This document discusses instructional strategies for teaching via videoconferencing. It emphasizes establishing rules for constructive dialogue between students and teachers. It also stresses the teacher's role as a facilitator who asks open-ended questions and does not rely on explicit instruction. Transactional distance theory holds that psychological and communication gaps can occur between remote students and teachers; effective strategies help bridge these gaps and create an equitable learning environment.

1. Teaching via Videoconferencing:
Instructional Strategies
Berks County IU, August 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011

2. supporting inter@ctive learning
theory of transactional distance
psychological, geographic
& communications space
transactional distance
“... with separation there is a psychological and communications space to be crossed, a space of
potential misunderstanding between the inputs of instructor and those of the learner.”
when designing lessons for distance teaching, consider
structure of lessons and dialogue.
Monday, August 8, 2011

3. supporting inter@ctive learning
create a constructive learning environment
1
Establish rules for dialogue & exchange.
Dialogue is purposeful, constructive and valued by each party.
Each party is respectful and an active listener.
2
Successful distance educators are facilitators.
Research overwhelmingly suggests that distance educators should
adopt ‘bottom up’ pedagogy.
3
Integrating CMC and social networking technologies
facilitate collaboration, cooperation & meet the needs
of learners who “lurk.”
By providing learners with time to reflect and respond to course material in a virtual
forum that is meaningful to them, feelings of community are nurtured, self-efficacy
is enhanced, and a safe learning environment is created.
Monday, August 8, 2011

4. supporting inter@ctive learning
create a constructive learning environment
4
Think out loud. Together. About thinking.
Using digital media technology, Goldman found that when learners and teachers used
technology to “think about their thinking” (p. 164) as a learning community, the culture of
the classroom transformed into a more equitable space for “gender, race, cultural, and
age differences” (p. 164)
Q: What will you do to
create a constructive
learning environment in
your classes?
image: http://www.ezdtech.eu/
Monday, August 8, 2011

5. supporting inter@ctive learning
it’s all about the dialog...(ic) instruction
Ask ‘open ended’ questions
Refrain from evaluating
teacher as
Don’t rely on explicit strategy instruction or
facilitator
other forms of directive guidance
Uptake. Uptake. Uptake.
Shared Evaluation Pedagogy
Getting Real in Virtual Talk about Text
Monday, August 8, 2011

6. supporting inter@ctive learning
it’s not about the ‘right’ answer...
meaning
construction
the cow is blue.
image credit: the red cow image credit
Monday, August 8, 2011

7. supporting inter@ctive learning
building cross-site dialogue
facilitator interaction facilitative interaction
Monday, August 8, 2011

8. supporting inter@ctive learning
lights, camera -- you’re on camera
Good manners are good manners.
Talk to the camera, not the screen.
Put notes next to camera, not in your hand.
Use a strong, clear voice.
The microphone is ALWAYS on.
Avoid pacing or swaying.
Use camera presets.
Monday, August 8, 2011

9. creating camera ready lessons
virtual worlds group activities streaming media
digital tools presentation + video
Monday, August 8, 2011

10. creating camera ready print materials
Photos from Vcoutonalim, thestar.com and Bridgeport Public Schools
Monday, August 8, 2011

11. creating camera ready power points
• Size 20 font or larger
• Use stark contrasting
backgrounds and fonts
• Avoid text heavy, paragraph
slides
• If you’re showing slides as H.239,
do NOT embed video
• Lots of transitions? Are they
needed?
Monday, August 8, 2011

12. supporting inter@ctive learning
networked interactive whiteboards
students @
location b teacher @
location a
Video from Ligbron E-Learning Project
Monday, August 8, 2011

13. supporting inter@ctive learning
activities to consider...
1. Team projects or assignments
Field trips/site visit reports
involving students across multiple
sites (e.g., portfolios, visual essays, Discussions and debates
annotated bibliographies, and note- Role-playing and skits
sharing). Wikis
Collaborative spaces (e.g., Second Life)
2. Research and reporting/presentation
projects or assignments that Experiments and investigations
capitalize on the different local Individual and group presentations
experiences of students at different Q&A periods
sites (e.g., field trip or site visit
Brainstorming
reports, local case studies of shared
topics, etc.). Sketchbooks and art activities
Group problem-solving
3. Group discussions orchestrated to Story boards, organizational charts
involve students from across multiple
Creating Outlines
sites (e.g., skits, debates, role-
playing, and problem-solving). Writing assignments and journaling
NYU Best Practices for Videoconferencing
Monday, August 8, 2011

14. works cited
Goldman, R. (2004). Video perceptivity meets wild and crazy teens: design ethnography. Cambridge Journal of Education, 34, 157-178.
Retrieved May 5, 2008, from Wilson Web database.
Moore, M. G. (1993). Theory of transactional distance. In D. Keegan (Ed.) Theoretical Principles of Distance Education. New York: Routledge
NYU Best Practices for Videoconferencing. Online. http://www.nyu.edu/its/videoconferencing/practices/
Williamson, L., Miller, G. & Stokes PhD, D. (2009). Best Practices for Teaching via Interactive Video Conferencing Technology: A Review of the
Literature. In I. Gibson et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2009 (pp.
3028-3034). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
Monday, August 8, 2011

15. Heather Weisse Walsh
MAGPI Manager of Educational Services
hweisse@magpi.net
215-573-6417
twitter: magpik20 or hlw2
skype: hweisse
facebook: www.facebook.com/magpik20
blog: http://k20interactions.blogspot.com
http://www.magpi.net
Monday, August 8, 2011