How Web Conferencing Can Increase Collaboration and Personalize Instruction in Your Class

Web conferencing can be used to support interactive learning or student-centered teaching and learning in a team-oriented, virtual environment. Group projects may include case studies and role plays, or process-oriented, guided inquiry strategies.

  • Screen share can be used to:
    • Create group activities (quizzes, problem sets) to be worked on during class meetings.
    • Provide examples and illustrations.
    • Offer a forum for students to work collaboratively outside of class on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations for assignments and projects.
  • Web conference sessions can be recorded. For example:
    • Instructors can review role plays and provide feedback.
    • Current sessions can be recorded as examples for future course semesters and students.
  • Group text chat can be used to conduct polls and surveys.
  • Special guest lecturers, experts, and faculty can be invited to join a class regardless of their location.

Factors to consider when Web Conferencing

  • These are the most flexible options.
  • For the NYU community, Google Hangouts are ubiquitous.
  • The quality of the audio, video, and screen sharing in the conference will be dependent on all users’ Internet connections. NYU staff will not be able to do much, if anything, to support or improve quality.
  • If used in a classroom setting, remote students will not feel fully integrated in the class.
Next Best Practices for Teaching with Web Conferencing