I received an email a week ago, telling me of an opportunity to participate in a live video chat with faculty and students from England and Sweden. These students were Penn State students, student teaching abroad at the University of Chichester in England. I did not know what to expect but I was eager to experience a live video chat. I immediately thought about the various movies I have watched, where Mr. CEO and his bankers hold a video conference in a swanky, silver-lined office. Me, involved in a live video chat?! Sign me up! Why was I interested? I am student teaching abroad at the University of Chichester in the fall of 2009. Therefore, I thought this would be a wonderful opportunity for me to become acquainted with the culture of England, based upon the perspectives of the students that are living and teaching there now.
So, this morning, I made my way to the Chambers
building and took my seat at the U-shaped table in one of the many tech-savvy
rooms. The presentation was to begin at 8 am and at 7:55 the room held
only me and a peer. Suddenly, a booming voice fell from the sky (think of
The Wizard of Oz), and my peer and I looked around the room, realizing that the
voice was coming from a television speaker hidden behind a drop down projector
screen. We pulled the screen up towards the ceiling, turned on the
television monitor, and saw ourselves staring at a conference table filled with
faculty members. The voice (which was a man sitting at the conference
table), walked us through the logistics of how to turn on the video camera and
position ourselves in a way viewable to all.
On one TV we could
see the faculty in Sweden, eager to begin the show, and on the other TV we
watched the students at the University of Chichester assemble in the auditorium. I
thought to myself, what time is it over there and wow they are thousands of
miles away and we are all on the same page right now.
As future abroad
student teachers, we were invited to the video chat to watch and listen to the
various presentations compiled and presented by our own peers in England--who
are now student teaching. In Sweden, a group of faculty members
(which are related to the England and Penn State Communities) were also
watching the presentations. So, to be more clear, there were three
groups partaking in the video chat.
1. 1. faculty in Sweden
2. 2. students and their faculty in England (at the
U. of Chichester)
3. 3. students at Penn State (in Chambers building)
The video chat was rather
simple to do but so powerful in terms of knowledge and
learning. With the click and punch of a few buttons, an adjustment
of the video camera and a turn of the volume knob, we were instantly connected
to two groups of people in two different countries with real-time access! I
could be talked through the set-up process via the microphone and video
system--a task that I would have never thought because I sometimes feel as
though I lack the technological "know-how" or intuition. We were
encouraged to ask questions to our peers who are currently studying in
England. It was so different than just typing questions in an email
or calling them on a phone because I heard multiple perspectives, answers, suggestions,
and personal experiences in an instant from both peers and
faculty. It was as though we were standing three feet away from each
other, but of course, that was not the case. Overall, a live video
chat was a new and beneficial experience in my life. At first, I
think I was intimidated by the live video chat because I thought it would be
too complex and frustrating. But really, it was a simple and
effective way to communicate across countries--something that I will consider
when I have a classroom of students. I can only think how amazing it
would be to video chat with classrooms in Asia or Europe, or any place that
would provide a new experience for students! I cannot wait for my
next video chat. Now that I am aware of a video chat's power in a college
setting, I can only imagine the power it could hold in an elementary classroom.
Sounds like quite an experience! Did you meet Carolyn Mason -- she is part of this group and has a blog on our class site? Please comment to her if you have time.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/cgm5023/blogs/ttla-_connecting_upark_and_europe/
Hey Dani! I just saw your comment that you will also be student teaching in England in the fall and then saw this post! I wanted to attend the video chat, but by the time I saw the email it had already taken place. I am glad that I have been able to read about it here however! It seems like quite the experience, both for technical knowledge and to learn more about schooling overseas. I am also glad that it was a positive experience for you, I know how using new technology can sometimes be very frustrating until you really learn it.
I have seen video conferencing at the branch campus I attended last year, where there were a few classes that an on-campus Penn State professor taught to both Penn State students in the same room and also to students at a neighboring university. This too was interesting to see because as you sat around a U shaped table, you faced a screen displaying other students sitting around a similar U shaped table facing towards you(a little confusing to explain).
I think it was really exciting for you to have the opportunity to take part in a video conference and I am looking forward to talking to you in class on Monday about England!