2012 CITRENZ/gxLearning/Observations

Video Conferencing

 * Advantage of having the technology formally approved and set up
 * Large screens were available, good cameras and microphones, and a dedicated connection meant that there were no network speed or availability issues.
 * The technology was easy to learn.
 * Set up at the start of a class was easy – you simply had to turn it on and “call” the other classroom.
 * Able to control the remote setup - camera, microphone and screen, from the main campus.
 * Both the lecturer on the main campus and the tutor at the remote campus felt that it was an advantage that the students had to physically attend the class.


 * Small technological issues caused the most day-to-day issues.
 * Not having a camera on the whiteboard in all of the classrooms, overcome by:
 * updating slides on the fly
 * putting a sticky note on the screen
 * in one desperate case drawing on paper and holding it up to the screen!
 * Hearing student’s comments. (Microphones were installed in the ceiling)
 * The lights in the classrooms are on motion sensors, so turn off every 10 minutes!


 * Social issues Lecturers who did not meet their students physically at the start of the class noted that it took a long time to get to know the individual students and form a connection with them.
 * Tutors at the remote campus became a crucial part of the course, as they formed this bond with the students and could provide individualized support.

Webinar

 * Enabled a remote student to be enrolled in the class and be part of the actual class.
 * Students were able to participate where:
 * they were ill, or more often a family member;
 * where parents had to look after children
 * Where they were at work with limited time to drive to the class
 * where the class was of an hour duration and students had significant transport time (and cost) to come to class
 * one case where a student was looking after a sick relative in the hospital and was able to join the class from the hospital cafeteria.


 * In reverse, able to teach from a remote campus and had a guest lecturer in the class on the main campus


 * Able to record the sessions.
 * Connection speeds were of concern.
 * Issues with was capturing the student comments from the class.� “very difficult to hear the people in the physical classroom”.
 * Reluctance for many students to remotely participate with a microphone, preferred text chat
 * Need to provide visual clues :Electronic Smart Board/Zoom-it.