OUR MEMORABLE

 FIELD TRIP

TELECONFERENCING AND ITS APPLICATION IN  

                                CLASSROOM

Introduction

Technology is entwined in almost every part of our culture. It effects how we live, work, play and most importantly learn.  Technology plays an important role in education nowadays. It serves as a powerful tool for learning.  This seminar deals with teleconferencing. Teleconferencing has an important role in educational technology, especially in B.Ed class rooms. It is a way for teachers to deliver content to students in direct, different and face to face method. It will make the class rooms more active.  With teleconferencing educators can bring life experiences directly into the classroom.

Teleconferencing

 Tele conferencing means meeting through a telecommunication medium. It is a generic term for linking people between two or more locations by electronics. There are different types of teleconferencing: audio, audio graphic, computer and video conferencing. Following is a brief description about different types of teleconferences.

Different types of teleconferences

Audio teleconference

This is also called conference calling. There will be only voice. Interactively links people in remote locations through telephone lines. Audio bridges tie all lines together. Meetings can be conducted through audio conference.  Audio conferencing is the use of voice communications equipments to establish an audio link between geographically dispersed

persons, one that allows them to conduct a conference. Audio conferencing is best suited for firms that are spread over a wide area. Distance learning can be conducted by Audio conference. In fact it is one of the most under utilized, yet cost effective methods available to education.

Audio Graphic Teleconferencing

It uses narrowband telecommunications channels to transmit visual information such as graphics, documents, and video pictures to voice communication. Audio graphics can be used for meetings and distance learning.

Computer teleconferencing

It uses telephone lines to connect two or more computers and modems. Computer teleconferencing is an emerging area for distance education. Some institutions offer credit programmes completely by computer. Students receive text and work books through mails. Through common files assigned to a class which each student can assess, teachers upload syllabus, lectures, and remarks. Students download these files, compose their assignment and remarks offline, and then upload them to the common files.  

Video conference

A videoconference is a live, visual connection between two or more people residing in separate locations for the purpose of communication. At its simplest, video conferencing provides transmission of static images and text between two locations. At its most sophisticated, it provides transmission of full motion video images and high quality audio between multiple locations.

Video conferencing is an effective way to use one teacher who teaches to a number of sites. It is very cost effective for classes which may have a small number of students enrolled at each site. In many cases video conferencing enables the institution to provide courses which would be cancelled due to low Enrolment or which could not be supported otherwise because of the cost of providing an instructor in an unusual subject area. 

Teleconferencing has a variety of applications.

 Applications of teleconferencing in the class rooms

1Remote learning

One of the most apparent advantages of teleconferencing in education is remote learning. Students no longer have to feel confined to their classrooms. With teleconferencing, they can reap the benefits of knowledge from all over the globe. They can interact with experts, and students from other schools. With teleconferencing educators can make themselves available even when they are not at the school. This means they can lecture students who might need their help outside office hours, or collaborate with other experts and specialists without them having to be in the same classroom.  

2. No need to go on field trip

As teleconferencing can be conducted anywhere in the world between different classrooms, no longer do students need to go on field trips as much. This will save the schools the time and the energy. Cost reduction can also be significant. Being able to teleconference with hundreds of students will certainly reduce expenses. Compared to the conventional method of cost of bus, train flight and

meals, teleconferencing offer many cost savings. Teachers can take the students on a trip thousands of miles away with only at a push of a button. The school management can use the time and cost saved from reduced trips more productively.  

 3. Attend class from home.

Another use of teleconferencing in education is that it allows students attend class from home. Sometimes students may miss classes due to illness or challenges related to living in remote areas. Teleconferencing gives these students a real chance to attend classes from their homes.

4. Invite experts to the class where ever they are

The technology gives educators new and exciting ways to teach their students. For instance, the technology allows teachers to invite guest speakers into the class to help illustrate important points in her lesson. This allows for an interactive experience for students with experts that boast a wealth of skills in the field being discussed. Specialists often have busy schedules. As such, teleconferencing is a better option as it can reduce travel time and simplify visits.

5. Connect rural schools to outside for better education.

Limited resources remain the common problem in most rural schools. Students in these areas have missed out on countless opportunities that their urban Counter parts continue to explore. Connecting students in these areas through teleconferencing can greatly improve the quality of their education, ensuring that their right to education are ultimately met both in practice and in theory.

With Teleconferencing in education, teachers connect their classes with the outside world to cross traditional class room boundaries. This also prepares students to be citizens of the more open and more tolerant world of tomorrow.   

Advantages of teleconferencing

Save Time:  Content presented by one or many sources is received in many places simultaneously and instantly. Travel is reduced resulting in more productive time. Communication is improved and meetings are more efficient.

Lower costs: Costs are reduced by keeping employees in the office, speeding up Product development cycles, improving performance through frequent meetings with timely information.

Accessible:  more people can attend .The larger the audience, the lower the cost per person.

 Unity: provides a shared sense of identity. People feel more a part of the group,

 Individuals or groups at multiple locations can be linked frequently.

Interactive: dynamic, requires the user’s active participation. It enhances personal communication. When used well for learning, the interactivity will enhance the learning and the teaching experience.

Conclusion

Technology will not replace teachers. But Teachers who use technology will replace those who do not.  Today’s classrooms are packed with technology, from tablet computers and wide screen televisions to interactive white boards.  . Teleconferencing plays an important role in educational technology, especially in B.Ed class rooms. It will helps to improve learning out comes and  shortens the learning time. And also it will give students the ability

to deliver learning at any time and in any place around the world. Teleconference includes audio teleconference, audio graphic teleconference, computer teleconference and video teleconference.  Through this study, I understood that as a B.Ed student, teleconferencing will help me to learn more. Because with the help of teleconferencing we will be able to understand different teaching methods,   different types of activities in the class rooms etc.  With teleconference in class room the teachers become encourager, adviser and coach.  The traditional passive learning model is broken through teleconferencing. It helps the students to be more responsible and active.

Reference

1.     N.R. Swarup Saxena and  Dr. S.C. Oberoi-Technology of teaching, R. Lall book depot, Meerut.

 2.  https://www.eztalks.com

 3. http://www.ingrammicroadvisor.com

 4. https://searchunifiedcommunications.techtarget.com

  

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