Lessons from a Videoconferenced Course

Abstract

There is a tendency for educators to attempt to use new technologies to replicate the traditional classroom experience. However, new technologies offer new learning experiences for students and require different skills of the teachers. The author shares lessons learned from his participation in a synchronous videoconferenced course delivered through CA*Net2. The article offers the following advice for successful video courses: involve teachers at the stage of technical testing, involve teachers at the stage of developing the curriculum, work out the intellectual value and copyright issues before the class begins, and have a backup for the primary technology.