Web Conferencing Classrooms: Before the Course Begins

For best results participating in web conferencing, learners should have adequate network connections, a webcam, and a headset. When these technologies are missing or inadequate, learners are unable to participate or become frustrated.

An Idea for Your Course

Check with your technical staff and publish recommendations for your learners about the type of technology that will enable them to have the most successful learning experience in your web conferencing classroom. Read the IU School of Nursing's recommendations for suggestions of things you may want to include.

One method for making a successful start to class is to provide opportunity just prior to the beginning of class for learners to test their connection and equipment. This allows everyone to jump into learning once class begins rather than overcoming technology frustrations. Remember to set those expectations: provide guidance "up front" on what learners need then give them contact information to technology resources that can assist if they get stuck.

An Idea for your Course

An "ice breaker" web conferencing session near the beginning of the class lets learners test their connection and equipment. If you have a course requirement that assigns a score to introduction, don't use the ice breaker for this purpose, in case there are technology glitches. Do something fun like the old "I Spy Something"—I see something red, then let participants respond if they are wearing a red scrub top; that person then makes the following spy. Or, ask students to tell a story: the first participant tells the first sentence, and the next participant adds the following sentence and so on until each learner has participated and at the same time tested their connections and equipment.

Web conferencing is synchronous. This can be a disadvantage for participants who must be available during the specified time frame. Difficulties increase the greater the number of time zones represented by course participants. Don't attempt to make time zone conversions for your learners and post in your course; it gets "messy" to try to catch all the variations. Use the time zone for your course's home. Note it clearly, for example, 3p.m. EST. If your students have difficulty making the transition, refer them to the Time Zone Converter website.

Next, we address what happens in a web conferencing classroom when the course begins.