Videoconferencing

Now there's an interesting form of communication! I've never had the pleasure of using videoconferencing in a distance education course but I do love to participate in videoconferencing. It makes e feel more connected, at least more so than simply chatting online or sending emails. But the topic was brought up as to whether videoconferencing should be included in distance education courses or not.

It is my opinion that videoconferencing within a distance education can have benefits. I argued that it could be used a supplementary resource to increase interactivity and build a greater sense of community. I did note that there are potential drawbacks to videoconferencing such as the costs associated with it and then accessibility issues which may hinder the learning process if too many problems are encountered.

I don't think it should be used as the primary means in delivering a course but I do think more institutions should look into including it in their courses. Having more than one mode of communication in a course such as videoconferencing may attract more students. I know I'd certainly be enthralled with videoconferencing in a future course!