Abstract:

Meeting the demands of the 21st century student means exploring new mediums for the delivery of education. The field work required by students to remain competitive in a job market means less time spent in the classroom. Expanding this classroom to the virtual realm of the internet frees students to gain hands on experience while also taking their required classes. Virtual classrooms are not new, but with new technologies and updates emerging, it is critical to quantify the effectiveness of these means.

Adobe Connect has been shown to be of use a variety of classrooms. In one study, a Social Work class noted that it provided the means necessary for an additional seminar to be opened up to students which allowed for more extensive field work to be incorporated into the class, while also allowing adequate time for advising and discussion with the student and professor (Cappiccie & Desrosiers, 2012). Student feedback in other studies has included praise for the ability of technology to help bridge geographical distances and allowance of the creation of a more productive and meaningful semester-long experience (Kaufmann & Frisby, 2013). Students able to see and hear each other are able to form relationships and build trust (Kaufman & Frisby, 2013).

The purpose of this study was to explore the methods available for teachers to use for virtual classroom learning, Adobe Connect. Teaching in the 21st century classroom presents challenges. The use of varied pedagogy may aid in providing alternative structures to the physical structure of a classroom. Whether online or in person, students learn better in structured environments (Schullo, Venable, Hilbelink, & Barron, 2007), that structure being provided by the teacher. Currently, the field work required has increased to the extent that it has placed considerable burden on teacher candidates. In order to provide the same structured contact between instructor and students, but yet lessen the time required in the classroom, a virtual classroom platform seems to provide the necessary format for instruction, allowing students to do their required field work during the day and also attend classes while at home.

Our study involved the use of Adobe Connect. The virtual classes included videos, lectures, discussion, grouping, and hands on science.

Our research questions include:
1. Is the software easy to use and hardware easy to function?
2. Do technical problems/limitations inhibit the learning process?
3. Did the program (Adobe connect) meet educational goals for the class?

While this study is concentrated on the science classroom, it is hoped that the results will be useful across the curriculum at the elementary level as well as the secondary levels of instruction.

Keywords:

Adobe Connect, Virtual Classroom, Synchronous Instruction.