Can you guess what we have at least 1 of on every campus, making a total of 104 in the entire district?
Video conferencing units!
Yes, that’s right! We have over 104 endpoints in our district. I do not know of a district our size with that many! Along with all of the endpoints, we have a gatekeeper (which means we can connect to endpoints outside of the district) and a bridge (which means we can connect more than one unit at a time to the same video conference).
Video conferencing requires an internet connection, but it is more powerful than Skype. When you connect using a video conference, the traffic going through the internet pipe is tagged a special way. This allows for the nice clean connection that you see at the end. If you have ever been on a Skype video call, you know that the call drops, or pixelates or has other issues. While video conferencing is not perfect (and trust me, it does have issues!), it is much cleaner than Skype.
The drawback to video conferencing is that it requires a special video conferencing unit. Good for us, since we have so many units, but not all districts are as fortunate. If you are interested in connecting with another campus/district, know that you can use the video conferencing equipment. Just be sure to let your technical contact know your plans.
How could video conferencing be used to enhance research in your classroom? Respond in the comment section. Write a goal for using either a VC or blog in your classroom.
#1 by Jody Wells on June 7, 2010 - 7:14 pm
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There are two ways I can think of: first of all virtual field trips will help the student grasp ideas easier than just reading about a place/topc. Secondly with video conferencing, the students could connect to a real life expert on a particular topic. If researching a scientist, they could chat with an actual scientist about a discovery, etc.
My goal: vc with my partner school on a novel or other reading topic. maybe compete with each other as a review before testing.
#2 by Lorie Foux on June 7, 2010 - 7:21 pm
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Video conferencing has so much potential in the social studies classroom! There are so many different ways it could be used. For example, it could be used in conjunction with many of the programs that museums offer for a virtual field trip. Another idea, for the 6th grade World Cultures class, would be to contact students in another part of the country, or if possible, in a foreign country, to learn about the geography, culture, or history of that region. My goal is to use videoconferencing at least twice in the next school year. I’ve already signed up on an email list for information on video conferencing programs offered by several Tesas museums.
#3 by Jamie on June 7, 2010 - 7:28 pm
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I would love to find a virtual field trip to take my kids on. They love field trips so I think it would be a great way to get the kids engaged and link the curriculum to real life learning. Which directly leads into blogging…a main goal of mine to set up this coming year! Can’t wait to learn more this week!
#4 by Staci on June 7, 2010 - 7:35 pm
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This kind of ability sounds so exciting. It is an opportunity to take your students out of the classroom and experience so much more. It also provides another way to bring ideas and share within the district. Great minds can work together to create something really unique to learning. I
#5 by Sandra Rebeles on June 7, 2010 - 7:36 pm
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I agree..virtual field trip with scietists from NASA would be amazing. It is one thing to be able to list the planets and major characteristics but another thing to directly communicate with people who knoiw the tiniest of details about our lessons.
#6 by Casey Chapman on June 7, 2010 - 7:39 pm
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WOW, 104??? That’s a TON! 🙂 How exciting. 🙂
I heard that George has in the past set up video conferencing with other Junior Highs to review for TAKS before the big day and they said it went really well. I hope that I can implement it in my classroom next year too. I also think it would be fun to not only implement it right before TAKS, but also throughout the year so that the students don’t think that it’s only for TAKS.
I would love to find different ways to implement video conferencing in my Pre-Algebra class. I am not 100% sure how this would look, but now seeing some of the possibilities I know that I would be able to find some fun way to implement it.
Thanks for all of the awesome information, I am so excited to bring it to the students.
#7 by Misty Carter on June 7, 2010 - 7:44 pm
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This year in my kinder class we did a small research project on an animal and each child created a power point. I would love to take this one step further and be able to VC with a zoo; in which the kids could take a virtual tour of the zoo and learn more about their animal. JWow, what an experience that would be, especially coming from a Title I Campus where the kids may not have the same opportunities as others. Blogging could be a benefit my classroom by keeping parents informed of daily happenings or news. This way I wouldn’t have 20 different emails to respond to, it would already be posted.
#8 by Tammy on June 7, 2010 - 7:46 pm
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The idea of virtual field trips is exciting. There is also the opportunity to video chat with an author who is discussing his/her book. This would definitely bring to life a novel and connect the author to the students in the classroom. I have experimented with blogging in my classroom with some success. I am anxious to explore this more so that I can implement it more successfully.
#9 by Tammy Braswell on June 7, 2010 - 7:46 pm
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I would like to create a blog to use in my ELA classroom. I would like to have blogs for each class and one blog where all my classes can participate on certain assignments. I think this would be a fun way for my students to learn and practice writing.
#10 by Karla on June 7, 2010 - 7:48 pm
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I would like to implement a project in which students can present to another class what they have learned about a particular subject. I can see where students are grouped in groups and then present what they have learned to other first graders in another school.
#11 by Roselle on June 7, 2010 - 7:56 pm
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I want students’ input on possible project ideas, feedback on lessons in the classroom, and I want to make HW help available to any student at any time. I thinking blogging will take care of the first two ideas and Skype the 3rd. I think it would be cool to set up a video conference with another math class once a month
to showcase products at the end of a project.
#12 by Terry Waltes on June 7, 2010 - 8:03 pm
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I would like to use VC during a lesson on a historical battle or other significant event. While learning about the Battle of Gettysgurg for example we could interact with a park ranger who could provide some expertise on the battle. Or we could do a conference with an expert at a museum or other historical site. The interest level for the students would go way up on something like this.
#13 by Aide on June 7, 2010 - 8:07 pm
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This year in 3rd we also researched animals and their habitats and food chains. The students researched the animals habitats and had to include a producers and 3 different consumers and a decomposer. After mapping the food chain students wrote a fiction story and made a power point and presented their stories to the 2nd graders. It would have been nice to haved used VC with the students and maybe even shared it with others in the district. Their presentations were really awesome. Maybe this coming year!
#14 by Tracy on June 7, 2010 - 8:09 pm
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Since I am moving from 1st to 3rd grade this year, I would like to stay connected with the little ones. I would like to have my students read a story they have written, via VC, then have the younger students practice their visualizing skills by illustrating the story. My ultimate goal this year would be to become more familiar with both VC and blogging.
#15 by Misty on June 7, 2010 - 8:09 pm
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We did a video conferencing tournament a couple of years ago with Briscoe for TAKS review. The kids thought it was great, and it really got everyone in the class involved. I would love to do something like that again. This would also be a great tool for collaborating with another classroom on different topics.
#16 by Kimberly Herbert on June 7, 2010 - 8:12 pm
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I want to do a project like Chat Across America
http://www.breweredu.org/node/295
or Around the World with 80 Schools http://aroundtheworldwith80schools.net/
. I think my students would benifit from the interaction with other schools and age groups.
I would also like to partner with other classrooms so students would have a larger audience for projects we create in the classroom.
#17 by Jimmie Davis on June 7, 2010 - 8:15 pm
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I wonder if there’s any jr. highs in farming communities that could help our kids with the idea of why wind and water erosion are such a big deal in TX science curriculum. A video conference with a panel of jr. high “experts” might be cool.
#18 by Jessica Bearden on June 7, 2010 - 8:23 pm
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I think VC would be a tool for my sixth graders to be able to interview one of their favorite author’s. You get to read information about the author, but rarely see them and talk to them. The kids enjoy using blogs in the classroom. Each one of my classes had their own blog so they could post some of the projects we did. They really liked to go home and show their parents what they did in class. I hope to use blogs more effectively next school year. I would like to use it to post questions for the students to answer and for them to be able to post their own questions.
#19 by Cindy on June 7, 2010 - 8:25 pm
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I think vc would be great in a 5th grade classroom. I would love to do something about the Civil War. My kiddos this year were very interested and wanted to know more.
#20 by Nora Williams on June 7, 2010 - 8:28 pm
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This past year we used videoconverencing to compete with another school in a math competition. . . .it would be fun to do the same activity but perhaps with a class from another state. Give the kids the opportunity to meet others and see what 5th grade math might look like in another state.
#21 by Devin Cerny on June 7, 2010 - 8:28 pm
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I would like to set up a video conference with another school where students can extend their classroom resources. For example, one school can do research on an inventor, bring in their invention, and take the role of that inventor. The other campus, can prepare questions to ask the “inventor”. My main goal is to start off simply, even if it is with another class on my campus, just to get the hang of it.
#22 by Kimberly Rychlik on June 7, 2010 - 8:31 pm
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I would love for my students to work with another 3rd grade class in researching. Each student could be partnered with someone from the other school. They would have the same topic, but different things to research about that topic. The two classes could come together, and the partners could present their topic together.
I would like to set up a classroom blog next year. It would be a place where parents can go to receive information about upcoming events, and students would be able to post projects for parents to view.
#23 by Candace on June 7, 2010 - 8:32 pm
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This year my class participated in two video conferences, one on insects and the other on ocean animals. We used the internet and library to research information on these topics. Our class wrote riddles about the animals and presented them to a partner class.
My goal this year is to participate in vc in other subject areas, perhaps sharing an author study or a “guess my pattern” math vc.
#24 by Denise on June 7, 2010 - 8:32 pm
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I think it would be great to VC with another 2nd grade class to compare and contrast with an author’s study. Each class could read a book written by a selected author and then the two classes could compare the books, author, style of writing, illustrations, etc..
I have created a blog to use in my classroom this year. It is designed so that the students can share their thoughts and opinions on the books that they read and that I can pose questions to them. I am departmentalized so this would be a great way for my three classes to callaborate on the books they are all reading.
#25 by Leah Stevens on June 7, 2010 - 8:36 pm
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VC would be awesome to share projects. Students in Texas could do reasearch on, for example, Peru. In addition to the information that our kids have gathered via the internet and other sources, the Peruvian students could then present information about Peru to our kiddos to add to the previously found info. The Peruvian students would be able confirm or deny our students research through their presentation. Our students could then compile their information using really great sources! THEN, the Peruvians complete the same process!! Talk about globalization of ideas! How exciting!
#26 by Courtney on June 7, 2010 - 8:51 pm
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I use novels throughout the school year to teach my students reading. The one we just finished, Charley Skedaddle, left my students wanting to create a sequel about what would happen next to the main character. It would be fun to create a scene for what would happen next and present it to a partner school via videoconferencing. Then we could watch the other school perform their version!
#27 by Cherie on June 7, 2010 - 8:58 pm
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This past year we VC with other elem schools doing several different projects like the animal one we did today. My goal for next year would be to do a virtual one. I’m not familiar with this and think it would be very interesting for the kids in my classroom. This could be one of the components in the research process. How things have shifted from the library and Ency Britannica when I was a kid in terms of research!
#28 by Daphne on June 7, 2010 - 9:00 pm
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I realize there are 101 ways you could use it with the students, but we could also use it for doing our Interact trainings throughout the year. Several schools can get together to present several topics at once.
#29 by Chad Jones on June 7, 2010 - 9:08 pm
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Great way to think out of the box! This is a great way to do training and it’s so easy for everyone involved.
#30 by Rashana on June 7, 2010 - 9:14 pm
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Video conferencing is a great way for students to use primary sources to research science concepts. Animal adaptations are made real when students can talk with an actual zoologist that can give them first hand knowledge and show them real samples.
#31 by Dave on June 7, 2010 - 9:15 pm
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My former commander in the Army is now a professor at West Point. I was thinking we could do a VC with him and some of his cadets when we study Benedict Arnold trying to sell the plans of West Point to the British. Beyond the obvious connection to the fort, my former boss is a leading authority on military history and an amazing speaker. I think the students and the cadets would get a kick out of it.
#32 by Jennifer Montier on June 7, 2010 - 9:28 pm
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I think a great way to use VC would be to connect with my niece’s kindergarten class in Connecticut. This would be awesome when they have a real “autumn” season. We could compare the seasons using our five senses, adjectives, and details. This would be super fun especially when trying to introduce fall to the students in TX.
#33 by John on June 7, 2010 - 9:34 pm
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One way to use videoconferencing that would be really cool but would require some legwork would be an international video conference. A geography class could get in touch with a geography class in another country that they were studying and then learn first hand about its culture and tradition. It would take some effort on the teacher’s part to get this set upt though.
My goal is to use videoconferencing with my classes at least twice next year.
#34 by tim on June 7, 2010 - 9:38 pm
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Where scheduling can be worked out, similar classes of beginner band classes could do exchange performances.
Mini-concerts featuring prepared small ensembles would be another.
#35 by Samantha K on June 7, 2010 - 9:43 pm
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I really enjoyed seeing video conferencing in action earlier today with our interact musical themes. Our school is switching to block schedules and this could be used similarly for math/science challenges (sort of like a live jeopardy) or for cross teaching with a partner or shared teaching to allow the students to see, interact or challenge their peers in another classroom while targeting the same TEKS.
#36 by Jessica Dyer on June 7, 2010 - 9:46 pm
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I can’t believe I have not taken advantage of VCing in my classroom before!! So many possibilities……
1st goal-get with Jennifer & learn how to get started VCing
2nd goal- have my 2nd graders interview a REAL ASTRONAUT during our Moon unit 🙂
#37 by Julie Pangelinan on June 7, 2010 - 9:50 pm
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Let’s get with Jennifer together. You are right about all the possibilities.
#38 by Sarah Chernohorsky on June 7, 2010 - 9:47 pm
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I would have to agree that using VC for virtual field trips and to connect with experts in certain fields would be very beneficial. My kindergarteners would really enjoy it! It would be fun to have different experts conference with the students when we study community helpers. I think students would also enjoy VC with other classes for story elements. Each class involved could describe or act out parts of a fairy tale for the other class to determine what it is.
#39 by Julie Pangelinan on June 7, 2010 - 9:48 pm
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I pen pal with a class in New York. It would be great to VC with them and let the kids talk to their pen pals and share activities. The students could share information about their states with each other. I plan to check if they have that capability. Also, my goal is to VC with other classes a minimum of twice each semester next year.
#40 by Manuela on June 7, 2010 - 9:56 pm
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I think having students compete with each other through VC is a great idea! It would be a fun way to review information. My goal would be getting a blog set up in my classroom this year.
#41 by Julie Horton on June 7, 2010 - 10:07 pm
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I would like to use VC to compete with another class at either Terry or Lamar. My goal would be to set this up this year.
#42 by Haley on June 7, 2010 - 10:21 pm
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I would like to setup VC that would allow the students to meet and interview authors and illustators. They would love that!
#43 by Kim Lybarger on June 7, 2010 - 10:34 pm
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I would like to set up a blog for 4th grade at Jane Long. We will have two interact trained people on my team now. So, between the two of us my goal is to keep the blog UPDATED on a weekly basis!
I would love to do the Read Around The World video conferencing … Also, work with partner school to review for TAKS — share writing and book talks
#44 by Merideth McDonald on June 7, 2010 - 10:35 pm
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I would like for my students to hold a virtual literature circle with another class so they have interaction with others outside of their own school. Ideally I would like to conduct a VC with another class outside of the district or state. This interaction will hold students accountable with their group discussions!
#45 by Cathy Luckert on June 7, 2010 - 10:37 pm
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I would like to see VC set up to allow the students to see life in the real world. So many companies use them to connect with other companies across the US and in other countries. Business deals are carried out daily by VC. In math, my students can see the importance of learning about graphs and charts and how major companies use them to display data. In Physical Education, the kids would love to meet a professional athlete via VC. The opportunites are endless.
#46 by Annette Nava on June 7, 2010 - 10:53 pm
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I’m the most leary of trying this. It feels overwhelming and like I’m not in control of the situation. I do, however, like the virtual tours that you could incorporate. I can see using this in social studies right off the bat.
#47 by Daryle Esswein on June 7, 2010 - 11:12 pm
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Students at Smith are blogging in many ways. We have used Moodle to discuss literature in forums. Fifth grade students use a blog to post their Fort Bend Herald newspaper stories (just in case their parents miss the story in the newspaper). We also have a blog tracking the progress of our Purple Martin colony in our courtyard. Videoconferencing…I would like to find an easier way to connect with other teachers in LCISD interested in videoconferencing. It has been very difficult to match schedules with teachers in other states. One example was our experience with the Wild Weather Project. Our students kept a school blog, tracked the weather on spreadsheets, posted pictures, and created projects. However, when it was time to make our presentations, we were set up with a school in Florida and they backed out due to our different schedules. My goal this year is finding an easier way to videoconference within our district. It’s worth it!
#48 by Marcie Daugherty on June 7, 2010 - 11:51 pm
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Video conferencing is reality tv in your very own classroom. It gives students so many different opportunities to break out of their comfort zone. It is less threatening when you know your audience is inside a little box/camera in the corner of your screen. VC also enables teachers to observe other teachers or schools for that matter without all the expense. I would love to observe or in fact participate in one of my team member’s reading groups. VC is the Jetsons of our generation!
#49 by Amanda Arlund on June 8, 2010 - 12:05 am
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I think getting VC going in a high school classroom is going to be hugely critical in ensuring students’ success. For biology I think I’d like my students to do a virtual field trip, or witness some type of procedure (i.e. open heart surgery), or just ask questions to an expert in DNA studies (i.e. cloning). The possibilities are endless, I’m excited to see where this goes!