Videoconference Glossary

February 1, 2008

There are many videoconference glossaries online to assist with learning the technology. All those words that Shane uses like H.239, H.323, ATM, ISDN, routers, gatekeepers, MCUs, and IP.

What we need now is a curriculum videoconferencing glossary. At the CILC Symposium, there was a great deal of conversation related to “collaborative projects” and “collaboration”. Since we really don’t have a set definition, I began to get the sense that these terms mean quite different things to different people.

Let’s start defining them. I am going to have to drag out an old blog post as a frame of reference. (Can’t believe I have been hacking away at this blog thing for over a year now!) In that post, I really only focused on collaboration vs. project.

Types of Student Content

1. Professional Content Providers such as zoos, museums, cultural institutions, research institutes, and hospitals provide expert content through virtual visits, electronic education, or virtual field trips. These can be on-demand, scheduled by providers, seasonal, etc. Most high-quality providers charge a fee for their programming which may or may not include teacher and student materials and teacher training. Most likely aligned to state standards of where the provider is located and national standards.
2. Student Projects are centrally managed and coordinated by one or more persons. Information about how to participate is provided, dates and times are set, teacher training may or may not be required. Many are free if you know the person who is running the project and if you share projects with them. Interactions and presentations vary according to level of coordinator and training of teachers and building coordinators. Good place to start for newbies as the cost is FREE and there is someone to ask questions of along the way. Monster Match and Read Around the Planet are two top rated IVC projects that newbies can be successful in.
3. Classroom-to-Classroom Collaborations (aka Kid2Kid) are different from student projects in that a K2K collaboration the entire IVC event begins with an idea from a teacher. Then we find a partner for the teacher. Then we test the equipment. Most classroom collaborations are point-to-point, although not all. The teacher with the beginning idea should also have some idea of what they want their partner class to do. So many collaboration requests are not filled because it reads like this, “I want to partner with someone doing a literature study in the fall.” These are the types of connections that we create and foster through Mini-JAZZ sessions.
4. Backyard Treasure Content Provider (aka Amateurs) is when you take your talent and turn it into a program or virtual field trip. You model it on some of the best of the best out there and use what you have to make it the best you can for your beginning schools. Shane sings. I read. Rusty keeps them safe from severe weather.
5. Kids Creating Community Content (student virtual field trips) is where students create a virtual field trip. They do all the research, put together the presentation, prepare student materials, ship materials to the other class, maintain the website, registration, etc. The whole nine yards!

Posted in Staff Development, VC Community