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How
Should the Classroom Be Set Up for Instructional Success?
There are many options for classroom set
up and the set-up is dependent on the type of equipment available.
The videoconferencing session that is planned helps to determine the kind
of space needed for set-up.
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Videoconferencing rooms
are designed to maximize the ease of use and generally contain a
full range of equipment to facilitate communication. These rooms
are used for full semester classes and larger numbers of
people.
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Mobile units maximize
the experience in a small unit that can be pushed from room to
room. The mobile units are used for occasional videoconferencing
options and the size of the unit does limit the
experience.
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Desktop units are
designed for individual use. The units are as simple as a
camera, microphone, speaker, and connection software.
The classroom set up
responsibilities change with mobile equipment and permanent
videoconferencing rooms. While the permanent classroom is always set
up and ready to use, the mobile unit requires some technical help in
set-up when moved from room to room. Connections need to be made to
the network and testing of the equipment is always required.
The hardware pages give details
for the equipment necessary to equip a classroom for videoconferencing and
also mobile unit equipment.
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Permanent Videoconferencing Rooms 
In a permanent videoconferencing
classroom, equipment is set up and ready any time a videoconference is
schedule to take place. This convenience makes using
videoconferencing in the instructional plan an easy to implement
scenario. Permanent classrooms may
have the following equipment:
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A teacher station
houses the computer and controls.
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Two cameras are mounted on the walls, one pointing
toward the instructor and the other toward the audience. These
pictures are available on the monitors as directed by the person
running the software so that the teacher and students can see the
their own projected pictures. This is valuable because it is
important to know what picture is being sent to the far end site.
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A document camera
may be attached to the teaching station and allows for close up
view of documents, artifacts, etc.
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Peripheral
equipment such as a VCR or DVD player may be attached to the
equipment and used to project video.
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Monitors are
available in the back of the room. One monitor shows the far
end site, and the other shows the picture that is being
sent.
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A projector
mounted from the ceiling shows the videoconference screen on a screen
or Smart Board in the front of the room.
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Sound is transmitted through microphones on each table
or through lapel microphones
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Sound is received through
speakers mounted on the walls.
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Sample
Small Classroom
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Sample
Large Classroom
The instructional set-up
for videoconferencing fall into these main categories:
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Long-term classes -
semester or year long
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Short-term project
collaboration between classrooms
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Individual or small
group conferencing that is tied to a topic or particular issue
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Access to experts
tied to a content area
In all scenarios it is
important to form a team relationship between the videoconferencing
partners. Each of the team members should expect to take specific roles
during the videoconferencing sessions, and those roles and
responsibilities are best planned well before the actual conference.
Examples of team member responsibilities might include:
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Lead Instructor:
This role takes the main responsibility for setting up and managing
the videoconferencing session. This lead role is also responsible
for course development and delivery. The lead teacher should do
the following tasks, or assign other team members to take the
responsibilities:
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Initiate contact with
videoconferencing partners to set up conference and establish a timeline
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Coordinate the
videoconference set-up with technical staff
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Plan lessons with
partners
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Take a lead role in
instruction
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Call the role of
participating sites
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Communicate
expectations concerning conference etiquette
and procedures
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Facilitate the
movement through the videoconference timeline
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Promote and
encourage student interaction
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Design and/or
produce classroom materials with the team and provide a list
of materials before the videoconference
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Make decisions about
lesson modification and adjustments
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Facilitate
communication between team members
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Teaching Partner This
role is very important in the collaboration during a
videoconference. The teaching partner works with the lead teacher to
develop the full videoconference plan. This includes involvement in
lessons, materials, timeline, etc. The role is flexible in that the responsibilities
are tailored to the needs of the project. In some projects the role
may be of an equal partner and in others it may be solely as a receiving
partner and moderator at the far end site.
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Coordinate with the lead
teacher
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Coordinate the
videoconference set-up with technical staff at the far end site
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Assume teaching role and responsibilities
at far end site as previously agreed in planning sessions
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Set tone at the far
end site
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Act as the
spokesperson and manage the videoconference at the far end site
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Follow the schedule
and keep the far end site on track
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Communicate any
technical/instructional problems with the lead teacher
What are the Classroom Management Issues with Videoconferencing?
There are many components to
the classroom management issues in a regular classroom.
Videoconferencing plans include those management issues in design of
sessions and adds additional management issues because of the new and
unfamiliar environment, the collaboration with others at a distance, the
management of technology equipment, and the newness of the
situation. Management issues can be mitigated by using these
strategies:
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Preparation and
delivery - allow more prep and delivery time, have materials
ready, follow a schedule, and be flexible
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Development of videoconferencing
plans with the collaborating team
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Working
with student behaviors to have active roles in the
videoconference session
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Working with technical
support to mitigate technology problems
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Make sure that the classroom
is set-up to work for videoconferencing
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Communication -
display a clock to follow the timeline,
display an image to identify each site, designate a spokesperson for
each site, and plan ways to communicate offline between teaching
partners and students (e-mail, chat, etc.)
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Follow-up - make
contact with teaching partners after the session to discuss the
videoconferencing issues and solutions for the next encounter.
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Quick Links:
Videoconferencing Guides:
Site Links:
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