VideoConferencing

=Welcome to the Video-Conferencing It’s Easy, Free and Powerful Wiki.=


 * Category: Getting Started**
 * Presentation Title:** “Video-Conferencing It’s Easy, Free and Powerful” (13:24) **__2 CATNIP HOURS__**
 * Webpage:** http://k12onlineconference.org/?p=279
 * Description:** Through this Quicktime video presentation attendees will learn how free video and audio-conferencing software can easily be utilized to both access and share learning opportunities with students globally. In addition attendees will acquire the knowledge and resources necessary to use this valuable educational tool.
 * Presenter:** Brian Crosby, Reno, Nevada, USA

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 * Essential Questions and Summary.** (Please follow this format.)

1.
 * Your name:** Deanna K. Wagner
 * Session Title:** Video-Conferencing It’s Easy, Free and Powerful
 * Essential Question 1:** List several ways video conferencing could enhance your language instruction (writing, oral language, reading).
 * Response:** I work with students who are nonverbal and use technology for communication. Through video conferencing, older and younger students can collaborate on writing projects. By using real-time communications and not just writing, they can get immediate feedback when a message is unclear. Some of the older students could be expert models, and some could actually learn from the younger students.
 * Essential Question 2:** List teachers/classrooms you could make connections with using video conferencing.
 * Response:** My older students are adults at a Day Program. They could conference with the self-contained multi-handicapped classrooms at Rose Lane and Meadows. They could also conference with the STEP program at Heights.
 * Essential Question 3:** What learning has your class done that you could have a conversation about? OR What learning could you collaborate on with another group?
 * Response:** We have begun to do some collaborative writing and class visits (between Rose Lane and the Adult Day Program). Now I look forward to extending these conversations to other classrooms and over Skype. We have talked about creating “About Me” books in all classrooms, to help build sense of self and others. Models from the adults have already been completed. We have also talked about choices and self-advocacy, and the adult group has written a symbol book that the younger students can comment on. Finally, we want to make some collaborative books about cooking and recipes that are appropriate for the blender and food processor (for students who have significant physical challenges).
 * Summary:** Video conferencing is a powerful tool to help learners who have significant communication impairments. It can broaden our audience and help provide meaningful and immediate feedback.

2. Session Title:**Video-Conferencing It’s Easy, Free and Powerful** Response: A variety of technology tools can enhance the classroom environment by motivating the students to learn. Using video conferencing, the classroom can turn into a field trip, viewing and sharing information around the world to different classrooms.
 * Your name**: **Rob Lazarus**
 * Essential Question 1**: List several ways video conferencing could enhance your language instruction (writing, oral language, reading).

Collaboration between projects can be common place. The example in the video in which students collaborated on a story is a great way for students to learn the technology skills. At the same time use their higher level thinking skills in analyzing and evaluating the works of other students that can be 2,500 miles away.

The video also emphasizes that the video software can also help in sharing an expert and then writing about the learning on a classroom blog that can be shared with others. Between classrooms, students can share their speaking skills and presentation skills among other classroom students. Students can give their feedback about presentations through the video conferencing.

The video conferencing is a great tool for inclusion of students who might not be able to be present in school. As students are reading a chapter book, the student can be present through the video conferencing software, being able to keep current with the class.

I know that the eighth grade teachers have spoke about such a collaboration. This would be great for many of the activities that we present. It can be a team teaching approach to eighth grade science with such activities as collaborating on a Newton's Law Picture book, or the step by step process of building and launching a rocket. I truly want to see if video conferencing can be done this year with several of my colleagues.
 * Essential Question 2**: List teachers/classrooms you could make connections with using video conferencing.
 * Response**:


 * Essential Question 3**: What local expert could you share with another group?
 * Response**:I have had the unique opportunity to be a partner with the AERO Institute that works directly with NASA regarding education programs. My unique job position, as the Lunar Meteorite Certification Specialist, allowed me to bring into classrooms, actual lunar (Moon) rock samples. Along with allowing the students to view the lunar samples, I gave a 60 minute presentation on the Apollo missions and the future Constellation project. There have been numerous teachers that wanted to have me visit their classrooms and give the presentations to the students. Students then wrote about what they learned based on the objectives given to them by their individual teachers. The video software would have allowed me to present to numerous classrooms at the same time.

Several years ago, I had another unique opportunity, to be a VIP guest aboard a nuclear attack submarine. Several months later, the Captain, Chief of the Boat, and several crew members visited the school and presented to many classrooms throughout the entire day. They visited the following year, as well. If the crew visits again, and they may, I would like to be able to video conference and share their presentations with the other schools in our district.

I will also like to work on video conferencing with the astronauts aboard the I.S.S. (International Space Station).


 * Summary: . There are real applications for the technology that enhances the learning experience of all students. Applications such as inclusion, sharing an expert, sharing experiences, and collaboration, allows the students of a high tech classroom to learn the skills needed for the 21st century, and be a part of a classroom experience that is social, full of activity based learning, and promotes higher level thinking.**

Your name: Keri Hargrave Session Title: Video-Conferencing It’s Easy, Free and Powerful
 * Essential Question 1: ** List several ways video conferencing could enhance your language instruction (writing, oral language, reading). 
 * Response: ** Video conferencing enhances learning in many different ways. First, it is a great way to practice fluency. Students can do reports or other speaking skills in front of the web cam, then they can watch themselves to learn what their strengths are, and what they need to work on. They can watch others model to learn how fluent speakers speak as well. Another way video conferencing enhances learning is through the ability to virtually be “on a field trip” or “at a guest speaker’s presentation.” Students can be in their own classrooms and watch a live trip/presentation and also participate in the experience. Through video conferencing, they have the capability to ask questions and listen to responses too. After this virtual class, the students can write about their experience and what they learned. This is much more engaging then just reading about a place or reading about a person from a book. 
 * Essential Question 2: ** List teachers/classrooms you could make connections with using video conferencing. 
 * Response: ** I would first like to use the video conferencing technology with the other 2nd grade team. This would be the “trial” part of the project. After we work out the bugs, I would like to video conference with another teacher, possibly Stacey Sietsema. Our two classes were different grade levels last year, and we had reading buddies, and it worked out great. Finally, I would like to have a class in Mexico that we could video conference with and select the same unit of study, so the students could share their ideas with one another. 
 * Essential Question 3: ** What learning has your class done that you could have a conversation about? OR What learning could you collaborate on with another group?
 * Response: ** I would love to collaborate with another group from another country (like Mexico). It would be great to do a research project or science experiment and communicate back and forth on our findings. In the end we could combine all of the students work and both teachers could put it together through a video.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Summary: ** Video conferencing is an incredible tool to engage students and give students technological opportunities. It’s helpful to increase fluency, provide virtual trips/speakers, and promote collaboration. There are endless opportunities, one just needs the software Skype and a web cam. After that, you can share your experiences with other classes in your school and also throughout the world.

4. Your name:Alec Fick Session Title: Video-Conferencing It’s Easy, Free and Powerful Essential Question 1: <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">List several ways video conferencing could enhance your language instruction (writing, oral language, reading). <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Response: One important way video conferencing can enhance language instruction is for the students to watch their own video presentations and see how they communicate verbally, allowing them to see their strengths and weaknesses. It will also build their confidence in speaking in front of others. Video conferencing also allows the students to take virtual field trips without ever leaving the classroom, and they can witness expert speakers give presentations from around the world. After the presentations, the students can then write about what they learned and sometimes can even communicate directly via the video conferencing to ask questions or make their own observations. Essential Question 2: <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">List teachers/classrooms you could make connections with using video conferencing. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> Response: Video conferencing opens the door to the entire world and making connections is only limited by your own creativity. Through online services such as Skype, teachers from across the street to across the country or even on the opposite side of the planet can connect via video conferencing. Essential Question 3: <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">What learning has your class done that you could have a conversation about? OR What learning could you collaborate on with another group? Response: Ever year in my Social Studies class, the students are asked to do a presentation on another country. I have seen some creative presentations using maps and photos. Video conference would add whole new dimension to my students presentations. They could seek out and interview students in their designated country, asking questions about every day life and share ideas on the differences and similarities their country has with ours. Summary: Video conferencing can be a powerful tool to expose my students to information that they would others not have the opportunity to experience. It is like taking a field trip without having to leave the comfort of your classroom. The idea of showing guest speakers on specific topics would also give me another tool to keep the students interested in learning. I feel, though, that the biggest benefit to video conferencing is the fact that it teaches confidence in speaking publicly and can help improve my students verbal skills as well has fostering cooperative behavior. I look forward to implementing video conferencing in my classroom.

5. Another way that video conferencing could enhance language instruction in our classrooms is by having the students explain projects via video conferencing to students in school across the country. By engaging students in conferencing in order to present their projects and asking for feedback from the other children will allow students to understand the importance of good public speaking and presenting. Since presenting is a skill that will be used throughout at child’s educational career this would be a great way for them to practice and develop their public speaking skills.
 * Your name:** Erin Campbell
 * Session Title:** Video-Conferencing It’s Easy, Free and Powerful
 * Essential Question 1:** List several ways video conferencing could enhance your language instruction (writing, oral language, reading).
 * Response:** The idea shared in the video of collaborating on a story or work piece between different schools would be a great way to engage students in the writing process. They would be able to brainstorm, draft, edit and even publish using video conferencing and by emailing their work back and forth between each other.
 * Essential Question 2:** List teachers/classrooms you could make connections with using video conferencing.
 * Response:** If there were teachers in the district who are teaching primary, such as myself, my students could video conference to work on short stories. The students would be able to talk to each other, collaborate, and create small stories with each other. I could also research on the web and look for other schools who would like to video conference with students in Arizona.
 * Essential Question 3:** What learning has your class done that you could have a conversation about? OR What learning could you collaborate on with another group?
 * Response: ** We have done a lot of community building at this point in the year. Students could video conference to get to know each other by sharing personal projects. Students could also collaborate to make a book of rules and expectations at different schools. This would allow them to see how similar/different rules and expectations might be. In the future we will be studying about seasons. I think it would be great if we could video conference with a school that had a more drastic change in climate. It would be good for students to see and hear what seasons are like in different places in the country. Another way students could collaborate is to have them prepare a presentation that covers a state standard. They could then present to another class through video conferencing and they other class could write about what they have learned. This would help enhance students’ abilities to present, use critical thinking and also improve their writing skills.
 * Summary: ** Video conferencing can be an effective tool to broaden students’ minds by giving them experiences that they might not be able to have otherwise. It allows students to work together by using technology, become familiar with the process of video conferencing and increase their language and technology skills at the same time. There are real life applications that video conferencing can be used for in the classroom. It seems that once you get it up and running it will open many doors that will allow technology to enhance your students’ learning.

6.
 * Your name: ** Michelle Hebert
 * Session Title: ** Video-Conferencing It’s Easy, Free and Powerful
 * Essential Question 1: ** List several ways video conferencing could enhance your language instruction (writing, oral language, reading).
 * Response: **
 * Video conferencing can be a valuable tool in the classroom for language arts instruction. Through the possibilities of audio and video conferencing with other classrooms, students can learn and apply basic skills on listening, reading and writing. Through this technology medium they can learn to correspond, journal, listen, question and report on a classroom across the nation or even country. Another idea to use video conferencing would be to have classrooms create a project as a whole then conference with other classroom to present it. Students can take turns and the process to prepare for the presentation would lend itself to many engaging lessons, **
 * Essential Question 2: ** List teachers/classrooms you could make connections with using video conferencing.
 * Response: **** The possibility of collaboration with peers is very powerful. I have several teacher friends across the nation that I would love to collaborate with more regarding instructional ideas; but due to the limitations of time and distance, it does not happen. Through a short video conference we can quickly share ideas and even show student examples. **
 * Essential Question 3: ** What learning has your class done that you could have a conversation about? OR What learning could you collaborate on with another group?
 * Response: **** This year my student will to a state project. Student have already begun talking about which state they want because of their personal connections to the state. Through skpe, students would be able to do a question answer session with someone from the state the student is presenting on. **
 * Summary: **** Video conferencing opens up many new possibilities for instruction in the classroom. It allows the children to see and process information from other resources and using technology they experience the benefits first hand. As a professional, it opens up many opportunities for collaboration. Teachers from across the nation can collaborate and skpe allows it to be more like a person to person experience. As technology become more prevalent in classrooms, many more opportunities to use video conferencing will be available. Even today, I can see many exciting applications for partnering this with instruction to open up a whole new dimension in the classroom. **

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