Sustaining Use of VC

This post is part of a series of posts with some of the results from a survey of my top VC-using teachers. Read more about it in the first post of this series. Remember, they are using videoconferencing to support curriculum instruction (not full length courses).

The question featured in this post is the following:

Please identify and describe a key experience that helps sustain your use of videoconferencing.

This is a qualitative representation of the data using Wordle. Click the graphic for a larger version.

Sustaining Teacher Use of VC

This Wordle is a great confirmation of Owston’s (2007) model on the sustainability of an innovation. He suggests that an essential condition (among others) for sustainability is that the students must support the innovation. Clearly these teachers see the value of videoconferencing to their students. Here are a few full quotes:

A key experience that motivates me to continue using videoconferencing is the fact that my students are able to communicate with other classrooms, authors, and educators around the world. –Wendy Zahrn, 4th grade, Sylvester Elementary, Berrien Springs

Connecting kids to experiences outside of our community without leaving the school! -Tami Miller, 2nd grade, Eagle Lake Elementary, Edwardsburg

The comments the students were making and the level of understanding they had was amazing. -Lacy Payne, 6th grade, F.C. Reed Middle School, Bridgman

The students enthusiasm! They love to VC. -Karen Ennesser, 7th grade science, Dowagiac Middle School, Dowagiac

These are interactive field trips that we don’t even have to leave the building for. Students walk away with new knowledge and experiences. -Dori Hughes, 2nd grade, Eagle Lake Elementary, Edwardsburg

When I see the students interact, with great interest, listening to the speaker or other classroom, I’m delighted to see their involvement. -Peggy Clore, 5-7th language arts, Coloma Middle School, Coloma

I LOVE videoconferencing! It gives my kids exposure to things we couldn’t otherwise do. It gives them practice in presenting & performing skills and is just so much fun! -Heidi Clark, 1st grade teacher, Three Oaks Elementary, River Valley

So, how would you answer this question? What keeps you going in sustaining the use of videoconferencing in your classroom or school? Please comment….

Reference: Owston, R. (2007). Contextual factors that sustain innovative pedagogical practice using technology: an international study. Journal of Educational Change, 8(1), 61-77. doi:10.1007/s10833-006-9006-6

78 replies on “Sustaining Use of VC”

  1. Knowing that my students – who are all different in their studying habits – will be able to participate in classwork activities.

    • VC is comfortable and still puts you face to face with who you are engaged in to learn and create different study environment.

      • I agree with the comment. Being able to give students experiences different from what they are use to with out leaving the school is a great tool for any teacher.

        • I agree. A real application in math would provide students with a new experience different from the drill and kill.

      • I agree, this definitely allows students to make connections to people and places all around the world that they may not have been able to do before.

  2. Well I do not have any such key experiences because I do not employ sustained use of VC in my classroom; but I think the first time I noticed a student has gained a deep and masterful understanding of any concept as a result of a VC, it would be worth it to me.

  3. Knowing that education looks different than it did when I was a student, I am pushed to introduce a variety of ways that students can learn.

  4. I do not currently use this in my classroom but I’m interested in getting more involved with trying it out.

  5. I am looking forward to using it. I know that this well help keep my students engaged in our learning.

  6. I am a first year teacher, so I have yet to use this sort of technology in my classroom. But this is definitely something that I plan on using in the future and I am super excited about that!

  7. I am looking forward to using video conferencing to have interactive field trips or speaking with people whose concentrations are specific types of literature or authors that we are studying at the time and can give greater insight than I can on my own.

  8. I feel extremely excited to be able to use video conferencing in the future as a tool to establish art tours and being able to have that interaction.

    • Gina Willmon says: Video conferencing will definitely broaden students horizons without leaving the classroom.

  9. Knowing that education can look differently, and this allows all different types of learners to be engaged. I have no personal experience, but can see the benefits.

  10. Video conferencing is a way for my students to interact with their peers and students from other schools/campuses.

  11. Video conferencing allows students to actively engage in their own learning as they gain new knowledge about a specific topic.

  12. What keeps me going in sustaining the use of videoconferencing is knowing I am facilitating and scaffolding our students to reach their goals. I am able to use a new and innovative teaching tool.

  13. Education is so different nowadays and changing daily – with this type of experience I can only consider a great tool to implement.

  14. I can not identify or describe a key experience that helps sustain my use of videoconferencing because I did not think of this possibility before this course. Now that I am aware of videoconferencing in the classroom, I am excited to think of the many different ways that my scholars will be able to learn from being apart of it.

  15. I have used IVC in my classroom experience but I find a lesson in which it could be helpful.

  16. Since I have yet to use this tech I suppose I would continue to use it if it proved to capture my student’s imagination.

  17. Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to use this in my classroom but I would love it because it would allow the students to be exposed to a new way of learning.

  18. I enjoy using VC, but sometimes forget to incorporate it into everyday learning. I need to remember that it is a wonderful tool.

  19. Wanda Poindexter
    January 6, 2017 2:38 pm
    I am a dyslexia therapist and have to stay with the program. I can use it with our comprehension part of the lesson.

  20. I have never heard of this unique tool until this course, but it seems like a very useful thing to use in the classroom. It can give the students a chance to explore different worlds and learn new things that a lot of schools cant do. It can keep the students engaged in the lesson and let them have role models to look up too for different career possibilities.

  21. I am constantly trying to find ways that will keep my students engaged in the concept we are learning. It takes my students out of the classroom without leaving the classroom.

  22. I haven’t used it in my classroom this year being my first year to teach. Hopefully, I will have opportunity to use the virtual field trips in the future.

  23. I haven’t used IVC in my classroom, but I think the benefit for the students will encourage me to attempt to use it in the upcoming year!

  24. I haven’t used this in my classroom but it would be so cool to provide these experience to students from the comfort of their seat.

  25. Bringing real life into the classroom that students may not be able to connect with outside of the classroom.

  26. Scheduling a speaker for the entire day is something that seems difficult for me to conceptualize. My classes go from 8:25am – 3pm and are 46 minutes in length. We also have three teachers in 6th grade Social Studies, so I would have to either group all students or have multiple speakers for separate classes. I know it’s possible, but the logistics keep me from attempting in class.

    • Madison, this is a really good point. It’s definitely more difficult for middle school and high school to do these kinds of events because of the challenge of having the same experience for each section. Some creative solutions I’ve seen is rearranging the schedule for one major event for everyone to participate each year. When I was coordinating MysteryQuest, I had several schools who each year would have all of their sections participate. Another option, for an event with NASA or a special speaker, is to have all the sections meet at the same time for the event. Still, I fully get it that it’s challenging!

  27. I definitely plan to use VC in the near future as I try to advance my teaching strategies to the next level.

  28. I have yet to use VC in the classroom but believe it would be a great tool that would help keep the students engaged in learning.

  29. This would give the students a chance to see things they may never get a chance to. I teach Pre-K in a low income setting. This allows for a chance to expand on the children’s experiences with cost to families or schools.

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