Abstract:

The use of Webconferencing allows interactive, geographically independent, synchronous teaching and communicating. Specific software does not only offer audio and video support for communication but also desktop sharing, whiteboard, collaboration on one and the same document and similar features. Online versions of recorded webconferences also enable asynchronous learning. Especially working students might take advantage of participating at seminars even if geographically dispersed and – in case of making use of recorded videoconferences – temporarily independent. Using new forms of technology in teaching provides students with the opportunity to gain media competence for their (future) professional life. Teachers, on the contrary, have the chance to try out new settings and develop new teaching methods.

In our paper we will present two scenarios how to use Webconferencing tools in different teaching situations. We will show occurring problems, and requirements for teachers in the usage of such programs. This will cover the question which didactic aims can be realized with the help of appropriate applications. Furthermore, different teaching situations and the corresponding functions in the Webconference systems as well as the teachers´ abilities to meet the standards will be highlighted. In other words, we will discuss the requirements for Webconferencing Software on the one hand, and the skills of teachers, on the other. In order to do so, we have tested a specific Webconferencing Application in two different teaching situations and will evaluate it in form of two case studies.

The first case deals with a seminar for business students in International Management. The aim is to confront them with modern ways of doing business worldwide nowadays. With the help of experiencing Webseminars, videoconferences, and virtual team work, they shall reflect upon issues such as virtual communication, isolation, power distribution, and different other challenges going hand in hand with virtual collaboration. Thus, this seminar includes small input lectures, a lot of discussion, virtual team work among students as well as students´ presentations.

The seminar in the second scenario has elements of a lecture as well as a tutorial. The online-elements should enable both full-time students as well as working and part-time ones to participate in the course. As the seminar aims at introducing students to web programming, they are confronted with theoretical input in programming languages (HTML and PHP) first and shall then, as a second step, put this into practice. Thus, the course includes two different teaching situations: lecture and course with interactive elements, similar to a tutorial.

Out of the variety of Webconferencing systems, a specific one meeting the requirements for online teaching has been selected. A list of attributes and requirements allowed a detailed evaluation of different software available on the market. We will present students´ and teachers´ experiences with the tool. Furthermore, difficulties on the part of the teachers such as changing roles during a Webconference will be discussed. But this is not the only challenge putting stress on the teachers, they are additionally expected to provide an introduction to the new medium and technical support for the Webconferencing tool to the students. But all in all, the overall gain of using such tools in teaching shall be highlighted as well.

Keywords:

the use of webconferencing allows interactive, geographically independent.