What should you expect of students in a videoconferencing environment?

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Behavior management in a videoconferencing session can be tied to setting expectations, boundaries, and roles/responsibilities.  Students need to be part of the process in a videoconferencing activity.  Students require education about individual roles and responsibilities during the videoconferencing session.  Many VC sessions are planned around a student centered learning environment which includes student involvement in the learning process.  A student centered approach lends itself to solutions for behavior problems before they ever start since students are immersed in the process and play an active role in learning.  

There are some special circumstances that students should be made aware of in a videoconferencing session.  The nature of the environment present some challenges for students.   Awareness at the front end of behavior expectations will alleviate problems for students and teachers.

Classroom Management:

• Classroom Management
• Creating Technology Enhanced Student Centered Learning Environments - Jamie McKenzie
• Fostering the Student Centered Classroom Online - T.H.E. Journal
• Student Centered Teaching Meets New Media
• Student Centered Learning - Distance Learning Project

• Videoconferencing Etiquette
• Student Interactions

Otherwise known as Netiquette in the networking world, these e-rules for behavior simply take common sense and modeling of appropriate behavior in all settings.  These are a few guidelines to follow to make sure that all students are aware of the extra care that needs to be taken in a videoconferencing setting.

• Voice:  Be sure that your speech is clear, loud enough to be heard in a regular situation (adjust volume if need be), and slow enough to be easily understood.  Take a moment to test this out at the beginning and make adjustments.    Be aware of possible voice delays across the system and accommodate for the delays.  Look at the camera and your present audience when talking to ensure that you are interacting with your far-end audience as well as the participants in the same room.  If you are wearing a microphone, be sure the volume is properly adjusted.  If you are using a fixed microphone, be sure that you are in range to pick up your voice.
• Noise:  Be aware that regular classroom noise must be kept at a minimum to insure that the far-end site can hear.  If there is a noisy activity planned during the videoconference, the choices can be to disconnect and reconnect, or mute the audio during the activity.
• Interruptions:  Plan ahead for interruptions and have a plan for how to handle them.  Students should be given the opportunity to take care of personal needs before and after the videoconferencing schedule time.  Also, fire drills do come unannounced and a pre-plan with the principal can alleviate this kind of interruption.  Also let the office know that you would appreciate it if there were no announcements to your room during the videoconference session.
• Student Call-outs:  Students should be aware that verbal calling out that might be ok in a regular classroom setting may not be workable in a videoconferencing session.  Plans for this type of interaction could be handled with cue cards or a simple raise of hands.  
• Body presence on camera:  Be aware of camera placement and image you are projecting.  Plan ahead for whether you want to be standing or sitting and whether you want the camera focused on the teacher or students.  Camera movement and adjustments can be made if you have technical help (or have enlisted a student to control the camera), but generally the camera is set in a fixed position.   The camera should be directed toward the person speaking to ensure clear understanding by the far-end audience.  It may be necessary to mark off the camera presence area with tape to remind the speaker of where to stand to best engage both audiences.
• Presentation styles:  Adapt your presentation style to fit the videoconferencing logistics.  If you are a "walker" during your presentations in a regular classroom, you will have to adapt the classroom camera set-up (or your style) so that you do not disappear from the screen.  If you like to engage your students in discussion, be sure that you are including students at your site as well as the far end site and that the camera focuses on them when they are speaking.
• Dress:  Professional dress is always recommended, and simple clothing provides less distraction in an on-camera experience.
• Lighting:  Be sure that all participants are able to be seen when on camera.  If lighting in the room is an issue, you may need to choose a designated spot for presentation and provide lighting, so that the camera can effectively highlight the participants. 

• IDLA's Netiquette
• The Core Rules of Netiquette
• Videoconferencing Etiquette
• Videoconferencing Etiquette - Powerpoint presentation
• Videoconferencing Etiquette

Do and Don't List for Videoconferencing sessions:

A few strategies and types of interactions that might be included in a videoconferencing situation are:  

• Student self introductions should be scheduled at the beginning of the session to get students talking to each other.  Student lists with first names and personal profiles can be exchanged electronically before the session to stimulate interest in student partners.
• Question and answer periods should be included in the planning to stimulate conversation about the project
• Pair students with far end students to focus on the project with outlined areas for discussion.  Students need a personal connection and reason to interact
• Plan for interaction with a sequence and student list of those participating in interactions for each scheduled session.  Be sure all students are included in a planned interaction.
• Record student interaction instances with a checklist to make sure all are participating in free-flowing events.
• Follow-up with individual students to comment on interactions

• Behavior Guidelines  
• Document Sharing  
• Glossary
• Hardware Tutorial  
• Planning  
• Resource Sites    
• Set-up
• Software Tutorial 
• Student Accommodation 
• Timeline for Videoconferences  

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Last updated 04/08/07