What Do You Say After You Say Hello?
When preparing students to present information in front of a class group it is helpful to get them to speak clearly and to offer their points in a sequential manner. Preparing them to participate in a video conference takes some of this same training but there are other important considerations. Students need to adjust their communication techniques to this interactive, multiple-site conferencing format. Students working with a cybervideo audience also need some coaching to develop good conferencing techniques. But the good new is that they appear to catch on quickly and enjoy practicing!
I have divided the preparation process into four areas:
preparatory exploration,
practice activities,
planning introductory activities,
public debut.
Being in front of a camera does different things to different people. Students can be real "hams" and make the strangest faces especially when they can see the results showing up immediately on the screen in front of them. The slower motion of their movement in the video window also appears to amuse them and so the initial responses when seeing themselves is usually laughter. It is important to get all of this out of their systems without this session being broadcast. So I allow students to explore how the video portion of conferencing system works prior to their first public online experience by doing the following:
I let students know that they will be representatives of school groups everywhere and that those they will meet will be watching them closely to see how well students can use this technology. I also let them know that in addition to other students we will conference with many other people. We will be meeting with scientists, university researchers and others who are using the same technology and will be unaware that students also have this kind of access.
I usually try to have the videoconferencing application open and running during my class sessions during many hours of the day when I am in the lab, regardless of the grade level of students I am working with. Having students get used to the camera and having the opportunity for an spontaneous, informal session with an interesting guest has been very valuable to the student groups as well as to those viewing us. Reflector visitors are often very curious about what goes on in a school and this "window" into our classroom has been as informative to our cybervisitors as it has been to us. Meeting and interacting with those in the world outside our classroom walls has presented us with some very interesting experiences and resources in addition to the informal practice opportunities.
A group of third graders met a Texas hospital technician who used his lunch hour for several days to take students on a tour of different sections of the hospital. He would set up his camera in a different location each day and show students some of the equipment in that lab or area and tell them a little about what went on in that department.
And then there was the scientist from a research lab who met students on a reflector and was so intrigued with them that he offered to join them for a special question and answer session.Later he arranged another session where he could offer them help on projects they were working on.
Beginning Activities
Before actually participating in video conferences it is very helpful to go through the following activities with students.
Tune into a reflector and let students watch what is happening without interacting. You can select to receive video without sending it if you would like to be a lurker for awhile. (LURK before you leap into conferencing.)
If you do elect to send your video and someone wants to engage in conversation, let students watch you as you model for them and help them try the audio. At first you may need to give them the answers to the questions which are being asked and have students repeat what you say online in response to questions asked. Since no one can hear what you are saying until the "Push to Talk" button is actually pushed your coaching will not be heard. I have found this helps many students have courage to give using the audio feature a try.
Since no one on the reflector or at another site can hear you until the "Push to Talk" or microphone button is held down you can help students learn how to address others and help them learn to phrase appropriate responses to the questions they may be asked. You may need to work with the audio portion of the videoconferencing program you have and get a microphone or external speakers for your computer to help make the sound level acceptable.
When asked who you are - offer your name and location in your answer.
("My name is Sandra. I am a fourth grader at Long Branch School in Virginia.")
("Hello, Rocky Run School, this is Mark at Long Branch School in Virginia. I wanted to know if students there have found any new resources on volcanoes since we met last time?")
Planning Introductory Activities
In order to provide students with meaningful things to say as well as to give them an opportunity to find out more about another site I like to plan with my students and the teacher at the other site(s) prior to meeting on-line using CU-SeeMe. Skills students need to learn include the ability to ask good questions, to listen effectively, and respond to questions with appropriate information. Here are some ideas which have been used successfully to facilitate the first online student conferences or contacts and help get them ready for more content oriented or collaborative research activities.
You may want to allow some time for informal chatting at the end of these sessions. Kids will be kids as they say, so do stay within earshot or monitor the interactions.
The students' public debut online can take place during an informal or a formal video conferences. If you have not networked or met other educators with whom you can arrange a formal conference you might consider looking for a collaborative project which might enable this type of activity. In the meantime try reflector surfing with your students. This is a good way to find others which may provide you with possible contacts or groups that may share common interests. Be sure you have visited the reflector sites to see that they are "G" rated and would be ones which would help students gain some practice.
For example -
How to arrange a point-to-point session with another group:
Coaching Techniques - Or, What Do I Say Now ?
Students often can not think of what might be appropriate to ask or they need help in phrasing their questions. Since others can not hear until you are ready, this gives you some time to help students. Since this is a practice session the teachers you are working with will probably be using the same techniques to help students at the other site.