased interaction -camera issues - off task—online shopping On- site tutor increased interaction

Teaching Issues

Tech experience of tutor and awareness of importance of interaction needed to perform role

Constructivist approach

Social interaction vs cognitive interaction

Student Engagement

Multi-sites decreased interaction

-camera issues

- off task—online shopping

On- site tutor increased interaction

Literature review con’t. Benefits Access decreased geographic isolation no longer campus based model remote access to expert input/opinion Cost cost effective way to address mandate for equal access Interaction real time immediate, collaborative shared presence, camaraderie increased cultural awareness Challenges Flexibility -tech issues/fall back alternative? -less student autonomy--must be present at site Pedagogical -invites delivery of lectures in an inferior way -requires teacher training

Benefits

Access

decreased geographic isolation

no longer campus based model

remote access to expert input/opinion

Cost

cost effective way to address mandate for equal access

Interaction

real time immediate, collaborative

shared presence, camaraderie

increased cultural awareness

Challenges

Flexibility

-tech issues/fall back alternative?

-less student autonomy--must be present at site

Pedagogical

-invites delivery of lectures in an inferior way

-requires teacher training

Key Terms Videoconference: interactive audio/visual communication among 3 or more people at 2 or more sites using teleconferencing technologies and full bandwidth Engagement : willingness to participate and be successful in course Tutor : teacher/professor Action Research : reflective process of problem solving done in by individuals in teams or communities Social presence/interaction : a person’s perceived intimacy, immediacy, and role in a relationship. Feeling “real” in a mediated environment Pedagogy : principles and method of instruction Hermeneutics : qualitative approach focusing on lived experience of individuals and how they interpret those experiences Grounded Theory : research approach that aims to develop theories grounded in real world observations

Videoconference: interactive audio/visual communication among 3 or more people at 2 or more sites using teleconferencing technologies and full bandwidth

Engagement : willingness to participate and be successful in course

Tutor : teacher/professor

Action Research : reflective process of problem solving done in by individuals in teams or communities

Social presence/interaction : a person’s perceived intimacy, immediacy, and role in a relationship. Feeling “real” in a mediated environment

Pedagogy : principles and method of instruction

Hermeneutics : qualitative approach focusing on lived experience of individuals and how they interpret those experiences

Grounded Theory : research approach that aims to develop theories grounded in real world observations

Methods Qualitative approach Sample: students having completed one-year graduate course in initial teacher ed. N = 27 (14 @ site #1, 7 @ site #2, and 6 at site #3) Instrument : reply paid, open-ended questionnaire with two parts: Part one (5 questions) queried students general experiences with distance ed. Part two (10 questions) delved into their experiences with v/c and perceptions of its strengths and weaknesses Response rate 15/27 Analysis : Hermeneutic spiral drawn from grounded theory

Qualitative approach

Sample: students having completed one-year graduate course in initial teacher ed.

N = 27 (14 @ site #1, 7 @ site #2, and 6 at site #3)

Instrument : reply paid, open-ended questionnaire with two parts:

Part one (5 questions) queried students general experiences with distance ed.

Part two (10 questions) delved into their experiences with v/c and perceptions of its strengths and weaknesses

Response rate 15/27

Analysis : Hermeneutic spiral drawn from grounded theory

Findings Access Positives of DE local community ease of travel less disruption to life contact with future colleagues supportive group atmosphere Disadvantages DE ↓ access to teacher ↓ access to library/bookstore ↓ time spent on certain elements of course “ not a real student” IT issues Perceptions of V/C format Strengths Dependent on teacher’s expertise live and immediate local group interaction Weaknesses time delays background noise (mics not muted)

Access

Positives of DE

local community

ease of travel

less disruption to life

contact with future colleagues

supportive group atmosphere

Disadvantages DE

↓ access to teacher

↓ access to library/bookstore

↓ time spent on certain

elements of course

“ not a real student”

IT issues

Perceptions of V/C format

Strengths

Dependent on teacher’s expertise

live and immediate

local group interaction

Weaknesses

time delays

background noise (mics not muted)

Findings con’t. Pedagogy Presence of teacher Group work Students protective of time Early access to course materials Preconference tasks Video streaming lectures Student Engagement Active participation ↑ Relevance of topic ↑ Prior tasks ↑ IT issues ↓ Lack of teacher expertise with v/c ↓ Doing tasks during v/c ↓ Social Presence Group cohesion on-site vs between -sites Presence of teacher Off air-time

Pedagogy

Presence of teacher

Group work

Students protective of time

Early access to course materials

Preconference tasks

Video streaming lectures

Student Engagement

Active participation ↑

Relevance of topic ↑

Prior tasks ↑

IT issues ↓

Lack of teacher expertise with v/c ↓

Doing tasks during v/c ↓

Social Presence

Group cohesion on-site vs between -sites

Presence of teacher

Off air-time

Analysis and Conclusion Analysis Lit. Review—summarized current knowledge Framework—clearly linked to purpose Sample– purposive (inferred), included mortality rate Research Questions—l ess than clearly stated Design—appropriate approach Measurement—interview questions reflected research questions, unbiased Findings—appropriate to purpose of study Conclusion Confirms issues r/t videoconferencing found in previous studies with new insights regarding: interaction tutor contact facilitates “growing your own” approach Implications to Practice

Analysis

Lit. Review—summarized current knowledge

Framework—clearly linked to purpose

Sample– purposive (inferred), included mortality rate

Research Questions—l ess than clearly stated

Design—appropriate approach

Measurement—interview questions reflected research questions, unbiased

Findings—appropriate to purpose of study

Conclusion

Confirms issues r/t videoconferencing found in previous studies with new insights regarding:

interaction

tutor contact

facilitates “growing your own” approach

Implications to Practice