Title: Videoconferencing resources
Course: AMORES initial learning materials for teachers on interactive ICT tools in teaching national and European literature > Section: Week 5: Videoconferencing

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Videoconferencing how-to

Here you will find some resources that will help you take part in a successful videoconference. We're very fortunate in that at least one of the teachers in AMORES has extensive experience in organizing and participating in videoconferences (VC's). Suzana Delić has kindly allowed us to share excerpts from a couple of the many presentations she has given on the subject - thank you, Suzana!! :-)

Suzana explains why videoconferencing might be used in education, what kind of equipment you need, and the importance of preparation - with specific examples of what preparation entails for both teachers and students. There are also some examples of videoconferences she and her students have taken part in over the past few years.

Here is her guide to videoconferences in schools.

Setting up the equipment

Here is a short video on how you might set up the (class)room for a videoconference. It includes practical tips such as how to position the camera, and points out things you might want to check before starting (lighting, time zones, etc.), as well as what to watch out for during the conference itself.

It is geared towards businesspeople, but we think you will find that most of the tips are applicable to all videoconference settings.

Ideas on how to use VC's in class

You probably already have a number of ideas as to how you are going to use videoconferencing within AMORES.

Even so, you may want to have a look at the following links for some more inspiration.

This article talks about different ways classrooms can use videoconferencing. Some of the broad categories covered here are connecting with experts, going on virtual field trips and collaborating.

This article has a list of more specific suggestions on how to use videoconferencing in education. Sharing digital artefacts to foster a love of reading should be added to this list! Skype is the tool singled out in the article, but most of the activities apply to videoconferencing in general.

Finally, for those wondering what the differences between a webinar and a videoconference are, this article describes the main points.

AMORES blog

As this is the final topic that the online course is covering, it might be useful to sit back and reflect on the ideas that you have had throughout the course.

You may have come up with some specific ideas on how you are going to implement the technology we discussed in teaching national literature. You may have realized you have specific concerns. There may be questions you'd like to ask yourself or other teachers involved in AMORES, and you're not sure which forum to post in.

Please use the AMORES blog if you decide to reflect on the course overall.